Principal Systems Engineer

Critical Fit Recruiting; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Critical Fit Recruiting seeks a Principal Systems Engineer to lead architecture, integration, and validation of advanced semiconductor films and OCD metrology equipment in California. You will own system-level requirements, guide cross-functional teams, and drive execution from concept to production.

You will act as the technical authority across optics, mechanics, electronics, software, and controls, shaping reliability, performance, and manufacturability for cutting-edge systems.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Engineering or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in complex system design and integration.
• Experience in semiconductor equipment, photonics, aerospace, or precision instrumentation.
• Strong leadership across mechanical, optical, electrical, and software domains.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and stakeholder alignment.

Responsibilities

• Define and own system architecture for high-precision equipment.
• Translate requirements into detailed system specifications.
• Lead cross-disciplinary design reviews and trade studies.
• Develop system interfaces and ensure traceability.
• Plan and execute integration and validation activities.
• Drive reliability, maintainability, and manufacturability at system level.
• Mentor junior engineers and guide technical direction.

Skills

System architecture

Cross-functional leadership

Requirements management

System integration

Validation planning

Reliability engineering

Mentorship

Stakeholder influence

Technical leadership

Project planning

Education

Master's degree in Engineering

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

Job description

DESCRIPTION:

We are seeking a highly experienced Principal Systems Engineer to lead the architecture, integration, and validation of complex systems for advanced semiconductor Films and OCD metrology equipment. This role requires deep technical leadership across multidisciplinary domains, including optics, mechanics, electronics, software, and controls.

The Principal Systems Engineer will define system-level requirements, ensure cross-functional alignment, and drive technical execution from concept through production. This individual serves as the technical authority and plays a critical role in solving complex system-level challenges impacting performance, reliability, and scalability.

Key Responsibilities:

System Architecture & Technical Leadership

• Define and own system architecture for complex, high-precision equipment.
• Translate product requirements into detailed system specifications and subsystem requirements.
• Lead trade studies, system partitioning, and design decisions across multiple engineering disciplines.
• Serve as the technical lead and decision-maker for system-level design reviews.

Requirements & Interface Management

• Develop, manage, and maintain system requirements, including traceability and validation.
• Define and control system interfaces (mechanical, electrical, optical, software).
• Ensure alignment between subsystem designs and overall system performance requirements.

Integration & Validation

• Lead system integration efforts, identifying and resolving cross-domain issues.
• Develop system-level test plans, validation strategies, and acceptance criteria.
• Drive root cause analysis and resolution of system performance issues.

Performance & Reliability Engineering

• Establish system error budgets, performance models, and sensitivity analyses.
• Ensure system stability under environmental conditions (thermal, vibration, contamination).
• Lead design for reliability, maintainability, and manufacturability at the system level.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with optical, mechanical, electrical, and software engineering teams.
• Interface with product management, manufacturing, quality, and field service teams.
• Mentor junior engineers and influence technical direction across the organization.

Program Execution

• Support project planning, risk assessment, and milestone delivery.
• Identify technical risks and implement mitigation strategies.
• Support customer engagements and translate application needs into system capabilities.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Optical, Physics, or related field).
• 10+ years of experience in complex system design and integration.
• Proven experience in systems engineering within semiconductor equipment, photonics, aerospace, or precision instrumentation industries.
• Strong understanding of multidisciplinary systems (mechanics, optics, electronics, controls, and software).
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical teams and influence cross-functional stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with semiconductor metrology, inspection, or lithography systems.
• Knowledge of precision motion systems, optics, vacuum systems, or laser-based instrumentation.
• Familiarity with modeling and simulation tools (e.g., MATLAB/Simulink).
• Experience defining system error budgets and performance modeling.
• Exposure to cleanroom environments and high-reliability systems.
• Strategic thinking with strong system-level perspective.
• Exceptional problem-solving and debugging skills in complex systems.
• Strong leadership and technical mentorship capabilities.
• Effective communication across technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to manage ambiguity and drive decisions in complex environments.