What are the responsibilities and job description for the Control Systems Engineer position at Cohu, Inc.?
Cohu, Inc. (www.cohu.com) in Poway (San Diego) is a $700 million international capital equipment manufacturer in the semiconductor industry. In this key role, you will design and develop electronic circuits for precise and fast power control of heating elements for semiconductor test and inspection equipment and metrology products. Develop high-accuracy analog-to-digital conversion systems for electronic temperature measurement.
Support innovation initiatives within the iLAB department by contributing to the full lifecycle of new product development—from initial concept ideation through prototyping, validation, and New Product Introduction (NPI) into production.
We will fill this role with either a Control Systems Engineer or Sr. Control Systems Engineer, depending on background, education, skills and experience of the selected candidate. This position is based in our Poway (San Diego) location.
We offer competitive salaries and generous employee benefits.
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MAIN OBJECTIVES
- Design and develop electronic circuits for precise and fast power control of heating elements.
- Develop high-accuracy analog-to-digital conversion systems for electronic temperature measurement.
- Program microcontrollers and FPGAs for thermal and mechatronic control systems.
- Advance control and regulation technologies for thermal systems.
- Conceive, prototype, and evaluate new thermal system architectures in collaboration with cross-functional teams.
- Clarify requirements and present concepts to customers on site (worldwide)
- Support innovation initiatives within the iLAB department by contributing to the full lifecycle of new product development—from initial concept ideation through prototyping, validation, and New Product Introduction (NPI) into production.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Develop and test embedded software and electronic hardware for advanced thermal control systems, ensuring performance, reliability, and scalability.
- Participate in concept development, test methodology, and prototyping of new technologies.
- Ensure compliance with technical requirements and standards, in a fast paste and highly competitive industry.
- Document designs, test results, and development processes.
- Support patent applications and protection of intellectual property.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with product management and other engineering teams.
ESSENTIAL QUALITY EXPECTATIONS
- Strong understanding of control and regulation principles for thermal and mechatronic systems.
- Ability to work in a multidisciplinary innovation team.
- Proactive approach for identifying and solving complex technical challenges.
- Consistent eagerness to identify opportunities for system-level enhancement and equipment improvements
- Clear and structured communication of project status and results.
- Openness to emerging new ideas and technologies.
REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS
- Engineering degree (PhD, MSc, MEng) in electrical engineering, mechatronics, or a related field.
- >3 years of experience or >6 years of experience (sr. level) in developing embedded systems / electronic hardware for thermal applications.
- Knowledge of control systems, analog/digital electronics, and thermal measurement technologies.
- Experience with microcontroller and FPGA programming.
- Familiarity with MATLAB/Octave, Python, SolidWorks, CAE tools, and reliability engineering.
- Strong problem-solving skills and creativity.
- Fluent English; German and/or French is a plus.
- Position based in CA Rancho Bernardo with up to 20% domestic and international travel.