Product Development Engineer

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. KLA's Central Engineering organization is made up of nine Centers of Excellence (CoEs) spanning disciplines like automation, motion control, sensors, platform design, and packaging. Each CoE contributes not only technical deliverables but also deep expertise, best practices, and advanced tools that elevate both what we build—and how we build it.

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 a Product Development Engineer to support electron beam based metrology instruments developed in our engineering group in Ann Arbor. The engineer will work within a cross-functional team developing the next generation of KLA metrology tools!

In this role the candidate will be responsible for:

• Develop detailed requirement specifications from performance requirements using systems engineering methodology.

• Work with a team to develop and implement innovative design improvements to currently released products as well as development of novel next generation products.

• Apply systems engineering principles to optimize critical systems-level instrument performance.

• Test and validate systems design improvements.

• Draft documentation for assembly and training procedures.

• Drive troubleshooting of field customer concerns of sophisticated system performance problems, by providing written plans of action remotely or provide active technical leadership on-site at customer sites worldwide.

• Interface closely with service, manufacturing and marketing teams to define and optimize system performance and resolve performance issues.

• Write high-level technical reports to communicate issues, analysis, technical assessments, system status, best-known-methods, and engineering recommendations.

• Design and drive multi-disciplinary experiments, write detailed test plans for systems testing.

• Coordinate with outside vendors to develop and deliver sub-system products.

Qualifications/Education Desired

• Have a solid understanding of precision instruments and control systems.

• Must have solid track record of problem solving.

• Experience with high vacuum systems.

• Experience with electron beam based instruments such as scanning electron microscopes.

• Have excellent oral and written communication, organizational and analytical skills.

• Previous experience with process control instrument systems for semiconductor industry is preferred.

Travel for training and for support of customers worldwide is required.

Minimum Qualifications

Doctorate (Academic) Degree and 0 years related work experience; Master's Level Degree and related work experience of 3 years; Bachelor's Level Degree and related work experience of 5 years

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: $97,000.00 - $164,900.00 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. 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 [email protected] or at +1-408-352-2808 to request accommodation.

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