Base Pay Range: $111,300.00 - $189,200.00 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 identified below. Interns are eligible for some of the benefits identified below. Our pay ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed above reflects the minimum and maximum pay for this position in the primary location identified in this posting. Actual pay depends on several factors, including location, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education level or training. If applicable, your recruiter can share more about the specific pay range for your preferred location during the hiring process.
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
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 Division specializes in developing unpatterned wafer surface inspection tool that provides the sensitivity and throughput required for qualification of current and next-generation semiconductor wafer substrates, as well as qualification and monitoring of process tools. The Surfscan system design team is supporting multiple Surfscan engineering programs and products. With the ramp up on the next-generation product and future product line on the near horizon, we need more people to support these efforts.
The SFS system team is looking for a product development engineer for the development for next generation inspection tool. The responsibilities are:

• Transform market and customer requirements into system configurations
• Develop novel inspection solution to improve sensitivity and throughput. Design experiments to validate the ideas
• Define system error budget. Translate system requirement into sub module requirement. Work with functional team to ensure sub module requirement is met
• Collaborate with key functional groups to ensure the success of tool integration and product launch
• Own creation and execution of prototype test plans for entire system and complex subsystems.
• Engage with customer technical development, drive team to resolve system issues at customer site or in manufacturing.
• Experience developing inspection or metrology is preferred, experience with semiconductor manufacturing is preferred.
• Project management skills (scoping, budgeting, and scheduling) is a plus.

The ideal candidate should have deep understanding in high resolution optical design, high speed sensor technology, advance image / signal processing techniques, statistical analysis techniques and simulation knowledge.
The candidate will need to multitask, work independently, and be a motivated team member. Strong written and verbal communications skills are needed for the interaction to all levels of the division, customers, vendors and across cultures.
Minimum Qualifications
Doctorate (Academic) Degree and 0 years related work experience; Master's Level Degree and related work experience of 3 years; Bachelor's Level Degree and related work experience of 5 years
The company offers a total rewards package that is competitive and comprehensive including but not limited to the following: 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.
KLA is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other status protected by applicable law. 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.