AI Solutions Engineer (NPI Function)

KLA; Ann Arbor Charter Township (MI); On-site; USD 94,000 - 138,000; Full time

Job summary

KLA is seeking an AI-focused specialist in Ann Arbor to translate business challenges into AI-enabled solutions. You will prototype lightweight applications, copilots, and workflows, working with Data Scientists to deliver value across NPI operations.

Role emphasizes business adoption, measurable impact, and rapid prototyping, with collaboration across technical and non-technical teams and a drive to transform processes through technology.

Qualifications

• Bachelors or Masters in CS/Engineering/IS/Data Science or related field.
• Experience developing software applications, digital transformation, or automation.
• Familiarity with AI tech including LLMs, retrieval systems, or agents.
• Strong analytical and stakeholder communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Partner with NPI leaders and ops teams to understand processes and pain points.
• Identify opportunities where AI and automation add value.
• Analyze workflows and propose innovative, practical solutions.
• Serve as advisor on applying AI technologies to operational challenges.
• Collaborate with Data Scientists to embed analytics into user tools.
• Drive pilot deployments and measure adoption and impact.
• Prioritize opportunities and develop lightweight solution roadmaps.

Skills

AI & analytics

Solution design

Stakeholder engagement

Python

Automation

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in CS/Engineering/IS/Data Science

Tools

Power Platform

Copilot Studio

Azure AI

SQL

Job description

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 KLA Services team consists of Service Sales, Marketing, Spares Supply Chain Management, Field Operations, Engineering, Product Training, Digital Solutions and Analytics, and Technical Product Support. Our services organization maximizes the value of our customers' KLA assets - with highly trained service and product support engineers providing installation services and 24/7 technical support and parts delivery through our extensive supply chain network.

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.

Business Engagement & Opportunity Discovery (Primary Focus)

• Partner closely with NPI leaders, subject matter experts, and operational teams to understand business processes, priorities, and pain points.
• Identify opportunities where AI, automation, analytics, or digital solutions can improve efficiency, productivity, quality, or decision-making.
• Analyze current workflows and recommend innovative approaches to simplify operations and enhance business performance.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to stakeholders on evaluating and applying AI technologies to solve operational challenges.
• Continuously develop domain expertise in NPI operations to identify high-value opportunities for business transformation.

AI Solution Design & Rapid Prototyping (Primary Focus)

• Translate business challenges into solution concepts, proof-of-concepts, and rapid prototypes.
• Develop lightweight AI-enabled applications, copilots, agents, workflow automations, and decision-support tools.
• Leverage modern AI technologies, large language models, enterprise knowledge systems, and AI-assisted development tools to accelerate solution delivery.
• Validate technical feasibility, business value, and user adoption through iterative experimentation and stakeholder feedback.
• Collaborate with Data Scientists to incorporate predictive models, analytics, and business insights into user-facing solutions.

Business Adoption & Value Realization (Primary Focus)

• Drive pilot deployments and user adoption efforts to ensure solutions deliver measurable business outcomes.
• Gather stakeholder feedback and continuously refine solutions based on real-world usage.
• Define and monitor business success metrics, user engagement, and operational impact.
• Promote self-service capabilities that increase access to knowledge, insights, and decision-support tools across the organization.

Product & Solution Management (Secondary Focus)

• Help prioritize AI opportunities based on business value, technical feasibility, and organizational impact.
• Develop lightweight solution roadmaps and implementation plans.
• Document business requirements, user feedback, and lessons learned from prototype development.
• Serve as the bridge between business stakeholders, Data Scientists, and AI engineering teams during productionization.
• Support the transition of successful prototypes into scalable enterprise solutions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, Data Science, Business Analytics, or a related discipline.
• Experience developing software applications, business solutions, process automation, or digital transformation initiatives.
• Familiarity with AI technologies including large language models, retrieval systems, agents, workflow automation, or related technologies.
• Experience with Python, Power Platform, Copilot Studio, Azure AI, SQL, or similar technologies.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to navigate ambiguous business challenges.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to influence without authority and work effectively across technical and non-technical teams.
• Curiosity, creativity, and a passion for improving business processes through technology.

What Success Looks Like

• NPI teams spend less time on manual and repetitive activities.
• Critical knowledge becomes easier to access and reuse.
• AI-enabled solutions are broadly adopted by users.
• Business decisions are made faster with better information.
• High-value prototypes successfully transition into enterprise-scale solutions.
• Measurable operational improvements are achieved through AI-driven innovation.

Impact

This role serves as the bridge between business challenges and AI-enabled solutions. Success is measured not by the number of applications developed, but by the ability to identify meaningful opportunities, rapidly validate new ideas, improve operational effectiveness, and drive measurable business outcomes across the NPI organization.

Expected Time Allocation

80% Business Engagement & Solution Development

• Understanding business operations
• Stakeholder partnership
• Opportunity discovery
• AI solution design
• Prototyping
• Adoption and value realization

20% Product Management

• Prioritization
• Roadmapping
• Requirements definition
• Success metrics
• Productionization coordination

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Data Science, or a related field.

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: $94,100.00 - $138,033.00 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.

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 [e-mail] or at [phone] to request accommodation.

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