Software Engineer

Company Overview

KLA is a global leader in diversified electronics for the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem. Virtually every electronic device in the world is produced using our technologies. No laptop, smartphone, wearable device, voice-controlled gadget, flexible screen, VR device or smart car would have made it into your hands without us. KLA invents systems and solutions for the manufacturing of wafers and reticles, integrated circuits, packaging, printed circuit boards and flat panel displays. The innovative ideas and devices that are advancing humanity all begin with inspiration, research and development. KLA focuses more than average on innovation and we invest 15% of sales back into R&D. Our expert teams of physicists, engineers, data scientists and problem-solvers work together with the world’s leading technology providers to accelerate the delivery of tomorrow’s electronic devices. Life here is exciting and our teams thrive on tackling really hard problems. There is never a dull moment with us.

Group/Division

With over 40 years of semiconductor process control experience, chipmakers around the globe rely on KLA to ensure that their fabs ramp next-generation devices to volume production quickly and cost-effectively. Enabling the movement towards advanced chip design, KLA's Global Products Group (GPG), which is responsible for creating all of KLA’s metrology and inspection products, is looking for the best and the brightest research scientist, software engineers, application development engineers, and senior product technology process engineers. The Surfscan group includes a team of engineers, technology development, apps engineers and product marketing focused on technology that enables wafer, IC and equipment manufacturers to develop, qualify and monitor their process tools. Defects and process non-uniformities detected on Surfscan equipment allow for early identification of yield excursions. The flagship Surfscan products include the SPx platforms for wafer surface quality and wafer defect inspection tools and systems for inspection of polished wafers, epi wafers and engineered substrates during the wafer fabrication process.

Job Description/Preferred Qualifications

Candidate must have a Bachelor’s with 5+ years’ work experience / Master's Degree with 3+ year work experience or PhD majoring in Computer Science / Computer Engineering / Electrical Engineering or equivalent.

• Proven experience developing and troubleshooting multidisciplinary SW/HW systems, ideally involving large software systems or semiconductor products. 
• Extensive experience in C++ development, with a strong foundation in object-oriented design, system-level programming, and software architecture.
• Working knowledge of multithreading and multiprocessing concepts. 
• Hands-on experience developing applications on Windows and/or Linux operating systems. 
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a focus on debugging complex systems. 
• Deep familiarity with memory management/memory optimization.
• Expertise in performance profiling, debugging, and system optimization.
• Experience with version control systems (e.g., Git) and CI/CD pipelines in production environments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 

Required Skills & Competencies 

• Solid grasp of object-oriented design principles and relational database design patterns. 

• Thorough knowledge of the software development life cycle (SDLC) and software engineering practices across analysis, design, development, and unit testing. 

• Familiarity with AI tools and technologies that accelerate development and testing. 

• Ability to interact and communicate with all levels of staff and management, keeping discussions at the appropriate level of abstraction and moving cleanly from theory to implementation. 
• Ability to travel to customer sites on short notices for Software troubleshooting as needed. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Knowledge of STL, the Boost library, WinDBG, and Windows internals. 

• Domain knowledge of semiconductor process control or wafer inspection.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and experience (one of the following): 

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Electrical or Electronics Engineering, or a related field, with 5+ years of relevant experience. 

• Master's degree in a related field with 3+ years of relevant experience. 

• Doctorate in a related field with 1+ year of relevant experience. 

Base Pay Range: $136,300.00 - $231,700.00 AnnuallyPrimary Location: USA-CA-Milpitas-KLAKLA’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.

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 talent.acquisition@kla.com or at +1-408-352-2808 to request accommodation.

Be aware of potentially fraudulent job postings or suspicious recruiting activity by persons that are currently posing as KLA employees.  KLA never asks for any financial compensation to be considered for an interview, to become an employee, or for equipment. Further, KLA does not work with any recruiters or third parties who charge such fees either directly or on behalf of KLA. Please ensure that you have searched KLA’s Careers website for legitimate job postings.  KLA follows a recruiting process that involves multiple interviews in person or on video conferencing with our hiring managers.  If you are concerned that a communication, an interview, an offer of employment, or that an employee is not legitimate, please send an email to talent.acquisition@kla.com to confirm the person you are communicating with is an employee. We take your privacy very seriously and confidentially handle your information.