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. The e-Beam division plays a critical role in KLA’s inspection ecosystem, with tools that deliver high-resolution, timely insights into defects and critical locations on the wafer. Used alongside KLA’s patterned and bare wafer inspectors, e-Beam systems help our customers quickly identify and understand yield-impacting issues—enabling faster, more effective actions to correct the manufacturing process.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.
We're looking for a Systems Design Engineer who enjoys solving complex technical challenges and wants to influence the performance of advanced electron beam inspection systems. In this role, you'll work across hardware, software, and system engineering teams to help develop, characterize, and optimize cutting-edge semiconductor inspection solutions. This is an opportunity to expand beyond a single subsystem and gain broad exposure to complete system performance while contributing to technologies that enable the world's most advanced semiconductor devices.
Responsibilities- Contribute to the design, integration, characterization, and optimization of advanced electron beam inspection and metrology systems.
- Partner with cross-functional engineering teams to define system requirements and translate them into subsystem performance goals.
- Analyze system performance, identify opportunities for improvement, and support technical trade-off evaluations.
- Investigate, troubleshoot, and resolve complex technical issues affecting system functionality, reliability, and throughput.
- Support root cause investigations and corrective actions for development and field-related challenges.
- Develop and execute experiments to characterize system behavior and validate performance against requirements.
- Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, and field teams to support new product introduction and ongoing product improvements.
- Participate in system-level testing, qualification, and performance validation activities.
- Document technical findings and communicate recommendations to project stakeholders.
- Advanced Degree in Physics, Applied Physics, Electron Optics, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field.
- 3+ years of industry experience developing, integrating, supporting, or optimizing complex semiconductor capital equipment, inspection systems, microscopy systems, or related technologies.
- Experience working with one or more of the following:
- Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
- Electron Beam Inspection (EBI)
- Wafer Inspection or Review Systems
- CD-SEM
- Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)
- Electron Optics
- Advanced Imaging or Metrology Systems
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to diagnose complex technical issues using data-driven approaches.
- Hands-on experience working with complex systems involving vacuum technology, charged particle optics, detectors, imaging systems, precision motion control, or similar technologies.
- Ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary engineering teams.
- Experience within semiconductor equipment, metrology, inspection, or microscopy industries.
- Familiarity with system integration, performance characterization, and experimental design.
- Experience analyzing large datasets and translating findings into actionable engineering recommendations.
- Exposure to system engineering principles and system-level performance optimization.
- Ability to travel approximately 10-20% domestically and internationally to support development activities, customer engagements, and product deployments.
Success in this role means becoming a trusted technical contributor who can connect subsystem behavior to overall system performance. You'll leverage your SEM or eBeam expertise while developing broader systems knowledge, helping improve product performance, troubleshoot challenging issues, and deliver innovative inspection technologies that enable the next generation of semiconductor manufacturing.
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
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: $136,300.00 - $199,900.00 Annually Primary Location: USA-CA-Milpitas-KLAKLA’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.
Skills Required
- Advanced degree in Physics, Applied Physics, Electron Optics, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related technical field
- 3+ years industry experience developing, integrating, supporting, or optimizing complex semiconductor capital equipment, inspection systems, microscopy systems, or related technologies
- Experience with SEM, Electron Beam Inspection (EBI), Wafer Inspection/Review Systems, CD-SEM, TEM, Electron Optics, or advanced imaging/metrology systems
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with ability to diagnose complex technical issues using data-driven approaches
- Hands-on experience with vacuum technology, charged particle optics, detectors, imaging systems, or precision motion control
- Ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary engineering teams
- Degree and experience minimums (Doctorate with 0 years; Master's with 3 years; Bachelor's with 5 years)
- Experience within semiconductor equipment, metrology, inspection, or microscopy industries
- Familiarity with system integration, performance characterization, and experimental design
- Experience analyzing large datasets and translating findings into actionable engineering recommendations
- Exposure to systems engineering principles and system-level performance optimization
KLA Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about KLA and has not been reviewed or approved by KLA.
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Retirement Support — U.S. programs include a formulaic 401(k) employer match with clearly described plan designs in company materials. Consistent plan structure and employer matching signal strong support for long‑term savings.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — A broad base of employees is eligible for RSUs and can participate in an ESPP, extending ownership beyond executives. Company materials position equity as a core component of total compensation.
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Strong & Reliable Incentives — A quarterly profit‑sharing program and performance bonuses are outlined in filings, providing regular variable pay opportunities. These incentives complement base pay and equity to lift overall earnings in strong periods.
KLA Insights
What We Do
KLA develops industry-leading equipment and services that enable innovation throughout the electronics industry. We provide advanced process control and process-enabling solutions for manufacturing wafers and reticles. In close collaboration with leading customers across the globe, our expert teams of physicists, engineers, data scientists and problem-solvers design solutions that move the world forward.
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