System Engineer

Cohu, Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous employee benefits

Strong company culture

Challenging work experiences

Job summary

A leading global technology company in California is seeking an experienced individual to lead system-level innovations in mechatronic systems. The ideal candidate will have over 5 years of relevant experience and a Bachelor's degree in a related field. Responsibilities include conducting requirement analysis, leading technical evaluations, and ensuring compliance with certification processes. The role requires excellent communication skills and the ability to guide interdisciplinary teams through complex projects, with opportunities for international travel.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in system-level leadership of complex mechatronic systems.
• Proven track record in system engineering and machine concept development.
• Understanding of thermal systems, motion control, and machine intelligence.

Responsibilities

• Conduct system-level requirement analysis and author technical specifications.
• Lead evaluation of technical concepts in collaboration with domain experts.
• Guide development of subsystem concepts and validate their feasibility.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Analytical skills

Excellent communication

Proactive mindset

Customer-oriented thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechatronics, mechanical engineering, or electrical engineering

Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

CAE

Job description

• Translate complex customer and market requirements into robust system concepts that balance performance, reliability, usability, and cost of ownership.
• Drive system-level innovation by integrating mechanical, electrical, thermal, and software domains into cohesive machine platforms.
• Moderate cross-functional concept development workshops and guide teams through structured decision-making under uncertainty.
• Evaluate feasibility and risk of new concepts using first-principles physics and empirical modeling.
• Ensure system-level traceability from requirements to implementation and maintain architectural integrity throughout the development lifecycle.
• Drive development schedules of module and platform development projects aligned to overall program and project dates to meet committed demonstration and ship dates.

2. RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct system-level requirement analysis and author technical specifications and design briefs for sub-assembly modules.
• Lead the evaluation and selection of technical concepts in collaboration with domain experts, based on functional, economic, and risk criteria.
• Ensure architectural consistency and interface compatibility across subsystems and modules.
• Guide the development of subsystem concepts and validate their feasibility through analytical modeling and simulation.
• Facilitate design reviews and ensure that development progress aligns with system-level objectives.
• Drive risk assessments and initiate necessary pre-development or technology validation activities.
• Ensure compliance with certification requirements (e.g., CE, SEMI, RoHS) and support the preparation of documentation.
• Support patent applications and the protection of intellectual property arising from system innovations.
• Present technical solutions and resolve system-level issues in collaboration with customers and stakeholders.

3. ESSENTIAL QUALITY EXPECTATIONS

• Strategic and systems-level thinking with the ability to balance technical depth and cross-domain integration.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to make sound decisions under ambiguity using physical principles and engineering judgment.
• Excellent communication and moderation skills to lead interdisciplinary teams through complex trade-offs.
• Proactive mindset for identifying innovation opportunities and system improvements.
• Commitment to technical excellence, documentation, and knowledge transfer.
• Customer-oriented thinking and ability to represent the company in technical discussions.
• AUTHORITY
• Lead module level development for TH team under the Director of Engineering

5. REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in mechatronics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or a related field. ((PhD, MSc, MEng, etc. desired)
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in the system level leadership of the development of complex mechatronic systems, ideally in semiconductor backend equipment.
• Minimum of 5 years as a direct engineer in a discipline.
• Proven track record in system engineering, machine concept development, and cross-functional engineering leadership.
• Understanding and/or working experience with thermal systems, motion control, sensor integration, and machine intelligence.
• Experience with requirement engineering, risk management, and certification processes.
• Strong knowledge of modeling tools (e.g., MATLAB/Simulink), CAE, and system simulation.
• Excellent English communication skills: German and/or French is a plus.

Willingness to travel internationally up to 20%

With more than 3000 employees worldwide, we offer challenging and rewarding work experiences, generous employee benefits and a strong company culture. If you are looking for a global publicly traded company that provides you with international experience and a challenging work environment, then Cohu is your choice.

Cohu firmly supports the U.S. national and various state and local policies of equal employment opportunity which are designed to provide equality of employment and advancement opportunities to every individual without regard to unlawful considerations of race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, gender, gender identity or gender expression, age, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, genetic information, military or veteran status or any other legally protected category.

In addition, reasonable accommodations are available to qualified disabled individuals, upon request.

Globally, Cohu is committed to full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations governing employment, in the U.S. and in all other locations around the world where we have operations.