Senior. Manager of Semiconductor Applications Development Engineering

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 Film and Scatterometry Technology (FaST) division delivers industry-leading metrology solutions essential to advanced semiconductor manufacturing. Its portfolio includes systems for measuring film thickness, critical dimensions, composition, and resistivity—key to developing and scaling next-gen IC processes. FaST partners closely with customers from early R&D through high-volume production, ensuring performance and process alignment.

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

We are seeking a highly experienced and technically proficient Senior Manager of Semiconductor Applications Development Engineering to lead a team responsible for developing and validating advanced applications for KLA’s innovative semiconductor metrology and inspection equipment. This role involves driving the strategic direction of applications development, ensuring customer success, and fostering a culture of technical excellence.

• Lead and manage a team of applications development engineers, providing technical guidance, mentorship, and performance management.
• Define and execute applications development roadmaps aligned with KLA’s product strategy and customer requirements.
• Collaborate closely with product management, R&D, and sales teams to translate customer needs into effective applications solutions.
• Oversee the development, testing, and validation of new applications, algorithms, and methodologies for semiconductor metrology and inspection tools.
• Drive customer engagements, including technical presentations, demonstrations, and support for critical customer issues.
• Ensure the timely and successful delivery of applications solutions to customers, meeting performance and quality expectations.
• Develop and maintain strong technical expertise in semiconductor manufacturing processes, defect mechanisms, and metrology challenges.
• Identify and implement best practices for applications development, including process improvements and tool enhancements.
• Represent KLA as a technical expert at industry conferences and customer meetings.
• Manage project schedules, resources, and budgets effectively.

• Master’s degree or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 10+ years of experience in the semiconductor industry, with a strong focus on applications development, process integration, or metrology/inspection.
• 5+ years of experience in a leadership or management role, leading technical teams.
• Deep understanding of semiconductor manufacturing processes (e.g., lithography, etch, deposition, CMP) and their associated…