Staff QA Engineer

Onto Innovation is a leader in process control, combining global scale with an expanded portfolio of leading-edge technologies that include: 3D metrology spanning the chip from nanometer-scale transistors to micron-level die-interconnects; macro defect inspection of wafers and packages; metal interconnect composition; factory analytics; and lithography for advanced semiconductor packaging. Our breadth of offerings across the entire semiconductor value chain helps our customers solve their most difficult yield, device performance, quality, and reliability issues. Onto Innovation strives to optimize customers’ critical path of progress by making them smarter, faster and more efficient.

Job Summary & Responsibilities

Job Summary:

The Senior Software Quality Engineer will help ensure the quality, reliability, and release readiness of Onto Innovation's MBU software product, and related semiconductor metrology software platforms. The role combines end-to-end system validation, test automation, AI-assisted quality engineering, customer escalation support, and cross-functional collaboration. 

Responsibilities:

• Software Quality Assurance 

·         Develop and execute comprehensive test strategies, test plans, and test cases based on product requirements, system specifications, and technical designs. 

·         Perform functional, integration, system, interface, regression, performance, benchmarking, and end-to-end workflow testing. 

·         Validate workflows spanning equipment operation, measurement data acquisition, recipe setup, analysis, and solution output. 

·         Participate in release planning, quality risk assessment, defect triage, and release readiness reviews. 

·         Track and communicate quality metrics, defect trends, test coverage, and release risks. 

• Test Automation and DevOps 

·         Design, develop, maintain, and improve scalable automated test frameworks and regression suites. 

·         Automate high-value functional, integration, regression, API, workflow, and performance tests. 

·         Integrate automated tests with Azure DevOps (ADO) pipelines and CI/CD workflows. 

·         Use Git and GitHub for source control, code review, collaboration, and automation asset management. 

·         Improve automation coverage, test execution efficiency, repeatability, traceability, and release confidence. 

• AI-Assisted Quality Engineering 

• Use AI-assisted engineering tools such as GitHub Copilot, Microsoft Copilot, and approved large language model (LLM) technologies to improve engineering productivity. 

• Apply AI-assisted approaches to test design, test case generation, test script development, defect investigation, log analysis, root-cause exploration, and technical documentation. 

• Evaluate AI-generated outputs critically and ensure that automated test assets meet quality, security, privacy, and maintainability expectations. 

• Identify practical opportunities to introduce AI-enabled quality engineering while maintaining appropriate human review and governance. 

• Customer Escalation and Collaboration 

• Reproduce, investigate, document, and validate customer-reported software issues. 

• Collaborate with Software Development, Product Management, Applications, Characterization, Customer Support, Field Service, and other stakeholders to resolve critical issues. 

• Help translate customer impact into clear engineering priorities, validation plans, and release recommendations. 

• Contribute to root-cause analysis, corrective actions, preventive actions, and continuous process improvement. 

Provide technical guidance and mentoring to other SQA engineers when needed.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications 

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Material Science, or a related discipline. 

• Five or more years of software quality assurance, software testing, test automation, or related engineering experience. 

• Strong knowledge of software quality assurance methodologies, tools, processes, and defect management practices. 

• Experience creating comprehensive test strategies, test plans, test cases, and release validation criteria. 

• Hands-on experience designing or maintaining automated testing solutions. 

• Proficiency in at least one programming or scripting language, such as Python, C#, Java, JavaScript/TypeScript, or PowerShell. 

• Hands-on experience with Azure DevOps (ADO), Git/GitHub, CI/CD pipelines, work-item tracking, and test management practices. 

• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills. 

• Experience working in Agile or Scrum software development environments. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Practical experience using GitHub Copilot, Microsoft Copilot, or similar AI-assisted software engineering tools. 

• Experience applying AI or machine learning techniques to software testing, defect analysis, quality analytics, or engineering productivity. 

• Experience testing distributed systems, APIs, services, desktop applications, databases, hardware/software integrations, or complex end-to-end workflows. 

• Experience supporting customer escalations and working with global customers, applications teams, field teams, or customer support organizations. 

• Knowledge of semiconductor front-end processes, optical metrology, thin-film metrology, OCD metrology, numerical analysis, machine learning, or material characterization. 

• ISTQB or another relevant software testing certification. 

Onto Innovation Inc. offers competitive salaries and a generous benefits package, including health/dental/vision/life/disability, PTO, 401K plan with employer match, and an Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP) along with health & wellness initiatives. We provide a collaborative working environment along with resources, and state-of-the-art tools & equipment to promote success; and a welcoming, inclusive corporate culture where individuals are recognized for their contributions.

Onto Innovation Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, genetic information, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis.

For positions requiring access to technical data, Onto Innovation Inc., Inc. may have to obtain export licensing approval from the U.S. Department of Commerce - Bureau of Industry and Security and/or the U.S. Department of State - Directorate of Defense Trade Controls. As such, applicants for this position – except US Citizens, US Permanent Residents, and protected individuals as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) – may have to go through an export licensing review process.