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# Principal Systems Engineer

- **Company:** Onto Innovation
- **Location:** Mount Olive, NJ, United States
- **Experience:** Expert
- **Salary:** $130,000.0 - $195,000.0
- **Contract:** Permanent contract
- **Skills:** Systems Engineering, Software Debugging, MATLAB, Reliability Engineering, Software Engineering, Software Requirements Analysis, Systems Architecture, Systems Integration, Strategies of Testing, System-level Testing, Modeling and Simulation
- **Published:** October 15, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.dice.com/job-detail/1fe2cf5b-c5d2-4777-bf9b-fb36c57c9c40

## About the Role

* Master's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Optical, Physics, or related field).
 * 10+ years of experience in complex system design and integration.
 * Proven experience in systems engineering within semiconductor equipment, photonics, aerospace, or precision instrumentation industries.
 * Strong understanding of multidisciplinary systems (mechanics, optics, electronics, controls, and software).
 * Demonstrated ability to lead technical teams and influence cross-functional stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

 * Experience with semiconductor metrology, inspection, or lithography systems.
 * Knowledge of precision motion systems, optics, vacuum systems, or laser-based instrumentation.
 * Familiarity with modeling and simulation tools (e.g., MATLAB/Simulink).
 * Experience defining system error budgets and performance modeling.
 * Exposure to cleanroom environments and high-reliability systems.

Key Competencies

 * Strategic thinking with strong system-level perspective.
 * Exceptional problem-solving and debugging skills in complex systems.
 * Strong leadership and technical mentorship capabilities.
 * Effective communication across technical and non-technical stakeholders.
 * Ability to manage ambiguity and drive decisions in complex environments.

## Description

Onto Innovation is a leader in process control, combining global scale with an expanded portfolio of leading-edge technologies that include: 3D metrology spanning the chip from nanometer-scale transistors to micron-level die-interconnects; macro defect inspection of wafers and packages; metal interconnect composition; factory analytics; and lithography for advanced semiconductor packaging. Our breadth of offerings across the entire semiconductor value chain helps our customers solve their most difficult yield, device performance, quality, and reliability issues. Onto Innovation strives to optimize customers' critical path of progress by making them smarter, faster and more efficient., We are seeking a highly experienced Principal Systems Engineer to lead the architecture, integration, and validation of complex systems for advanced semiconductor Films and OCD metrology equipment. This role requires deep technical leadership across multidisciplinary domains, including optics, mechanics, electronics, software, and controls.

The Principal Systems Engineer will define system-level requirements, ensure cross-functional alignment, and drive technical execution from concept through production. This individual serves as the technical authority and plays a critical role in solving complex system-level challenges impacting performance, reliability, and scalability., System Architecture & Technical Leadership

 * Define and own system architecture for complex, high-precision equipment.
 * Translate product requirements into detailed system specifications and subsystem requirements.
 * Lead trade studies, system partitioning, and design decisions across multiple engineering disciplines.
 * Serve as the technical lead and decision-maker for system-level design reviews.

Requirements & Interface Management

 * Develop, manage, and maintain system requirements, including traceability and validation.
 * Define and control system interfaces (mechanical, electrical, optical, software).
 * Ensure alignment between subsystem designs and overall system performance requirements.

Integration & Validation

 * Lead system integration efforts, identifying and resolving cross-domain issues.
 * Develop system-level test plans, validation strategies, and acceptance criteria.
 * Drive root cause analysis and resolution of system performance issues.

Performance & Reliability Engineering

 * Establish system error budgets, performance models, and sensitivity analyses.
 * Ensure system stability under environmental conditions (thermal, vibration, contamination).
 * Lead design for reliability, maintainability, and manufacturability at the system level.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

 * Collaborate with optical, mechanical, electrical, and software engineering teams.
 * Interface with product management, manufacturing, quality, and field service teams.
 * Mentor junior engineers and influence technical direction across the organization.

Program Execution

 * Support project planning, risk assessment, and milestone delivery.
 * Identify technical risks and implement mitigation strategies.
 * Support customer engagements and translate application needs into system capabilities.