Systems Engineer III (E3)

Job Title

Systems Engineer III (E3)

Role Summary

Design, integrate, and optimize complex optical systems for a high-performance optical lithography product used in advanced packaging. Lead subsystem projects across the product development lifecycle from requirements and design through prototyping, verification, manufacturing, installation, and field support.

Experience Level

Mid-level. The posting indicates 0–7 years of experience and corresponds to an Engineer III role.

Responsibilities

Accountable for system- and subsystem-level engineering, testing, and production support for optical assemblies and instruments.

• Identify scope, constraints, and risks for design, fabrication, testing, and volume production of optical components.
• Plan, schedule, monitor, and lead subsystem and optical assembly projects with cross-functional teams.
• Collaborate with suppliers on design of critical optical sub-assemblies and components.
• Develop and maintain error budgets and subsystem-level requirements for system testing and validation.
• Derive design specifications from customer and system requirements and provide engineering input during design.
• Define and execute system test plans for prototype acceptance and qualification of subsystems and components.
• Design and run experiments (DOE) to validate error budgets and mitigate performance risks; execute feasibility tests for HW & SW features.
• Troubleshoot and perform root cause analysis for complex system-level issues in manufacturing and field environments.
• Implement and validate system diagnostics, calibrations, and automated optical metrology hardware/software.
• Support manufacturing activities, customer site installations, escalations, failure analysis, and produce technical reports.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and abilities for immediate contribution.

• Hands-on experience designing, assembling, calibrating, and using complex opto-mechanical systems (light sources, sensors, lenses, filters).
• Experience designing and executing test plans and concept/feasibility studies, including DOE methods.
• Strong troubleshooting and root-cause analysis skills across HW and SW domains.
• Proficient with data analysis and data visualization techniques.
• Programming or scripting experience (examples: Matlab, Python) and ability to debug system/subsystem software using logs and error messages.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams, manage multiple projects, and meet project milestones.
• Experience supporting manufacturing and field teams through diagnostics, escalations, and documentation.

Nice-to-have:

• Image processing and software automation experience.
• Experience with AI tools (e.g., Claude) and optical modeling/simulation.
• Background in optical metrology development, qualification, and training/documentation for manufacturing/service.

Education Requirements

MS or PhD in Optics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field is specified. The posting indicates 0–7 years of experience; no explicit "or equivalent experience" language was found.

About the Company

Company: Applied Materials

Headquarters: Santa Clara, CA, United States

Global leader in materials engineering solutions for the semiconductor and display industries, designing, manufacturing, and servicing equipment used to produce chips and advanced displays worldwide. Enables customers' production of semiconductor devices and display technologies and supports innovations like AI and IoT.