Customer Engagement Applications Engineer - Southern California - SPTS Division

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.

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 SPTS division provides advanced wafer processing solutions—including etch, deposition and vapor-based technologies—designed for R&D through high-volume production. With a global presence and strong customer support network, SPTS helps manufacturers across industries improve performance, yield and cost-efficiency. It also offers comprehensive service and spare parts through a worldwide network of service centers and qualified local agents.

In this role, you will play a key part in advancing business priorities by delivering high-impact work across your area of expertise.

The KLA SPTS division wafer processing solutions include market-leading silicon etch, dielectric etch, dry-release etch, PVD, PECVD and molecular vapor deposition (MVD®), available with a range of wafer‑handling options applicable to R&D, pilot production, or volume production environments. KLA’s SPTS department is headquartered and has its main manufacturing facility in Newport, UK, with additional manufacturing in Allentown, Pennsylvania. KLA/SPTS operates across 19 countries in Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific, and offers comprehensive service and spare parts support through a worldwide network of service centers and qualified local agents.

The Applications team is field‑based and customer‑facing. The team supports process‑related needs and is well suited for candidates with semiconductor industry interest and experience.

• Deliver, demonstrate, and implement process solutions that meet or exceed customer requirements – primary location is in Southern California (Greater Los Angeles and/or Southern California Area).
• Install customer‑specific processes on both new and used systems, verifying compliance with agreed process specifications – “Process Transfer”.
• Enhance procedures, specifications, and existing processes to support the delivery of high‑quality equipment, exceeding customer requirements.
• On‑site attendance for process installation, development and update meetings where needed, along with remote support for customers.
• Collaboration with internal SPTS hardware and factory groups to ensure:
  • Proper tool/module software and hardware setup
  • Timely and appropriate issues reporting
  • Smooth timeline for process qualifications
• Collaboration with sales team on new applications or potential for future tool sales
• Make presentations for all onsite projects – executive reviews and detailed summaries
• Proactive offering of solutions where required – current and future‑facing
• In depth compilation analysis of data – some of it complex with multiple variables
• Develop familiarity with necessary process modules and endpoint capabilities