Demo

Senior Systems Engineer

Cohu Careers
San Diego, CA Full Time
POSTED ON 6/8/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 8/8/2026
MAIN OBJECTIVES
  • Translate complex customer and market requirements into robust mechatronic and robotic system concepts that balance performance, reliability, usability, and cost of ownership.
  • Drive multi‑disciplinary system-level innovation by integrating mechanical, electrical, thermal, motion-control, 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 full-system traceability from requirements to implementation and maintain architectural integrity throughout the development lifecycle for a fully integrated robotic product.
  • Act as a technical authority and mentor for interdisciplinary engineering teams during the development of complex mechatronic and robotic systems.
  • Drive development schedules of module and platform development projects aligned to overall program and project dates to meet committed demonstration and ship dates.
RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Conduct system-level requirement analysis and author technical specifications and design briefs for robotic/mechatronic platforms, machines, and modules.
  • Lead the evaluation and selection of technical concepts in collaboration with domain experts across mechanical, electrical, controls, and software disciplines, based on functional, economic, and risk criteria.
  • Ensure architectural consistency and interface compatibility between mechanical, electrical, and software-controlled subsystems.
  • 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 integration 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-level innovations.
  • Present technical solutions and resolve system-level issues in collaboration with customers and stakeholders.
ESSENTIAL QUALITY EXPECTATIONS
  • Strategic and systems-level thinking with the ability to balance technical depth and cross-domain integration across mechanical, electrical, and software systems.
  • 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 modules and system-level integration development for the TH team under the Director of Engineering.

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS
  • Bachelor’s degree in mechatronics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or a related field (PhD, MSc, MEng, etc. desired).
  • Minimum of 10 years of experience in the system-level leadership of complex mechatronic or robotic system development, ideally in semiconductor backend equipment.
  • Minimum of 5 years as a direct engineer in a discipline.
  • Proven track record in system engineering for multi-domain machine development, machine concept development, and cross-functional engineering leadership.
  • Deep understanding of thermal systems, motion control, sensor integration, embedded control, and machine intelligence, and how these interact in a robotic product.
  • 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%.

Salary.com Estimation for Senior Systems Engineer in San Diego, CA
$123,115 to $144,482
If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets

What is the career path for a Senior Systems Engineer?

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs on the Senior Systems Engineer career path by checking the boxes next to the positions that interest you.
Income Estimation: 
$110,730 - $135,754
Income Estimation: 
$128,617 - $162,576
Income Estimation: 
$117,033 - $148,289
Income Estimation: 
$105,809 - $128,724
Income Estimation: 
$136,611 - $163,397
Income Estimation: 
$135,163 - $163,519
Income Estimation: 
$131,953 - $159,624
Income Estimation: 
$150,859 - $181,127
Income Estimation: 
$334,600 - $465,667
Income Estimation: 
$458,908 - $709,629
Employees: Get a Salary Increase
View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

Job openings at Cohu Careers

  • Cohu Careers Ayer, TX
  • Your Key Responsibilities: Serve as a trusted HR advisor to leaders and employees. Mediate and resolve workplace issues with professionalism and fairness. ... more
  • 4 Days Ago

  • Cohu Careers San Diego, CA
  • Cohu is a world leader in semiconductor handling equipment used to test ICs. We are seeking a Mechanical Engineer with strong expertise in automation equip... more
  • 5 Days Ago

  • Cohu Careers Zhubei City, GA
  • Job Description - 1. Main Objectives • Serve as key point of contact for the customer and company engineering organization • Manage customer and developmen... more
  • 9 Days Ago

  • Cohu Careers San Diego, CA
  • Essential Functions/Major Responsibilities : Contribute to design, testing, and integration across the full project lifecycle to deliver production-ready v... more
  • 11 Days Ago


Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other Senior Systems Engineer jobs in the San Diego, CA area that may be a better fit.

  • Precise Systems San Diego, CA
  • As a solutions-based company, Precise Systems is focused on innovation in support of the warfighters and aligning our expertise to deliver the highest qual... more
  • 6 Days Ago

  • General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Poway, CA
  • Job Summary General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is a world leader in proven, reliable remotely piloted ai... more
  • 19 Days Ago

AI Assistant is available now!

Feel free to start your new journey!