PLC Controls Engineer

To make electronics, you need chips, wafers, transistors, reticles, and... To make these, you must see, test and manufacture them at scale—faster and better than ever before. That's where KLA comes in. Whether you're early in your career or an experienced professional, you'll solve complex challenges, work alongside brilliant minds and help shape the future of technology.

Group/Division

The Semiconductor Products and Customers (Semi PC) business unit designs, builds and sells KLA’s product portfolio to help chip manufacturers meet high-quality standards for technologies like AI, data centers, automotive and electronic devices. Our inspection, metrology, and analytics systems detect and monitor defects across logic and memory chips, specialty semiconductors, wafers, reticles, advanced packaging, process equipment and materials. We also develop technologies for specialty processes, IC substrates, and PCB manufacturing, including etch and deposition, component inspection, and imaging and analytics. KLA's Central Engineering organization is made up of nine Centers of Excellence (CoEs) spanning disciplines like automation, motion control, sensors, platform design, and packaging. Each CoE contributes not only technical deliverables but also deep expertise, best practices, and advanced tools that elevate both what we build—and how we build it.

What You'll Do

In this role, you will play a key part in advancing business priorities by delivering high-impact work across your area of expertise.

Do you enjoy solving complex control problems and seeing your designs deployed on real machines? We are seeking an engineer to own the development of machine control and safety systems from concept through deployment. This role includes requirements development, electrical architecture, hardware selection, safety system design, PLC implementation, system integration, validation, and field commissioning. We are looking for engineers who view PLC programming as one part of a complete machine control solution.

What We Need You to Do

As part of KLA's engineering team, you will work with electrical, mechanical, software, systems, and applications engineers to create safe, reliable, and maintainable automation systems for the semiconductor industry. This includes conducting design reviews covering electrical architecture, safety concepts, selected hardware, control implementation, software quality, and developing test strategies, solving system issues, and driving corrective actions that improve product performance and reliability.  Successful candidates have experience developing complete systems rather than solely programming PLCs. They understand how electrical hardware, safety systems, industrial networks, instrumentation, software, and mechanical systems interact to produce a robust machine solution.

Through close collaboration with engineers, physicists, software developers, and external suppliers, you will be expected to take ownership of technical challenges, partake in architectural decisions, and help deliver high-quality solutions for critical applications. Occasional cleanroom work is required, along with up to 20% domestic and international travel.

Key responsibilities include:

• Develop machine-level control architectures, electrical designs, and functional safety concepts.
• Define I/O architectures, field device selection, network topologies, power distribution, and control panel requirements.
• Create and maintain electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, control narratives, interface specifications, and design documentation.
• Perform risk assessments and develop safety functions in accordance with ISO 13849-1 and applicable industry standards.
• Evaluate hardware obsolescence and lead replacement strategies for End-of-Life control system components.
• Specify sensors, actuators, pneumatic devices, vacuum systems, motion components, and industrial communication networks.
• Lead system integration, acceptance testing, validation, and commissioning activities. This includes validating system performance through testing, fixing, and root-cause analysis.

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate has experience in the following:

• Developing and implementing medium-to-large scale PLC-based safety and automation systems throughout the product lifecycle.
• Owning controls projects from requirements through commissioning.
• Developing electrical schematics and control system documentation.
• Developing machine safety functions per ISO 13849-1 or IEC 62061.
• Selecting and integrating sensors, actuators, drives, safety devices, and industrial networks.
• Solving issues that may be a combination of electrical, mechanical, controls, and system-level issues.
• Machine control for valves - from pressurized through sub-atmospheric pressures

This position is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Remote work is not available.

Additional qualifications include:

Knowledge of industrial networks such as ProfiNet, ProfiSafe, and DeviceNet are very valuable. You need to show a demonstrated ability to deliver reliable solutions with minimal supervision.

Minimum Qualifications

Master's Level Degree and 0 years related work experience; Bachelor's Level Degree and related work experience of 2 years

About KLA

We provide advanced inspection tools, metrology systems, process solutions, and computational analytics that make electronics possible, tackling complex challenges. From electron and photon optics to machine learning and data analytics, we seek perfection at the most fundamental level of matter in the universe. If you want to make electronics that push industries forward and make the world a better place, join us.

Total Rewards

Base Pay Range: $76,300.00 - $129,700.00 Annually Primary Location: USA-MI-Ann Arbor-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.

Use of AI Statement 

At KLA, our interviews seek to understand your individual skills, problem-solving approach and authentic thinking. To ensure a fair and consistent evaluation, the use of AI, recording tools or other technologies to generate, suggest or provide responses during interviews—whether virtual or in person—is not permitted unless explicitly approved in advance as part of a reasonable accommodation or invited by the interviewer. Use of these tools may interfere with our ability to evaluate your individual qualifications and affect your candidacy. KLA is committed to advancing innovation through responsible AI, and we value candidates who share this mindset.

Equal Opportunity Statement

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 [email protected] or at +1-408-352-2808 to request accommodation.

For additional information, view the US Know Your Rights poster on the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission website.