Sr. Systems Design Engineer

KLA-Belgium; Milpitas, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 160,000 - 271,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Life insurance

401(K) including company matching

Employee stock purchase program (ESPP)

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

KLA is a global leader in diversified electronics for the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem, with a strong focus on innovation and R&D. We are seeking researchers and engineers to advance next‑generation metrology and inspection products in our FaST Division.

Based in Milpitas, CA, you will work with a global team to design, test, and optimize systems, contributing to product features and diagnostics across multiple locations worldwide.

Qualifications

• PhD in Optics, Physics, Mechanical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering.
• Experience creating computational models of optical systems and analyzing performance.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities across complex systems.
• Excellent communication across levels, customers, vendors and cultures.

Responsibilities

• Develop and evaluate concepts and designs for the next generation systems.
• Lead design efforts for system components, build models, procure parts for prototypes.
• Contribute to prototype tests and review test reports with cross-functional teams.
• Contribute to research, evaluation, and proposals for new product features.
• Set up and drive small team efforts addressing product-level issues.
• Lead development of performance and diagnostics for existing and new products.
• Collaborate with engineers worldwide to resolve issues and standardize solutions.

Skills

Computational modeling

Systems engineering

Problem solving

Cross-cultural communication

Education

PhD in Optics/Physics/Engineering or related field

Master's degree with 5+ years experience

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 Film and Scatterometry Technology (FaST) Division provides industry leading metrology solutions for worldwide semiconductor IC manufacturers. The FaST Division portfolio of metrology products includes hardware and software solutions for optical film thickness, optical critical dimension (CD), composition, and resistivity measurement systems. These products are essential for the IC manufacturers as they provide critical metrology capabilities for the development and implementation of their advanced IC processes. The FaST division is committed to support our customers to achieve performance entitlement of our solution and we effectively partner with our customers from their early research and development phase to the high volume in‑line manufacturing implementation specific for their process needs. The division consists of a global team located in US, Israel, China, and India.

Job Description/Preferred Qualifications

Responsibilities will include:

• Develop and evaluate concepts and designs for the next generation systems.
• Lead design efforts for some components of a system, including building models and performing analysis to derive requirements, holding design reviews to drive team agreement on requirements and designs, and procuring parts for prototype tests.
• Contribute to prototype test by providing input to the prototype test plan, conducting experiments to verify performance of critical components, subsystems and modules, and reviewing test reports with cross‑functional team for approval.
• Contribute to research, evaluation, and proposals for new product features in support of customer requirements.
• Setup and drive small team efforts that address product‑level issues (such as design issues, supplier issues, MFG escalations, or improvement projects).
• Lead development of performance and troubleshooting diagnostics for existing and new products.
• Drive team to resolve system issues in engineering, manufacturing and customer sites.
• Work with engineers at locations around the world to solve issues escalated to engineering, establish root cause, develop plan of action (POA), guide teams in execution of POA, and standardize solutions to improve design and procedures.

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD in Optics, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related technical field.
• Experience of creating computational models to represent complex optical system and analyze system behavior under various conditions is highly desirable.
• Strong background in engineering or the physical sciences with demonstrated analysis and problem‑solving skills.
• Experience in diagnosing and driving solutions to complex problems across whole systems by applying appropriate problem‑solving techniques.
• Ability to communicate effectively to all levels of the division, customers, vendors and across cultures.
• Minimum Qualifications Doctorate (Academic) Degree and related work experience of 2 years; Master's Level Degree and related work experience of 5 years

Base Pay Range: $159,500.00 - $271,200.00 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.

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.

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.