Applications Engineer 2

Onto Innovation•Upton, MA

1d•$72,080 - $108,120•Onsite

About The Position

Onto Innovation is seeking an Applications Development Engineer specializing in optics, imaging sensors, illumination systems, and system integration. This role is part of the Applications Engineering organization and works closely with Optics Engineering, Sensor Integration, and Systems teams to bring advanced hardware concepts into production-ready semiconductor inspection and metrology applications. Unlike the ML-focused sister role, this position is centered on understanding, characterizing, and optimizing the hardware stack—optical subsystems, sensors, light sources, acquisition paths, and system-level performance. You will help define application requirements, guide optical/sensor integration, and identify opportunities where new hardware technologies can unlock novel inspection or metrology capabilities. This role is ideal for engineers passionate about optics, imaging science, and sensor technology who want to help shape next-generation semiconductor tools.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Imaging Science, or related field.
Hands-on experience with optical systems, imaging sensors, illumination systems, or system integration.
Strong understanding of image formation, lens behavior, sensor characteristics, and optical metrology fundamentals.
Proficiency with analysis tools such as MATLAB, Python, JMP, or equivalent.
Ability to run structured experiments, analyze complex datasets, and generate actionable insights.
Strong communication skills for collaboration across hardware, software, and applications groups.
Willingness to travel (10–25%).

Nice To Haves

Experience with semiconductor inspection, metrology, thin-film analysis, or wafer-level imaging.
Familiarity with optical modeling software (Zemax, Code V, LightTools).
Understanding of high-speed acquisition systems, trigger timing, and embedded/motion synchronization.
Exposure to advanced sensor technologies or multi-channel imaging methods.
Experience bridging hardware behavior with algorithmic or application requirements.
Knowledge of system-level performance optimization (throughput vs. sensitivity vs. resolution).
Experience with API/SDK use for sensor control or image acquisition.

Responsibilities

Partner with Optics and Systems Engineering to evaluate, integrate, and optimize imaging sensors (CMOS/CCD/TDI, area-scan/line-scan) and optical subsystems.
Characterize imaging performance: MTF, SNR, contrast, dynamic range, illumination uniformity, resolution, and sensitivity.
Support optical path alignment, calibration, focus strategies, illumination tuning, and synchronization with motion stages and sensor timing.
Troubleshoot image quality issues (focus, aberrations, stray light, polarization artifacts, integration noise, timing faults).
Work with illumination teams to optimize LED, laser, broadband, or multi-channel illumination for specific applications.
Evaluate and refine illumination geometry (brightfield, darkfield, structured light, polarization) for defect detection or metrology needs.
Perform system-level experiments to quantify performance vs. application requirements (throughput, sensitivity, depth-of-focus, inspection coverage).
Contribute to recipe development, test plans, and application validation using new optical/sensor configurations.
Partner with application and product teams to translate wafer-level requirements into optical/sensor performance targets.
Provide hardware-informed guidance for application tuning, measurement strategies, and tool configurations.
Collaborate with the sister ML Applications Engineer to ensure hardware outputs deliver the data quality needed for ML-based features (ADC, anomaly detection, regression).
Evaluate emerging sensor and optical technologies (e.g., hyperspectral, SWIR, polarization imaging, high-speed cameras, tunable filters, SPAD arrays).
Identify where new sensors/optics can create new inspection or metrology applications or unlock improvements in speed, sensitivity, or resolution.
Build proof-of-concept experiments, quantify gains, and generate application recommendations.
Engage with Optics, Sensor, Mechanical, Systems, and Product Engineering teams throughout platform development cycles.
Participate in New Product Introduction (NPI) activities, including hardware validation, documentation, and field support during alpha/beta testing.
Provide optics/sensor expertise to field teams and customers as needed.