Principal Mechanical Engineer - Product Development

FormFactor Inc.; Boulder (CO); On-site; USD 94,100 - 123,480; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Disability coverage

401(k) with company match

ESPP

Paid time off

Profit-sharing bonuses

Flexible spending accounts

Job summary

FormFactor, Inc. in Boulder, Colorado seeks a Principal Mechanical Engineer, Product Development to design, analyze, prototype, validate and document complex mechanical and electro‑mechanical subsystems for automated cryogenic test equipment.

The role emphasizes manufacturability, reliability, cost, and customer requirements. The ideal candidate has at least five years of related experience, advanced SolidWorks proficiency, strong thermodynamics and heat transfer knowledge, and proven ability to

Qualifications

• Minimum five years of related engineering experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or three years with a Master’s degree; or a PhD without experience.
• Strong SolidWorks proficiency and fundamentals in thermodynamics, heat transfer, and modeling.
• Excellent communication and data-driven design decision-making abilities.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and document complex mechanical and electro‑mechanical subsystems using SolidWorks.
• Assess trade-offs between performance, cost, manufacturability, reliability, and customer requirements.
• Perform analyses, tolerance assessment, prototype evaluation, verification testing, and root cause analysis.
• Engage in customer-facing discussions to clarify requirements and support product improvement.
• Maintain complete engineering documentation (drawings, BOMs, specs, test plans, ECOs).
• Occasional travel for customer visits, conferences, or meetings.

Skills

Mechanical design

Thermodynamics

Heat transfer

Tolerance analysis

Modeling

Scientific instrumentation

Communication

Data-driven decisions

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related field

Tools

SolidWorks

Job description

Company Overview

FormFactor, Inc. (NASDAQ: FORM) is a leading provider of test & measurement technologies across the semiconductor product life cycle — from characterization and modeling to reliability and design debugging, qualification, and production test. Semiconductor companies rely on 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

Day shift.

Job Description

We are seeking a Principal Mechanical Engineer, Product Development to support complex automated cryogenic systems for semiconductor test & measurement applications. The candidate will independently and collaboratively design, analyze, prototype, validate, document, mechanical and electro‑mechanical subsystems, emphasizing engineering judgment, manufacturability, reliability, cost, performance, and customer requirements.

The role requires advanced SolidWorks proficiency, strong mechanical design fundamentals, experience with thermodynamics, heat transfer, tolerance analysis, modeling, scientific instrumentation, engineering documentation, prototype evaluation, verification testing, and root cause analysis. The ideal candidate brings at least five years of related engineering experience in complex mechanical or electro‑mechanical product development, with cryogenic or semiconductor equipment experience preferred, and demonstrates strong communication, collaboration, prioritization, and data‑driven decision‑making skills.

Key Responsibilities

• Independently and in coordination with a larger team, designs, develops, and documents complex mechanical and electro‑mechanical parts, assemblies, and subsystems using advanced proficiency in SolidWorks.
• Exercises sound engineering judgement to evaluate trade‑offs between performance, cost, manufacturability, reliability, and customer requirements when developing mechanical and electro‑mechanical design solutions.
• Performs technical and root‑cause analysis, modeling, tolerance assessment, design verification, prototype evaluation, and troubleshooting to enhance manufacturability, cost, quality, and customer experience.
• Participates in customer‑facing technical discussions to understand requirements, explain design approaches, evaluate feasibility, and support analysis, ideation, and product improvement activities.
• Creates and maintains complete and accurate engineering documentation (drawings, bills of materials, specifications, test plans, analysis summaries, engineering change documentation) in accordance with company processes to support design quality, manufacturability, and lifecycle traceability.
• Occasional travel may be required for customer visits, conferences, or meetings.

Technical Skills

• Mechanical design, thermodynamics, heat transfer, tolerance analysis.
• Materials properties and manufacturing processes.
• Modeling, analysis, and scientific instrumentation.

Professional Skills

• Strong communication skills across technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Attention to detail and a collaborative approach to problem solving.
• Strong knowledge of physics, mathematical modeling, materials properties, manufacturing processes, thermodynamics, heat transfer, tolerance analysis, and use of scientific instruments for development, validation, and troubleshooting.
• Demonstrated ability to solve technical problems, make data‑driven design decisions, manage competing priorities, and communicate technical recommendations clearly to technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
• Preferred experience supporting design reviews, engineering change processes, prototype builds, verification testing, and transition of designs into manufacturing.

Skills

Collaboration, Communication, Cryogenic Engineering, Detail‑Oriented, Engineering Change Order (ECO), Heat Transfers, Manufacturing Processes, Materials Properties, Mechanical Design, Scientific Instruments, Semiconductor Industry, System Modeling, Technical Problem‑Solving, Thermodynamics, Tolerance Analysis, Validation Testing

Education & Experience

• Minimum five years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or three years with a Master’s degree; or a PhD without experience; or equivalent work experience.

Pay Range

$94,100.00 - $123,480.00

Pay Range Explained

This role in Boulder, Colorado pays between $94,100.00 and $123,480.00 per year, depending on experience, skills, and background. Pay may vary in other locations. 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. It complies with all national, state, and local laws that 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.

Remote Eligibility

For roles designated as remote‑eligible, employees cannot be located in AL, AK, AR, DE, GA, HI, IL, IA, KY, LA, ME, MD, MS, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, ND, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, WV, WI, WY. The list is continually evolving; please check back to confirm 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.