Optics Research Scientist / Technologist

3160 KLA-Tencor (Singapore); Singapore; On-site; SGD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology company in Singapore is seeking a qualified candidate to join their CTO group, focusing on sensor, source, and optics innovation. You will engage with suppliers, oversee R&D to production technology success, and ensure effective communication between teams. Ideal applicants will have a PhD or MS in optics or physics and significant experience in the industry. The role involves hands-on work with coatings and optical materials, requiring strong problem-solving skills and the ability to travel internationally.

Qualifications

• Must have a minimum of 5 years relevant industry experience.
• Hands-on experience with optical material characterization and coating systems.
• Technical expertise in coatings, including designs and processes.

Responsibilities

• Develop supplier technology roadmap to enable KLA’s product roadmap.
• Provide leadership and continuity of relationship with technology supplier.
• Drive coordination between CTO, Divisions, and other teams.

Skills

Subject matter expert

Communication skills

Collaboration skills

Problem-solving ability

Education

PhD or MS in Optics, Physics, EE

Tools

Thin film metrology methods

Optical material characterization

Job description

Overview

The successful candidate will join a high-caliber team of technologists in the CTO group driving innovation in the areas of sensors, sources, and optics. The current job description entails working closely with strategic suppliers in the design, development and manufacturing of advanced optical systems. The candidate will engage with KLA technologist at the architecture stage and provide relevant technical input related to optics supplier selection, technical risk assessment and manufacturability.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop supplier technology roadmap to enable KLA’s product roadmap.
• Provide leadership and continuity of relationship with technology supplier.
• Be accountable for technology success from R&D to Production.
• Drive coordination between CTO, Divisions, and other teams.
• Support technology prototyping, problem solving and risk mitigation.

Required Qualifications

• Must be respected as a subject matter expert in their field.
• Must have good communication and collaboration skills, experience with customer presentations and ability to resolve conflicts.
• Technical expertise in coatings including coating designs, coating processes, coating materials is highly desired.
• Hands‑on experience with optical material characterization, thin film coating systems and technologies. Ability to troubleshoot and problem solve.
• Ability to travel up to 10% internationally.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in optical inspection and metrology systems.
• Knowledge of DUV/UV optics suppliers, coating equipment manufacturers.
• Familiarity with thin film metrology methods (e.g. Spectroscopy, Ellipsometry, SEM/TEM, AFM, EDS, and XRD, etc.) and defect analysis.
• Understanding of photo‑contamination control, cleanroom protocols, and optics cleaning/surface preparation techniques.
• Knowledge of lasers and understanding of laser damage threshold and DUV degradation mechanisms.

Minimum Qualifications

PhD or MS in Optics, Physics, EE or related field with a minimum of 5 years relevant industry experience.

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