Equipment Engineer (Semiconductor & Photonic)

InPho; Halifax; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Equity packages

Flexible work environment

Career growth opportunities

Job summary

Inpho, a fast-growing Canadian photonics company, seeks an Equipment Engineer to sustain, optimize, and expand manufacturing and test equipment for semiconductor and photonic device production.

The role centers on electro-optical test platforms, automated pick-and-place machines, and advanced AOI/vision systems, collaborating across photonics, automation, and semiconductor manufacturing to boost yield, throughput, and product performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Electrical, Mechanical, Optical Engineering or Physics.
• 3–7+ years hands-on experience with electro-optical test equipment, automated pick and place, or visual inspection systems.
• Strong understanding of lasers, optics, photodetectors, and precision measurement instrumentation.
• Experience with machine vision systems, AOI platforms or imaging-based inspection tools.
• Proficiency in troubleshooting complex electromechanical systems.
• Familiarity with semiconductor or photonics manufacturing environments.
• Excellent communication and documentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Own electro-optical test stations, pick-and-place machines, and visual inspection tools.
• Maintain equipment uptime via preventive maintenance, calibration, troubleshooting, and rapid issue response.
• Develop and refine PM procedures, calibration routines, and troubleshooting guides.
• Support laser and electro-optical test equipment for device characterization (power, wavelength, beam quality, alignment, throughput).
• Collaborate with test engineering to improve measurement accuracy, repeatability, and throughput.
• Configure, program, and maintain automated pick-and-place machines; optimize placement accuracy and cycle time.
• Lead AOI systems and machine vision inspection capabilities; define inspection standards with quality.

Skills

Electro-optical test equipment

Automated pick and place

Visual inspection systems

Machine vision

Instrumentation troubleshooting

Semiconductor/photonics manufacturing

Education

Electrical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Optical Engineering

Physics

Tools

Python

LabVIEW

MATLAB

Job description

About Inpho

Inpho is a fast-growing scale-up, focused on developing cutting-edge optoelectronic solutions for next-generation communications, and photonic systems. Our multidisciplinary team is pushing the boundaries of innovation in integrated photonics and semiconductor packaging.

Inpho’s new class of electro-photonic chips is poised to revolutionize and disrupt the optical interconnect market. Utilizing this new class of chips enables existing optical interconnect systems to be built at much lower cost; new architectures to be deployed that provide significantly higher price/performance; and a whole new generation of higher speed interconnect to be built that to date have been impossible.

About The Role

We are seeking an Equipment Engineer to sustain, optimize, and expand a diverse suite of manufacturing and test equipment used in semiconductor and photonic device production. This role focuses on electro optical test platforms, automated pick and place assembly machines, and advanced visual inspection systems.

The Equipment Engineer will work at the intersection of photonics, automation, and semiconductor manufacturing — owning critical equipment that enables next generation device production and driving improvements that directly impact yield, throughput, and product performance.

Key Responsibilities

Equipment Ownership & Sustaining

• Serve as the primary owner for electro optical test stations, automated pick and place machines, and visual inspection tools.
• Maintain equipment uptime through preventive maintenance, calibration, troubleshooting, and rapid response to production issues.
• Develop and refine equipment documentation, including PM procedures, calibration routines, and troubleshooting guides.

Electro Optical Test Systems

• Support and optimize laser and electro optical test equipment used for device characterization (power, wavelength, beam quality, alignment accuracy, optical throughput).
• Perform root cause analysis on test failures involving lasers, optics, detectors, and electronic subsystems.
• Collaborate with test engineering to improve measurement accuracy, repeatability, and throughput.

Pick and Place Automation

• Configure, program, and maintain automated pick and place machines used for semiconductor and photonic device assembly.
• Optimize placement accuracy, cycle time, and yield through mechanical tuning, vision alignment improvements, and process parameter refinement.
• Support new product introduction (NPI) by developing placement recipes, tooling, and fixtures.

Visual Inspection & Metrology

• Manage automated optical inspection (AOI) systems, high resolution imaging tools, and machine vision based inspection platforms.
• Improve defect detection algorithms, lighting configurations, and inspection criteria to enhance yield and reduce false positives.
• Work closely with quality engineering to define inspection standards and integrate new inspection capabilities.

Cross Functional Collaboration

• Partner with manufacturing, process engineering, R&D, and quality teams to support production ramps, equipment upgrades, and capability expansions.
• Lead equipment qualification activities (IQ/OQ/PQ) for new tools and major upgrades.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives using data driven approaches (SPC, FMEA, DOE).

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Physics, or related field.
• 3–7+ years of hands on experience with electro optical test equipment, automated pick and place machines, and/or visual inspection systems.
• Strong understanding of lasers, optics, photodetectors, and precision measurement instrumentation.
• Experience with machine vision systems, AOI platforms, or imaging based inspection tools.
• Proficiency in troubleshooting complex electromechanical systems.
• Familiarity with semiconductor or photonics manufacturing environments.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to interpret equipment data, logs, and performance trends.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to produce clear technical documentation.

Preferred Qualifications & Skills

• Experience with high volume semiconductor or photonic device assembly.
• Knowledge of motion control systems, robotics, or precision automation.
• Background in scripting or automation (Python, LabVIEW, MATLAB).
• Experience with cleanroom protocols and contamination control.

Why Join Inpho?

• Be part of a mission-driven startup shaping the future of photonics.
• Competitive salary, full health benefits and equity packages, flexible work environment, and career growth opportunities.

Come work with a dynamic, high-talent team to build and commercialize the highest-performance photonics chips in the world!

Additional Information

Inpho is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse, and respectful workplace. We provide equal employment opportunities without discrimination based on race, colour, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

If you require accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact Inpho Human Resources at [e-mail]

We thank all candidates for their interest in Inpho. Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.