Staff Applications Scientist

About the role

Onto Innovation is seeking a Staff Applications Scientist based in Hillsboro, Oregon to support the OCD Time-to-Solution (TTS) reduction program. This role will lead fab validation and customer-facing technical validation of new AI-assisted and automated OCD recipe-development capabilities. The position will work closely with Applications, Software, AI/ML, Engineering, and customer teams to validate solutions that reduce active Applications Engineer effort, while maintaining model quality, robustness, and customer acceptance.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain baseline TTS measurements and a standardized recipe-validation framework for OCD applications.
• Validate AI-generated and automated OCD recipes against existing engineering methods and fab benchmarks.
• Lead technical validation of Logic applications, including Thin Film and GAA OCD use cases.
• Support customer and fab pilots, including validation activities for advanced Logic applications at key customer sites.
• Evaluate model accuracy, robustness, repeatability, and readiness before customer deployment.
• Lead applications validation for expansion into 2D DRAM and 3D NAND use cases.
• Support NAND and DRAM pilot activities and provide technical feedback to AI/ML and software development teams.
• Analyze gaps between generated recipes and fab results and translate findings into actionable model, workflow, and software improvements.
• Serve as the technical liaison between customer Applications teams and internal AI/ML, Software, and Engineering teams.
• Develop validation methodologies, test cases, acceptance criteria, and technical documentation for new TTS capabilities.
• Support final technical qualification and in-scope device/application sign-off for production deployment.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or Master’s degree in Physics, Applied Physics, Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical field; advanced degree preferred.
• Strong experience in semiconductor metrology, optical metrology, OCD, thin-film measurement, or related semiconductor process-control applications.
• Demonstrated experience developing, optimizing, validating, or supporting semiconductor metrology recipes and models.
• Strong understanding of semiconductor device structures and applications, preferably including Logic, GAA, DRAM, NAND, and/or advanced thin-film structures.
• Experience working with semiconductor fabs and collaborating directly with customer engineering or applications teams.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to evaluate model performance, identify technical gaps, and drive corrective actions.
• Ability to work effectively across Applications, Software, AI/ML, Engineering, and customer organizations in a cross-functional development environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to document technical results and communicate recommendations to both technical teams and customers.

Benefits

At Onto Innovation, we believe your work should matter—and so should your well‑being. That’s why we offer competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package designed to support you and your family. From health, dental, and vision coverage to life and disability insurance, PTO, and a 401(k) with employer match, we’ve got you covered. You’ll also enjoy access to our Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP), wellness initiatives, and cutting‑edge tools—all within a collaborative, inclusive culture where your contributions are valued and recognized.

Pay

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.