Optomechanical Systems Director

Job Summary & Responsibilities

Onto Innovation is seeking a visionary Optomechanical Systems Director to lead the design and advancement of next-generation optical metrology systems used in semiconductor manufacturing. This role will drive innovation in optical architectures that enable precise measurement and inspection of nanometer-scale features in logic and memory devices, supporting AI-driven process control and yield optimization.

• Lead a team of optical engineers and Opto Mechanical Engineers in the design, simulation, and development of high-precision optical systems for metrology and inspection platforms.
• Architect optical subsystems for AOI products for semiconductor inspection systems, enabling smaller spot sizes, enhanced signal sensitivity, and advanced measurement precision.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (mechanical, electrical, software, and algorithm development) to integrate optical designs into full system solutions.
• Drive the development of new technologies to cover UV to IR wavelength light sources, objectives, and imaging optics.
• Oversee design validation through lab testing, metrology, and performance metrics (e.g., MTF, SNR, wavefront error).
• Mentor junior engineers and establish best practices in optical design documentation, simulation, and prototyping.
• Interface with product management and customers to align optical capabilities with market needs and manufacturing constraints.

Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD in Optical Engineering, Physics, or a related field experience.
• 15+ years of experience in optical system design, preferably in semiconductor metrology or inspection.
• Expertise in optical modeling tools (e.g., Zemax, Code V, LightTools).
• Strong understanding of geometrical and physical optics, optical system design, tolerancing, and manufacturability.
• Experience with laser-based systems, spectroscopic techniques, and precision alignment.
• Proven leadership in managing technical teams and delivering complex projects.

Preferred Skills

• Experience writing requirements, specifications, and working with suppliers to produce custom optics.
• Experience with optical metrology and the testing of optical systems.
• Background in integrating optics with mechanics, motion control, sensors, and embedded systems.
• Experience modeling stray light, ghost reflections and calculating light budgets.
• Familiarity with semiconductor process control, semiconductor inspection and metrology techniques.
• Familiarity with next generation logic and memory device architectures such as especially in Gate All Around and High Bandwidth Memory architectures.
• Experience working in cleanrooms and understanding of cleanroom protocols.