Architect Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Oregon
Architect visa sponsorship jobs in Oregon are concentrated in Portland, where firms like ZGF Architects, SERA Architects, and Mackenzie actively hire international talent. The state's growing healthcare, higher education, and urban development sectors drive steady demand for licensed architects, making Oregon a realistic target for H-1B visa and O-1 visa candidates.
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FormFactor, Inc. (NASDAQ: FORM), is a leading provider of essential test and measurement technologies along the full semiconductor product life cycle — from characterization, modeling, reliability, and design debug, to qualification and production test. Semiconductor companies rely upon FormFactor’s products and services to accelerate profitability by optimizing device performance and advancing yield knowledge. The company serves customers through its network of facilities in Asia, Europe, and North America.
Rooted in our core values — Focus on the Customer, Ownership & Accountability, Respectfully & Effectively Communicate, and Motivate & Develop People — we foster an environment where diverse perspectives are not only welcomed but celebrated. Everyone can make an impact here. Whether it's improving products, supporting customers, or positively influencing peers and the community, the contributions of our people matter.
Shift:
The regular hours for this position are day shift.
Job Description:
FormFactor is seeking a highly experienced Principal Mechanical Architect to lead the mechanical architecture and design of next-generation semiconductor test and wafer probing platforms. As a senior technical contributor, you will be responsible for defining and driving system-level mechanical solutions for ultra-precision motion, wafer handling, chuck systems, positioning mechanisms, and integrated automation platforms.
This role serves as the mechanical architecture leader for complex electromechanical systems, partnering closely with Controls, Electrical, Software, Optical, Automation, Product Engineering, and Manufacturing teams to develop innovative solutions that meet demanding requirements for accuracy, repeatability, thermal stability, throughput, reliability, and scalability. The Principal Mechanical Architect independently leads complex engineering initiatives, influences product roadmaps, and provides technical leadership across multidisciplinary development teams.
Key Responsibilities:
Mechanical Architecture & System Design
- Define and own the mechanical architecture for advanced semiconductor wafer probing and test systems.
- Architect precision motion and positioning solutions, including X/Y/Z/θ stages, positioners, actuators, flexures, bearings, guide systems, and encoder technologies.
- Lead the design of wafer handling, wafer support, alignment, and chucking systems to achieve world-class precision and repeatability.
- Establish system-level mechanical performance requirements, specifications, and design targets.
Wafer Chuck & Positioning Systems
- Lead wafer chuck and chuck-control architecture, including wafer support, vacuum distribution, thermal management, Z-height control, planarity, and alignment mechanisms.
- Develop solutions that optimize probing accuracy, contact consistency, thermal performance, and wafer protection.
- Evaluate and improve chuck performance through modeling, testing, and experimental validation.
- Collaborate with controls teams to optimize force control, position control, and closed-loop performance.
Precision Motion & Mechatronics
- Design and optimize high-performance motion systems utilizing servo motors, linear motors, encoders, air bearings, precision guideways, and advanced mechanical mechanisms.
- Partner with Controls Engineering to develop integrated motion-control and feedback systems that meet demanding dynamic performance requirements.
- Support selection, integration, and qualification of sensors, actuators, and control hardware.
- Drive system-level optimization of motion profiles, positioning accuracy, repeatability, and throughput.
Structural, Thermal & Dynamic Analysis
- Analyze and resolve vibration, resonance, stiffness, thermal stability, and mechanical dynamic challenges.
- Perform and guide finite element analysis (FEA), modal analysis, tolerance analysis, and thermal-mechanical simulations.
- Develop design solutions that maximize precision while maintaining manufacturability, reliability, and cost effectiveness.
- Establish design methodologies and best practices for precision mechanical systems.
Product Development & Engineering Execution
- Lead mechanical architecture activities from concept development through prototype validation, qualification, release, and production ramp.
- Evaluate design tradeoffs involving performance, manufacturability, reliability, serviceability, scalability, and cost.
- Drive root cause investigations and resolution of complex technical issues affecting product performance or customer operations.
- Support New Product Introduction (NPI) programs and technology roadmaps.
System Integration & Cross-Functional Leadership
- Provide system-level leadership across mechanical, electrical, controls, software, optical, automation, and manufacturing disciplines.
- Drive technical decision-making through engineering analysis, experimental validation, and data-driven methodologies.
- Participate in design reviews and provide technical oversight on critical subsystem and system-level decisions.
- Collaborate with suppliers, development partners, and manufacturing teams to ensure successful implementation of designs.
Customer & Production Support
- Support customer installations, system qualification activities, factory acceptance testing, and production ramp efforts.
- Investigate and resolve complex field issues involving precision positioning, wafer handling, motion control, and mechanical performance.
- Partner with customers and internal teams to identify future technology requirements and performance improvements.
Technical Leadership
- Serve as a technical mentor and subject matter expert for mechanical engineering teams.
- Guide engineering standards, design practices, architecture reviews, and technology development initiatives.
- Influence long-term product architecture and engineering strategy through technical leadership and innovation.
- Lead complex engineering initiatives and cross-functional projects with significant business impact.
Preferred Qualifications & Experiences:
- Demonstrated expertise in precision motion systems, positioning stages, servo systems, actuators, encoders, and advanced mechanical mechanisms.
- Strong experience with semiconductor equipment, preferably wafer probers, precision test systems, or related capital equipment.
- Experience designing wafer chuck systems, wafer alignment methodologies, and wafer positioning architectures.
- Strong understanding of Mechanical dynamics, Structural stiffness, Vibration control, Thermal stability, Precision positioning systems, and Tolerance analysis.
- Experience integrating mechanical, electrical, sensor, controls, and software subsystems into complex electromechanical platforms.
- Proven ability to lead complex technical projects and influence engineering decisions across multiple disciplines.
- Experience with Chuck controllers, Force and position control systems, Closed-loop feedback architectures, Linear motors and servo systems, Air bearings and precision stages, Flexure-based mechanisms, and High-performance encoder technologies.
- Knowledge of vibration isolation systems, modal analysis, and dynamic modeling techniques.
- Experience with high-precision optical alignment, metrology, probing, or test systems.
- Customer-facing experience supporting installation, qualification, production ramp, and continuous improvement activities within semiconductor fabrication environments.
- Experience utilizing SolidWorks, Creo, FEA tools, MATLAB, Simulink, or equivalent engineering analysis software.
Skills:
Mechanical Design, Probe Stations, Servo Controls, Vibration Analysis, Vibration Control, Vibration Monitoring, Vibration Testing, Wafer Probing
Education & Experience:
Minimum of 5 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 3 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD without experience; or equivalent work | Required
Pay Range:
$94,100.00 - $123,480.00
Pay Range Explained:
This role in Beaverton, Oregon pays between $94,100.00 and $123,480.00 per year, depending on your experience, skills, and background. Pay may vary in other locations. We offer a full benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability coverage, a 401(k) with company match, employee stock purchase plan (ESPP), and paid time off. You’ll also be eligible for quarterly profit-sharing bonuses and flexible spending or savings accounts.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
FormFactor is an equal opportunity employer. FormFactor complies with all national, state, and local laws that seek to promote equal opportunities for any applicant or employee without regard to age, race, color, gender, gender identity/expression, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, disability, marital status, pregnancy or related condition, military service, or any other legally protected characteristics. These protections apply to all aspects of employment, including but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, training, promotions, and compensation.
For roles that are designated as remote-eligible, employees cannot be located in: AL, AK, AR, DE, GA, HI, IL, IA, KY, LA, ME, MD, MS, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, ND, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, WV, WI, WY. This list is continuously evolving and being updated, please check back with us if the state you live in is on the exclusion list. A role is remote-eligible only when it is listed as "Remote" in the job location.
Forming Our Future together
FormFactor, Inc. (NASDAQ: FORM), is a leading provider of essential test and measurement technologies along the full semiconductor product life cycle — from characterization, modeling, reliability, and design debug, to qualification and production test. Semiconductor companies rely upon FormFactor’s products and services to accelerate profitability by optimizing device performance and advancing yield knowledge. The company serves customers through its network of facilities in Asia, Europe, and North America.
Rooted in our core values — Focus on the Customer, Ownership & Accountability, Respectfully & Effectively Communicate, and Motivate & Develop People — we foster an environment where diverse perspectives are not only welcomed but celebrated. Everyone can make an impact here. Whether it's improving products, supporting customers, or positively influencing peers and the community, the contributions of our people matter.
Shift:
The regular hours for this position are day shift.
Job Description:
FormFactor is seeking a highly experienced Principal Mechanical Architect to lead the mechanical architecture and design of next-generation semiconductor test and wafer probing platforms. As a senior technical contributor, you will be responsible for defining and driving system-level mechanical solutions for ultra-precision motion, wafer handling, chuck systems, positioning mechanisms, and integrated automation platforms.
This role serves as the mechanical architecture leader for complex electromechanical systems, partnering closely with Controls, Electrical, Software, Optical, Automation, Product Engineering, and Manufacturing teams to develop innovative solutions that meet demanding requirements for accuracy, repeatability, thermal stability, throughput, reliability, and scalability. The Principal Mechanical Architect independently leads complex engineering initiatives, influences product roadmaps, and provides technical leadership across multidisciplinary development teams.
Key Responsibilities:
Mechanical Architecture & System Design
- Define and own the mechanical architecture for advanced semiconductor wafer probing and test systems.
- Architect precision motion and positioning solutions, including X/Y/Z/θ stages, positioners, actuators, flexures, bearings, guide systems, and encoder technologies.
- Lead the design of wafer handling, wafer support, alignment, and chucking systems to achieve world-class precision and repeatability.
- Establish system-level mechanical performance requirements, specifications, and design targets.
Wafer Chuck & Positioning Systems
- Lead wafer chuck and chuck-control architecture, including wafer support, vacuum distribution, thermal management, Z-height control, planarity, and alignment mechanisms.
- Develop solutions that optimize probing accuracy, contact consistency, thermal performance, and wafer protection.
- Evaluate and improve chuck performance through modeling, testing, and experimental validation.
- Collaborate with controls teams to optimize force control, position control, and closed-loop performance.
Precision Motion & Mechatronics
- Design and optimize high-performance motion systems utilizing servo motors, linear motors, encoders, air bearings, precision guideways, and advanced mechanical mechanisms.
- Partner with Controls Engineering to develop integrated motion-control and feedback systems that meet demanding dynamic performance requirements.
- Support selection, integration, and qualification of sensors, actuators, and control hardware.
- Drive system-level optimization of motion profiles, positioning accuracy, repeatability, and throughput.
Structural, Thermal & Dynamic Analysis
- Analyze and resolve vibration, resonance, stiffness, thermal stability, and mechanical dynamic challenges.
- Perform and guide finite element analysis (FEA), modal analysis, tolerance analysis, and thermal-mechanical simulations.
- Develop design solutions that maximize precision while maintaining manufacturability, reliability, and cost effectiveness.
- Establish design methodologies and best practices for precision mechanical systems.
Product Development & Engineering Execution
- Lead mechanical architecture activities from concept development through prototype validation, qualification, release, and production ramp.
- Evaluate design tradeoffs involving performance, manufacturability, reliability, serviceability, scalability, and cost.
- Drive root cause investigations and resolution of complex technical issues affecting product performance or customer operations.
- Support New Product Introduction (NPI) programs and technology roadmaps.
System Integration & Cross-Functional Leadership
- Provide system-level leadership across mechanical, electrical, controls, software, optical, automation, and manufacturing disciplines.
- Drive technical decision-making through engineering analysis, experimental validation, and data-driven methodologies.
- Participate in design reviews and provide technical oversight on critical subsystem and system-level decisions.
- Collaborate with suppliers, development partners, and manufacturing teams to ensure successful implementation of designs.
Customer & Production Support
- Support customer installations, system qualification activities, factory acceptance testing, and production ramp efforts.
- Investigate and resolve complex field issues involving precision positioning, wafer handling, motion control, and mechanical performance.
- Partner with customers and internal teams to identify future technology requirements and performance improvements.
Technical Leadership
- Serve as a technical mentor and subject matter expert for mechanical engineering teams.
- Guide engineering standards, design practices, architecture reviews, and technology development initiatives.
- Influence long-term product architecture and engineering strategy through technical leadership and innovation.
- Lead complex engineering initiatives and cross-functional projects with significant business impact.
Preferred Qualifications & Experiences:
- Demonstrated expertise in precision motion systems, positioning stages, servo systems, actuators, encoders, and advanced mechanical mechanisms.
- Strong experience with semiconductor equipment, preferably wafer probers, precision test systems, or related capital equipment.
- Experience designing wafer chuck systems, wafer alignment methodologies, and wafer positioning architectures.
- Strong understanding of Mechanical dynamics, Structural stiffness, Vibration control, Thermal stability, Precision positioning systems, and Tolerance analysis.
- Experience integrating mechanical, electrical, sensor, controls, and software subsystems into complex electromechanical platforms.
- Proven ability to lead complex technical projects and influence engineering decisions across multiple disciplines.
- Experience with Chuck controllers, Force and position control systems, Closed-loop feedback architectures, Linear motors and servo systems, Air bearings and precision stages, Flexure-based mechanisms, and High-performance encoder technologies.
- Knowledge of vibration isolation systems, modal analysis, and dynamic modeling techniques.
- Experience with high-precision optical alignment, metrology, probing, or test systems.
- Customer-facing experience supporting installation, qualification, production ramp, and continuous improvement activities within semiconductor fabrication environments.
- Experience utilizing SolidWorks, Creo, FEA tools, MATLAB, Simulink, or equivalent engineering analysis software.
Skills:
Mechanical Design, Probe Stations, Servo Controls, Vibration Analysis, Vibration Control, Vibration Monitoring, Vibration Testing, Wafer Probing
Education & Experience:
Minimum of 5 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 3 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD without experience; or equivalent work | Required
Pay Range:
$94,100.00 - $123,480.00
Pay Range Explained:
This role in Beaverton, Oregon pays between $94,100.00 and $123,480.00 per year, depending on your experience, skills, and background. Pay may vary in other locations. We offer a full benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability coverage, a 401(k) with company match, employee stock purchase plan (ESPP), and paid time off. You’ll also be eligible for quarterly profit-sharing bonuses and flexible spending or savings accounts.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
FormFactor is an equal opportunity employer. FormFactor complies with all national, state, and local laws that seek to promote equal opportunities for any applicant or employee without regard to age, race, color, gender, gender identity/expression, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, disability, marital status, pregnancy or related condition, military service, or any other legally protected characteristics. These protections apply to all aspects of employment, including but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, training, promotions, and compensation.
For roles that are designated as remote-eligible, employees cannot be located in: AL, AK, AR, DE, GA, HI, IL, IA, KY, LA, ME, MD, MS, MO, NE, NV, NJ, NM, ND, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, WV, WI, WY. This list is continuously evolving and being updated, please check back with us if the state you live in is on the exclusion list. A role is remote-eligible only when it is listed as "Remote" in the job location.
Architect Job Roles in Oregon
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Search Architect Jobs in OregonArchitect Jobs in Oregon: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for architects in Oregon?
Portland-based firms are the most active sponsors. ZGF Architects, SERA Architects, Mackenzie, BORA Architecture, and Hennebery Edelen have histories of H-1B filings for architectural roles. Larger national firms with Oregon offices, including Perkins&Will and Jacobs, also sponsor international architects. Public sector employers, such as Oregon Health and Science University and Portland Public Schools, occasionally sponsor for in-house design positions.
Which visa types are most common for architect roles in Oregon?
The H-1B is the most common visa for architects in Oregon because architecture meets the specialty occupation standard, requiring at least a bachelor's degree in architecture. The O-1A is an option for architects with significant recognition, awards, or published work. International architects who hold licensure and a qualifying degree may also explore the EB-1 or EB-2 NIW pathways for permanent residence, though those require demonstrated exceptional ability or national interest justification.
How to find architect visa sponsorship jobs in Oregon?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically for roles where employers have demonstrated sponsorship willingness, so you can search architect positions in Oregon without sifting through listings that exclude visa holders. On Migrate Mate, you can narrow results to Oregon and architectural job titles, which surfaces firms currently hiring internationally. Pairing that with direct research into Portland-area firms that have filed H-1B Labor Condition Applications gives a clearer picture of who is actively sponsoring.
Which cities in Oregon have the most architect visa sponsorship jobs?
Portland accounts for the large majority of architect sponsorship activity in Oregon, driven by its concentration of mid-size and large design firms and ongoing urban development. Eugene has a smaller but active architecture community tied to University of Oregon projects and regional public works. Bend has seen growth in design demand as the city expands, though firm size there tends to be smaller, which can affect sponsorship capacity.
Are there any Oregon-specific considerations for architects seeking visa sponsorship?
Oregon requires architects to obtain state licensure through the Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying before practicing independently, separate from any federal visa requirement. H-1B petitions for architect roles must reflect prevailing wage levels set by the Department of Labor for the Portland or relevant Oregon metropolitan area. The University of Oregon's architecture program creates a pipeline that some Oregon firms already use to hire and sponsor internationally educated graduates.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored architect jobs in Oregon?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.