Director, Battery Engineering, Manufacturing & Operations

Director of Battery Engineering, Manufacturing and Operations

We seek a Director of Battery Engineering, Manufacturing and Operations to lead and scale manufacturing operations for KLA’s emerging Battery Division in Los Angeles. This individual will be responsible for driving manufacturing strategy, operational excellence, and new product introduction (NPI) for advanced battery solutions.

• Manufacturing Strategy & Operations:
  Drive capacity planning, cost optimization, and operational scalability;
  Establish robust manufacturing processes for high‑mix, low‑volume and/or volume ramp scenarios;
  Maintain high yield for sustaining products and increase yield for New Products;
  Manage healthy mix between sustaining operations and R&D Engineering;
  Ensure proper scheduling.
• New Product Introduction (NPI) & Product Lifecycle:
  Partner with R&D & division personnel to establish roadmap for new battery technologies;
  Lead engineering to ensure seamless transition from development to volume manufacturing;
  Own manufacturing readiness, DFM (Design for Manufacturing), and product release quality;
  Drive beta builds, engineering validation, and manufacturing qualification;
  Provide technical insights in Product Life Cycle (PLC) phases.
• Operational Excellence & Quality:
  Implement continuous improvement initiatives (Lean, Six Sigma, automation) to improve yield, cycle time, and cost;
  Ensure compliance with quality systems, reliability targets, and regulatory requirement;
  Lead Root Cause Analysis and resolution of manufacturing and field related issues;
  Correlate battery failure modes caused by the manufacturing tools, packaging tools, and supporting tools;
  Support Quality Control efforts, including data analysis, documentation, establishing new tools PM processes, for yield and reliability improvement;
  Participate in team efforts that address reliability issues.
• Team Leadership & Talent Development:
  Develop leadership bench strength and technical expertise across the team;
  Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.

• 5+ years of experience in vacuum deposition or thin film deposition.
• 10+ years of experience in Manufacturing and Operations.
• 5+ years of experience in R&D.
• 7+ years of leadership experience in leading large teams (>20).
• Strong background in engineering, battery chemistry and data analysis.
• Technical degree in a relevant area (Material Science, Chemistry/Chemical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Electrical Engineering or equivalent).
• Minimum qualifications:
  
  Master’s Level Degree with a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience OR Bachelor’s Level Degree with a minimum of 12 years of relevant experience.

Base Pay Range: $ - $ Annually

• 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.
• Family care and bonding leave.

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.