Company Overview

KLA is a global leader in diversified electronics for the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem. Virtually every electronic device in the world is produced using our technologies. No laptop, smartphone, wearable device, voice-controlled gadget, flexible screen, VR device or smart car would have made it into your hands without us. KLA invents systems and solutions for the manufacturing of wafers and reticles, integrated circuits, packaging, printed circuit boards and flat panel displays. The innovative ideas and devices that are advancing humanity all begin with inspiration, research and development. KLA focuses more than average on innovation and we invest 15% of sales back into R&D. Our expert teams of physicists, engineers, data scientists and problem-solvers work together with the world’s leading technology providers to accelerate the delivery of tomorrow’s electronic devices. Life here is exciting and our teams thrive on tackling really hard problems. There is never a dull moment with us.

Group/Division

With over 40 years of semiconductor process control experience, chipmakers around the globe rely on KLA to ensure that their fabs ramp next-generation devices to volume production quickly and cost-effectively. Enabling the movement towards advanced chip design, KLA's Global Products Group (GPG), which is responsible for creating all of KLA’s metrology and inspection products, is looking for the best and the brightest research scientist, software engineers, application development engineers, and senior product technology process engineers. The Surfscan group includes a team of engineers, technology development, apps engineers and product marketing focused on technology that enables wafer, IC and equipment manufacturers to develop, qualify and monitor their process tools. Defects and process non-uniformities detected on Surfscan equipment allow for early identification of yield excursions. The flagship Surfscan products include the SPx platforms for wafer surface quality and wafer defect inspection tools and systems for inspection of polished wafers, epi wafers and engineered substrates during the wafer fabrication process.

Job Description/Preferred Qualifications

KLA's Surfscan Group is looking for a forward-thinking system development engineer to join our team and enable the movement towards advanced chip design. Surfscan product engineering group is comprised of team members with various subject areas and experience levels applied across multiple technologies and sub-systems that comprise the Surfscan product. These sub-systems include wafer handling & automation, precision motion control, sensors & image acquisition, high power DUV laser systems and precision optics, industry leading Time Delay Integration cameras and Image Processing Computers, complex custom software and firmware packages, and precise particle control systems for clean scanning. Our engineering team interacts with various worldwide teams, including manufacturing teams in Singapore, technical support, product introduction, marketing, other division development engineering teams and various customers worldwide both directly and indirectly. Each engineer contributes not just talent and deliverables toward product programs, but also domain expertise, roadmaps, specialized designs and contributions, apparatus, models, and analytics.

The responsibilities include:

• Develop and evaluate concepts and designs for the next generation systems and CIP for existing systems.
• Lead design efforts, including building models and performing analysis to derive requirements, holding design reviews to drive team agreement on requirements and designs, and procuring parts for prototype tests.
• Conducting experiments to verify performance of critical components, subsystems and modules, and reviewing test reports with cross-functional team for approval.
• Perform research, evaluation, and proposals for new and existing product features in support of customer requirements.
• Setup and drive team efforts that address product-level issues (such as design issues, supplier issues, MFG escalations, or improvement projects).
• Lead development of performance and troubleshooting diagnostics for existing and new products.
• Define system-level requirements and contribute to specifications and interface definitions
• Develop and execute test plans for system characterization, SW testing, HW validation.
• Troubleshoot complex system issues across software, electronics, mechanics, and optics, writing scripts for data collection and analysis
• Use structured problem-solving methods (e.g., 8D, 7-Step) to resolve issues
• Collaborate with manufacturing, applications, and service teams to implement solutions
• Present technical findings to leadership and global stakeholders.
• Project management skills (scoping, budgeting, and scheduling) is a plus.
• Up to 25% travel required

Minimum Qualifications

Doctorate (Academic) Degree and related work experience of 3 years; Master's Level Degree and related work experience of 4 years; Bachelor's Level Degree and related work experience of 6 years

Base Pay Range: $159,500.00 - $271,200.00 Annually

Primary Location: USA-CA-Milpitas-KLA

KLA’s total rewards package for employees may also include participation in performance incentive programs and eligibility for additional benefits including but not limited to: medical, dental, vision, life, and other voluntary benefits, 401(K) including company matching, employee stock purchase program (ESPP), student debt assistance, tuition reimbursement program, development and career growth opportunities and programs, financial planning benefits, wellness benefits including an employee assistance program (EAP), paid time off and paid company holidays, and family care and bonding leave.

Interns are eligible for some of the benefits listed. Our pay ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed reflects the pay for this position in the primary location identified in this posting. Actual pay depends on several factors, including state minimum pay wage rates, location, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education level or training. We are committed to complying with all applicable federal and state minimum wage requirements where applicable. If applicable, your recruiter can share more about the specific pay range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

KLA is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We will ensure that qualified individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us at talent.acquisition@kla.com or at +1-408-352-2808 to request accommodation.

Be aware of potentially fraudulent job postings or suspicious recruiting activity by persons that are currently posing as KLA employees. KLA never asks for any financial compensation to be considered for an interview, to become an employee, or for equipment. Further, KLA does not work with any recruiters or third parties who charge such fees either directly or on behalf of KLA . Please ensure that you have searched KLA’s Careers website for legitimate job postings. KLA follows a recruiting process that involves multiple interviews in person or on video conferencing with our hiring managers. If you are concerned that a communication, an interview, an offer of employment, or that an employee is not legitimate, please send an email to talent.acquisition@kla.com to confirm the person you are communicating with is an employee. We take your privacy very seriously and confidentially handle your information.