Job Summary & ResponsibilitiesPosition SummaryOnto Innovation is seeking a Staff Systems Engineer to provide senior-level systems engineering leadership for advanced semiconductor inspection and metrology products. This individual contributor will define system requirements, drive architecture and interface decisions, support integration and verification, resolve cross-subsystem issues, and serve as a technical authority for complex customer and product development programs. The role is primarily on-site in Wilmington, Massachusetts, with travel up to 40%.
Key Responsibilities- Lead requirements definition, system architecture, interface management, trade studies, verification planning, integration strategy, risk analysis, and technical issue resolution for semiconductor inspection and metrology systems.
- Translate customer, market, and product needs into clear engineering requirements and acceptance criteria.
- Partner with hardware, software, optics, automation, manufacturing, field service, technical product support, product management, marketing, supply chain, operations, and strategic customers.
- Mentor engineers, improve systems engineering discipline, support customer escalations, and drive closure of complex technical risks.
QualificationsRequired Qualifications- Minimum of 15 years of engineering experience, including significant systems engineering responsibility for complex equipment, semiconductor capital equipment, precision instrumentation, automation, optics, imaging, software-enabled systems, or related high-technology products.
- Demonstrated expertise in requirements management, systems architecture, interface control, integration and test, verification and validation, technical risk management, and customer-facing technical problem solving.
- Ability to work independently, influence without formal authority, and drive results across cross-functional teams.
Preferred Qualifications- Experience with semiconductor inspection, metrology, lithography, process control, advanced packaging, optics, imaging, motion control, robotics, automation, software integration, and customer acceptance testing.
- Familiarity with requirements tools, issue tracking systems, configuration management, reliability engineering, and formal product development processes is preferred.
- INCOSE certification, Six Sigma, PMP, or equivalent systems engineering credentials are beneficial.
Education Requirements- Minimum education: bachelor's degree in systems engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, optical engineering, physics, computer engineering, robotics, or a related technical discipline.
- Preferred education: master's degree or Ph.D. in engineering or applied science.
- Equivalent experience may substitute for advanced education when supported by demonstrated systems engineering leadership.
Success Characteristics- Successful candidates demonstrate strong communication, analytical problem solving, independent technical judgment, assertiveness, ownership, execution discipline, cross-functional influence, and the ability to operate effectively with limited direction.
- First-year success includes closing high-priority systems issues, improving requirements clarity, strengthening integration readiness, mentoring engineers, and increasing customer confidence in system-level technical execution.
Working Conditions and TravelThis role is primarily on-site in Wilmington, Massachusetts, with domestic and international travel up to 40%. Must be able to occasionally lift up to 25 pounds and work safely in laboratory, manufacturing, cleanroom, customer-site, and office environments. Must comply with company safety standards and customer-site requirements.
Compensation & Growth• Base Salary Range:
$129,600.00 - $194,400.00, offered in good faith and based on experience, location, and qualifications.
- Additional Rewards: Annual bonus opportunities and potential long-term incentives tied to both company and individual success.
