Principal Applications Engineer (Silicon Photonics - SiPh)

FormFactor, Inc.; Beaverton (OR); On-site; USD 94,000 - 123,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with company match

Employee stock purchase plan (ESPP)

Paid time off

Quarterly profit-sharing bonuses

Job summary

FormFactor, Inc. in Beaverton, Oregon, seeks a Principal Applications Engineer (Silicon Photonics) to define technical requirements for advanced optoelectronic test solutions and lead cross‑functional efforts to validate and deploy them.

The role centers on on‑wafer measurements, silicon photonics technologies, and translating customer needs into product requirements, with opportunities to mentor engineers and shape training programs.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 3 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD without experience.
• Experience in optical‑system development and silicon photonics is preferred.
• Experience in Applications Engineering or Field Applications Engineering or customer-facing roles.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate cross-functionally with Engineering, Product Marketing, Manufacturing and Global Sales to develop measurement solutions for semiconductor applications.
• Serve as SME for on‑wafer semiconductor device measurements and SiPh test applications, translating customer requirements into product requirements.
• Lead technical definition, application validation, and customer success for new products.
• Design, execute, and analyze complex application experiments to evaluate product performance and customer use cases.
• Develop application methodologies, best practices, and technical documentation to support product deployment.
• Create and deliver advanced technical training programs for Field Applications Engineers, Sales teams, customers, and partners.
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical guidance across multidisciplinary teams.

Skills

Silicon Photonics

Python

Optics

Troubleshooting

Communication

Problem Solving

Statistical Analysis

Data Analysis

Scripting

SAS JMP

Training and Development

Microsoft Office

Semiconductor Characterization

Statistics

Training

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Physics, Optics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Photonics

Tools

Job description

Forming Our Future together FormFactor, Inc. (NASDAQ: FORM), is a leading provider of essential test and measurement technologies along the full semiconductor product life cycle — from characterization, modeling, reliability, and design de-bug, to qualification and production test. Semiconductor companies rely upon FormFactor’s products and services to accelerate profitability by optimizing device performance and advancing yield knowledge. The company serves customers through its network of facilities in Asia, Europe, and North America. Rooted in our core values — Focus on the Customer, Ownership & Accountability, Respectfully & Effectively Communicate, and Motivate & Develop People — we foster an environment where diverse perspectives are not only welcomed but celebrated. Everyone can make an impact here. Whether it's improving products, supporting customers, or positively influencing peers and the community, the contributions of our people matter.

Shift: The regular hours for this position are day shift.

Job Description

FormFactor is seeking a Principal Applications Engineer (Silicon Photonics - SiPh) to define technical requirements for advanced optoelectronic test and measurement solutions, validate solutions through testing, and apply applications knowledge to create customer‑centric solutions. This role serves as a critical link between customers, Product Marketing, Engineering, Manufacturing, and Field Applications teams, ensuring FormFactor products address emerging market and technology needs. This position is ideal for a highly experienced technical leader with deep expertise in semiconductor device characterization, optical test methodologies, and Silicon Photonics.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate cross‑functionally with Engineering, Product Marketing, Manufacturing, and Global Sales organizations to develop innovative measurement solutions for advanced semiconductor applications.
• Serve as the subject matter expert for on‑wafer semiconductor device measurements and SiPh test applications, translating customer requirements into product requirements.
• Lead technical definition, application validation, and customer success for new products.
• Design, execute, and analyze complex application experiments to evaluate product performance and customer use cases.
• Develop application methodologies, best practices, and technical documentation to support successful product deployment.
• Create and deliver advanced technical training programs for Field Applications Engineers, Sales teams, customers, and business partners.
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical guidance across multidisciplinary project teams.

Preferred Qualifications & Experiences

• Degree in Physics, Optics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Photonics, or a related field.
• Relevant industry experience in optical‑system development, photonics, semiconductor equipment, or test and measurement.
• Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered.
• Experience with Silicon Photonics devices and technologies such as waveguides, optical transceivers, photodiodes, VCSELs, beam optics, and integrated photonic circuits.
• Experience in Applications Engineering, Field Applications Engineering, Technical Sales, or customer‑facing technical support roles.
• Familiarity with semiconductor wafer probing systems and automated test environments.
• Understanding of semiconductor test methodologies, test automation, and advanced characterization techniques.
• Proficient in developing test scripts in Python and analyzing data in JMP.
• Familiarity with semiconductor processing and advanced packaging.

Skills

• Communication
• Microsoft Office
• Optics
• Problem Solving
• Python (Programming Language)
• SAS JMP (Statistical Software)
• Scripting
• Semiconductor Characterization
• Silicon Photonics
• Statistical Analysis
• Statistical Data
• Statistics
• Training and Development
• Troubleshooting

Education & Experience

Minimum of 5 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 3 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD without experience; or equivalent work.

Required Pay Range

$94,100.00 - $123,480.00

Pay Range Explained

This role in Beaverton, Oregon pays between $94,100.00 and $123,480.00 per year, depending on your experience, skills, and background. Pay may vary in other locations.

Benefits

We offer a full benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability coverage, a 401(k) with company match, employee stock purchase plan (ESPP), and paid time off. You’ll also be eligible for quarterly profit‑sharing bonuses and flexible spending or savings accounts.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

FormFactor is an equal opportunity employer. FormFactor complies with all national, state, and local laws that seek to promote equal opportunities for any applicant or employee without regard to age, race, color, gender, gender identity/expression, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, disability, marital status, pregnancy or related condition, military service, or any other legally protected characteristics. These protections apply to all aspects of employment, including but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, training, promotions, and compensation. For roles that are designated as remote‑eligible, employees cannot be located in:AL, AK, AR, DE, GA, HI, IL, IA, LA, ME, MD, MS, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, ND, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, WV, WI, WY. This list is continuously evolving and being updated, please check back with us if the state you live in is on the exclusion list. A role is remote‑eligible only when it is listed as "Remote" in the job location.

Our Mission

We enable our customers to revolutionize semiconductors with advanced packaging bringing tomorrow's electronics to life.

Our Values

Our values were collaboratively created to reflect the essence of who we are as a company and as a team of people. The values are created for us, by us. Our people designed the FORM acronym and imagery as a constant reminder to live these values daily. Together, we embrace these guiding principles, fostering a positive and united environment for all. Focus on the Customer Ownership & Accountability Respectfully & Effectively Communicate Motivate & Develop People