COE Application Engineer

COE Application Engineer - SLT, Burn-In, HPC & AI

Position Overview

Hands-on COE (Center of Expertise) Application Engineer responsible for application development, system integration, customer enablement, and technical support across SLT, Burn-In, HPC, and AI semiconductor test platforms. The role works directly across semiconductor testers, automated handlers, thermal systems, instrumentation, test programs, firmware, software, and production test-cell environments to develop, validate, deploy, and scale complete test solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a technical subject matter expert for SLT, Burn-In, HPC, and AI semiconductor test applications.
• Lead hands-on system bring-up, application development, device integration, characterization, qualification, and production ramp activities.
• Develop and optimize test flows, recipes, configurations, operating parameters, and application methodologies for complex semiconductor devices.
• Integrate and debug complete test-cell solutions across tester hardware, handlers, thermal systems, instrumentation, firmware, software, networking, and test programs.
• Support customer evaluations, proof-of-concepts, demonstrations, benchmarks, technical workshops, and production deployments.
• Work directly with customers to translate device, factory, reliability, throughput, electrical, thermal, and production requirements into test solutions.
• Characterize and improve test time, throughput, yield, repeatability, utilization, availability, power delivery, and thermal performance.
• Drive structured root-cause analysis for complex system-level issues and coordinate resolution across Applications, Systems, HW, SW, FW, Test Program, and R&D teams.
• Develop reusable COE reference solutions, validation methods, troubleshooting guides, best practices, and application documentation.
• Train regional Applications Engineers, Field Service Engineers, partners, and customer engineering teams.
• Provide field and customer feedback to Product Management and R&D to influence future platform, software, firmware, and system requirements.
• Use automation, scripting, data analytics, and AI-assisted engineering tools to accelerate application development, debug, and characterization.
• All other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of applications engineering, semiconductor test, system integration, product engineering, or related hands-on technical experience.
• Strong experience with one or more of the following: SLT, Burn-In, semiconductor ATE, HPC/AI device test, test program development, handlers, thermal systems, or high-power test systems.
• Strong system-level troubleshooting skills with the ability to debug across hardware, firmware, software, networking, and DUT execution.
• Experience integrating semiconductor test equipment, physical hardware, instrumentation, device interfaces, handlers, or thermal systems.
• Working knowledge of Python, C/C++, C#, scripting, or comparable automation tools.
• Working knowledge of Windows and/or Linux environments, networking, logs, telemetry, and data analysis.
• Understanding semiconductor production metrics including yield, test time, throughput, utilization, and availability.
• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Must be willing to work onsite in Lake Forest, CA.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with SLT, Burn-In, ATE, HPC, ActivATE/ActivATE360, or Advantest test platforms.
• Experience testing GPU, CPU, AI accelerator, server, chiplet, or other high-performance computer devices.
• Experience with high-power device testing, advanced thermal control, liquid cooling, handlers, and complete test-cell integration.
• Experience taking semiconductor test solutions from engineering evaluation through qualification and high-volume manufacturing.
• Knowledge of GEM/SECS, MES, equipment automation, factory data, production observability, or data analytics.

Additional Requirements

• Willingness to work in an on-prem and on-site setup (No Hybrid) in Lake Forest, CA.
• Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally, sometimes on short notice, to support customer evaluations, system bring-up, production ramps, escalations, and technical workshops.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to work directly with customers and global engineering teams.