Senior Electro/Mechanical Systems Engineer
Cohu
San Diego, CA · $113k–$170k a year · Posted November 3, 2026
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November 2026
- #1Cities hosting the most business conferences in the West Coast78 conferences · of 17
- #2Cities hosting the most human resources conferences6 conferences · of 10
- #3Best cities for life sciences and biotech jobs454 openings · of 41
- #3Best cities for aerospace and defense jobs377 openings · of 67
- #3Cities hosting the most legal services conferences7 conferences · of 17
- #3Cities hosting the most staffing & human capital conferences6 conferences · of 8
Rankings about engineering jobs
- Best cities for software and engineering jobs #1 San Francisco (3,412 openings)
- Best cities for engineering pay after cost of living #1 San Mateo ($216k)
- Most requested AI skills in engineering jobs #1 AI tools in daily work (6.1%)
- AI tools named most often in engineering jobs #1 Claude (1.7%)
- Employers with the most engineering jobs #1 Amazon (2,992 roles)
How AI is used in this kind of work
AI use among engineers, all other is little observed so far. Measured exposure for engineers, all other: 7% (little observed).
Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.
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About the job
MAIN OBJECTIVES
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.
Act as a technical authority and mentor for interdisciplinary engineering teams during the development of complex mechatronic systems.
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 electromechanical, automated, robotic platforms, machines, and 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, requirements, and technical interfaces 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.
May provide full system “architecture(s)” for new concepts and/or customer driven ideations.
3. ESSENTIAL QUALITY EXPECTATIONS
Strategic and electromechanical robotic 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 modules and system level development for EPG team under the Director of Product Engineering
5. REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor’s degree in mechatronics, mechanical engineering, or electrical engineering. (MSc, MEng, etc. desired)
Minimum of 10 years of experience in the system level leadership of the development of complex robotic, electromechanical, mechatronic systems, ideally in semiconductor backend equipment.
Minimum of 5 years as a direct engineer in a discipline.
Proven track record in system engineering, robotic machine concept development, and cross-discipline, electro-mechanical engineering leadership.
Deep understanding of thermal systems, motion control, sensor integration, and machine intelligence.
Experience with requirement engineering, risk management, and certification processes.
Excellent English communication skills.
Willingness to travel internationally up to 20%.
Compensation: The estimated base pay range for this position is $113,000-$170,000 per year, depending on qualifications, experience, education, and other job-related factors. This range represents Cohu’s good faith estimate of what it reasonably expects to pay for this role upon hire. This role may also be eligible for other compensation programs as determined by company policy.
Featured benefits
Medical, dental & vision insurance
401(k) with company matching contributions
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Tuition assistance
Disability & life insurance
Profit Sharing
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.
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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.