Opto-Mechanical Design Engineer (Precision Mechanism Design)

KLA; Milpitas (CA); On-site; USD 118,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(K) matching

ESPP

Tuition reimbursement

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Wellness program

Job summary

KLA is seeking a Research Scientist/Engineer to design and mature BBP wafer inspection opto‑mechanical assemblies in Milpitas, CA. You will collaborate across optical, mechanical, electrical and software teams to define requirements and guide design reviews.

The role emphasizes precision mechanisms, thermal/structural analysis, supplier collaboration, and on‑site production support within a leading semiconductor metrology environment.

Qualifications

• Doctorate or equivalent work experience required.
• Master's degree with 2+ years of experience.
• Bachelor's degree with 3+ years of experience.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, prototype testing the next generation BBP wafer inspection opto‑mechanical assemblies.
• Collaborate with core suppliers.
• Sustain current BBP product lines with manufacturing division.
• Derive subsystem requirements with system, optical, electrical and software engineers and conduct design reviews.
• Creo (CAD) experience preferred.
• Develop precision mechanisms: actuators, tolerances, lifetime, optics mounting and alignment design.
• Thermal/structural CAE analysis; ANSYS experience preferred.
• Qualify and release mechanism designs; support onsite manufacturing.

Skills

Opto-mechanical design

CAD modeling

Thermal/structural analysis

Education

Doctorate

Master's degree

Bachelor's degree

Tools

ANSYS

Job description

Company Overview

KLA is a global leader in diversified electronics for the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem. Virtually every electronic device in the world is produced using our technologies. No laptop, smartphone, wearable device, voice-controlled gadget, flexible screen, VR device or smart car would have made it into your hands without us. KLA invents systems and solutions for the manufacturing of wafers and reticles, integrated circuits, packaging, printed circuit boards and flat panel displays. The innovative ideas and devices that are advancing humanity all begin with inspiration, research and development. KLA focuses more than average on innovation and we invest 15% of sales back into R&D. Our expert teams of physicists, engineers, data scientists and problem-solvers work together with the world’s leading technology providers to accelerate the delivery of tomorrow’s electronic devices. Life here is exciting and our teams thrive on tackling really hard problems. There is never a dull moment with us.

Group/Division

With over 40 years of semiconductor process control experience, chipmakers around the globe rely on KLA to ensure that their fabs ramp next-generation devices to volume production quickly and cost-effectively. Enabling the movement towards advanced chip design, KLA's Global Products Group (GPG), which is responsible for creating all of KLA’s metrology and inspection products, is looking for the best and the brightest research scientist, software engineers, application development engineers, and senior product technology process engineers. The Broadband Plasma Division (BBP) provides market-leading patterned wafer optical inspection systems for leading-edge IC manufacturing. Logic, foundry, and memory customers depend on BBP products to detect yield‑critical defects for process debug and excursion monitoring at advanced process nodes. BBP flagship products include the 29xx and 39xx series which leverage Broadband Plasma technology to capture a wide range of defects with ultimate sensitivity at the optical inspection speeds needed for inline defect monitoring.

Job Description/Preferred Qualifications

• Design, build, prototype testing the next generation broad band plasma (BBP) Wafer inspection opto‑mechanical assemblies.
• Collaborated development with core suppliers.
• Sustain current broad band plasma (BBP) product lines with manufacturing division.
• Work with system, optical, electrical and software engineer to derive the subsystem requirements and conduct design reviews.
• CAD Modeling: Cero experience preferred
• Precision mechanism development: actuator selection, tolerance analysis, lifetime evaluation, optics mounting, alignment & adjustment design, etc
• CAE: thermal & structural simulation, flow analysis is a plus (ANSYS experience preferred)
• Qualify and release the mechanism design, provide support for onsite manufacturing.

Minimum Qualifications

Doctorate (Academic) or work experience of 0 years , Master's Level Degree or work experience of 2 years , Bachelor's Level Degree or work experience of 3 years

Base Pay Range: $117,800.00 - $200,300.00 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
• paid company holidays
• 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.

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.

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