Applications (Systems) Engineer

A Day in Your Life at MKS:
The role of an Applications Development Engineer at ESI is, in coordination with the product marketing team, to define, develop, and characterize processes on relevant materials using ESI laser drill platforms and to support our customers in developing application solutions and transferring them to a manufacturing environment. This position will directly support efforts towards the successful introduction of new, CO2 laser based ESI laser drill platforms into the HDI / ICP market space.

R16607 System Applications Engineer

Position Summary

The System Applications Engineer at ESI collaborates closely with the product marketing team to define, develop, and optimize printed circuit board (PCB) processing using ESI laser drilling systems. This role supports the development of tailored processing solutions for customer applications and ensures smooth transition into manufacturing environments. The engineer will play a key role in introducing new CO₂ laser systems into the HDI/ICP market.

Key Responsibilities

• Evaluate performance of material processing and inspection processes (accuracy, throughput, etc.)
• Support application group activities related to evaluation of existing products
• Propose innovative solutions and laser processes for new applications by leveraging company expertise
• Optimize processes using DOE (Design of Experiments) methodology
• Conduct inspection evaluations using various tools (microscope, SEM, etc.)
• Analyze data using relevant statistical and image analysis software
• Manage development based on ESI’s standard application evaluation methods
• Participate in maintenance of required test equipment
• Engage in customer-facing activities and contribute to new application development
• Collaborate with marketing, sales, service, and engineering teams to optimize customer processes
• Provide customer support, system demonstrations, and application development assistance
• Support system engineering tasks including technical negotiations related to production equipment design, architecture, software logic, special customer requirements, and integration with external material handling systems
• Communicate and report with domestic teams and U.S. headquarters
• Travel domestically and internationally (e.g., Portland, OR; Singapore)

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechatronics, Electrical, or Mechanical Engineering, or 5+ years of relevant experience
• Experience in laser process development and laser-material interaction
• Technical experience with manufacturing and inspection equipment used in mass production
• Strong problem-solving skills and initiative
• Customer-facing experience, analytical ability, and communication skills
• Native-level Japanese proficiency and business-level English (reading, writing, speaking)

Preferred

• Experience with CO₂ or UV lasers in the PCB/FPC market
• Knowledge of optical and scanning subsystems
• Programming skills in Python, Matlab, or similar languages

Work Environment

• PPE required as per safety regulations when necessary
• Occasional exposure to mechanical parts, vibration, and noise
• Ability to lift items up to approximately 10 kg

Globally, our policy is to recruit individuals from wide and diverse backgrounds. However, certain positions require access to controlled goods and technologies subject to various export control regulations.  Applicants for these positions may be limited (by, for example, their countries of citizenship, country of origin, or immigration status) where required by law or governmental contact, and/or employment made contingent upon the issuance of appropriate governmental licensing.

MKS Inc. and its affiliates and subsidiaries (“MKS”) is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer: diverse candidates are encouraged to apply. We win as a team and are committed to recruiting and hiring qualified applicants regardless of race, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), religion, age, ancestry, physical or mental disability or handicap, marital status, membership in the uniformed services, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other category protected by applicable law. Hiring decisions are based on merit, qualifications and business needs. We conduct background checks and drug screens, in accordance with applicable law and company policies.  MKS is generally only hiring candidates who reside in states where we are registered to do business.

MKS is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process due to a disability, please contact us at: accommodationsatMKS@mksinst.com .

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