Product Development 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 Key Responsibilities: Mechanical Design & Product Support • Design, develop, and implement mechanical and opto-mechanical subsystem updates for released products • Perform detailed mechanical design work including: • Precision mechanisms, structures, and assemblies • Tolerance analysis, GD&T, and design documentation • Execute analysis (e.g., structural, thermal, vibration/modal) to support design decisions Sustaining Engineering & Field Support • Investigate field, factory, and reliability issues using root cause analysis • Drive corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) and validate fixes through testing • Support escalations and work closely with service teams to resolve customer issues • Analyze product data and failure trends to improve system performance and reliability Engineering Change & Product Lifecycle Management • Lead or support Engineering Change Requests (ECR) / Engineering Change Orders (ECO) • Maintain and update drawings, BOMs, and specifications • Manage component obsolescence and qualify replacement parts • Ensure configuration control and documentation accuracy Manufacturing & Cross-functional Collaboration • Collaborate with systems, electrical, optics, manufacturing, and supply chain teams • Support factory builds, integration, and troubleshooting • Drive DFx improvements (manufacturability, assembly, serviceability, cost) • Work with suppliers on component qualification and design changes Continuous Improvement & Cost Reduction • Identify opportunities for: • Cost reduction (BOM, materials, process improvements) • Reliability and uptime improvements • Cycle-time and manufacturability enhancements • Implement incremental design improvements without full product redesign Preferred Qualifications: • Experience in semiconductor capital equipment or precision instrumentation • Familiarity with: • Vacuum systems, precision stages, or mechatronics • Structural / thermal / vibration analysis • Hands-on troubleshooting and root cause analysis experience • Understanding of manufacturing processes (machining, sheet metal, injection molding, etc.) Key Skills: • Strong problem-solving and analytical capability • Ability to work independently on moderately complex technical issues • Cross-functional collaboration in a global engineering environment • Clear technical communication and documentation Travel: • Occasional travel (~10–20%) to: • Customer sites • Manufacturing locations • Suppliers Minimum Qualifications • Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field • 2–5 years of relevant experience (typical P2 range) • Experience with mechanical design of complex systems or equipment • Proficiency with CAD tools (e.g., Creo, SolidWorks) We offer a competitive, family friendly total rewards package. We design our programs to reflect our commitment to an inclusive environment, while ensuring we provide benefits that meet the diverse needs of our employees. KLA is proud to be an equal opportunity employer 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 ta…