Optical Development Engineer

KLA-Belgium; Milpitas (CA); On-site; USD 118,000 - 173,000; Full time

Job summary

KLA is seeking an optical engineer in Milpitas to join the INSIGHT engineering development team. You will build and align laser/test equipment, develop alignment procedures, and collect data for analysis and presentations.

The role requires hands-on optical work, lab experience, and the ability to travel to vendor sites and occasionally to Singapore manufacturing locations. Opportunities for growth and cutting-edge metrology solutions are offered.

Qualifications

• Optical training or equivalent experience in the optical field.
• Experience with optical alignment and testing laboratory work.
• Bachelor's or Master’s degree in a technical field with 3 years of experience, or a Master’s in optics with 2 years of experience.

Responsibilities

• Building and aligning lasers and test equipment (clean room environment).
• Creating alignment and assembly procedures.
• Testing data collection and presenting results.

Skills

Optical understanding

Mechanical integration

English communication

Optical alignment procedures

Travel flexibility

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in a technical field

Master's degree in optics

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 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 LS-SWIFT division delivers high-throughput patterned wafer inspection systems that support advanced semiconductor manufacturing. Its mission is to provide industry-leading defect detection with optimal cost of ownership across a wide range of applications. LS systems enable precise, cost-effective inspection for cutting-edge process nodes, while SWIFT systems offer comprehensive macro inspection of all wafer surfaces—capabilities that are especially critical for advanced packaging, as well as logic, memory, and automotive applications.

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.

Job Description/ Responsibilities

KLA is looking for an optical engineer based in Milpitas to be part of the INSIGHT engineering development team. The engineering team’s responsibility is to develop and maintain testing facilities in support of the ongoing INSIGHT product development roadmap.

• Building and aligning lasers and test equipment (working in a clean room environment)
• Participating in creating alignment and assembly procedures
• Testing (collecting data) and creating results presentations
• Managing vendors (acquiring all hardware needed for testing)
• Traveling to vendor sites to repair/ trouble shoot KLA test fixtures and occasionally traveling to the KLA Singapore manufacturing sites

Qualifications

The successful candidate will have optical training or equivalent work experience in the optical field and is required at a bare minimum to have at least some optical alignment and testing laboratory work. A Bachelors or Masters degree in a technical field with 3 year experience, or a masters degree in optics and 2 years work experience with optical hardware projects is required.

Preferred Experience

• Prior experience handing high quality optics
• Prior experience with laser systems alignment
• Start to finish data collection thru analysis with electronic devices (i.e., camera images, computer captured electronic data such as a power meter)
• Experience processing and presenting data and conclusions
• Past experience with KLA inspection tools integration

Skills

• Must Have Basic optical understanding
• Mechanical integration experience
• Ability and desire to work as part of a team
• Ability to work in a clean room
• Ability to clearly communicate in English
• Experience in creating assembly and alignment procedures
• Ability to travel to vendor sites around the world and visit the Singapore manufacturing location (estimate 5% international travel)

Minimum Qualifications PhD and 0 years of experience, MS and 3 years of experience and BS and 5 years experience.

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: $117,800.00 - $172,800.00 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 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 [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. We do not accept resumes from headhunters, placement agencies, or other suppliers that have not signed a formal agreement with us.

Additional Information

Be aware of potentially fraudulent job postings or suspicious recruiting activity by persons that are currently posing as KLA employees. KLA never asks for any financial compensation to be considered for an interview, to become an employee, or for equipment. Further, KLA does not work with any recruiters or third parties who charge such fees either directly or on behalf of KLA. Please ensure that you have searched KLA’s Careers website for legitimate job postings. KLA follows a recruiting process that involves multiple interviews in person or on video conferencing with our hiring managers. If you are concerned that a communication, an interview, an offer of employment, or that an employee is not legitimate, please send an email to [e-mail] to confirm the person you are communicating with is an employee. We take your privacy very seriously and confidentially handle your information.