Product Development Engineer

Product / Systems Engineer – Sustaining Engineering

KLA’s ADE Sustaining Engineering team is seeking a P3‑level Product / Systems Engineer to support fielded and pre‑production semiconductor manufacturing equipment. This role is heavily hands‑on, with a strong focus on lab testing, root‑cause analysis, and system‑level troubleshooting across optics, interferometry, vibration, motion control, and electronics. The engineer will work directly on complex subsystems and full tool configurations, diagnosing performance, reliability, and quality issues, and driving corrective actions in collaboration with design, manufacturing, service, and suppliers.

This is not a desk‑only role; frequent international travel (up to 50%) is required.

• Perform hands‑on lab and system‑level testing of semiconductor inspection/metrology equipment, including optical, mechanical, and electromechanical subsystems.
• Troubleshoot complex issues related to:
  • Optical systems (including interferometers and precision imaging paths)
  • Vibration sensitivity and environmental performance
  • Precision motion control stages and actuators
  • Electronics, sensors, and control interfaces
• Design, execute, and document validation, characterization, and reliability tests at component, subsystem, and system levels.
• Lead root‑cause investigations using data analysis, physical inspection, and experimentation; develop and validate corrective actions.
• Support sustaining engineering activities for released products, including performance excursions, reliability issues, and customer‑driven escalations.
• Analyze field data, lab data, and sensor logs to identify trends and failure mechanisms.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams (design engineering, manufacturing, service, quality, suppliers) to implement fixes and improvements.
• Support introduction and qualification of incremental hardware, firmware, or configuration changes.
• Create clear technical documentation, test reports, and engineering recommendations suitable for design reviews and production release.

• Experience with semiconductor inspection, metrology, or lithography‑adjacent equipment.
• Familiarity with vibration metrics, environmental specifications, or facility interaction effects.
• Experience supporting sustaining or installed‑base products, including field issue resolution.
• Comfort working directly on tools in a lab or fab‑like environment.
• Experience collaborating with manufacturing, service, or supplier engineering teams.
• Exposure to data analysis tools (MATLAB, Python, or equivalent) for test data evaluation.

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD degree in Optical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a closely related technical field, with experience commensurate to degree level:
• PhD with 0–2 years of relevant industry, lab, or applied research experience
• MS with 2–4 years of relevant hands‑on engineering experience
• BS with 4–6 years of relevant hands‑on engineering experience
• Experience working in a hands‑on lab environment supporting complex hardware systems.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot and root‑cause issues on physical systems.
• Working knowledge in one or more of the following technical areas:
• Optical systems and interferometry
• Precision vibration measurement, transmission, or mitigation
• Semiconductor manufacturing or capital equipment
• Precision motion control systems (motors, stages, encoders, servos)
• Electronics, sensors, and hardware interfaces
• Ability to independently plan and execute experiments, testing, and validation activities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to document test results and technical findings clearly.

Base Pay Range: $ – $ annually. Primary

Location:

Milpitas, CA, USA.

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
• 401(K) with company matching
• Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP)
• Student debt assistance and tuition reimbursement
• Development and career growth opportunities
• Financial planning benefits, wellness benefits, and an employee assistance program (EAP)
• Paid time off, paid company holidays, and family care and bonding leave

For more information or to request accommodation, please contact  or call +1‑408‑352‑2808.

KLA is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive the benefits and privileges of employment.