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.
The KLA Services team headquartered in Milpitas, CA is our service organization that consists of Service Sales and Marketing, Spares Supply Chain management, Field Operations, Engineering, Product Training, and Technical Support. The KLA Services organization partners with our field teams and customers in all business sectors to maintain the high performance and productivity of our products through a flexible portfolio of services. Our comprehensive services include: proactive management of tools to identify and improve performance; expertise in optics, image processing and motion control with worldwide service engineers, 24/7 technical support teams and knowledge management systems; and an extensive parts network to ensure worldwide availability of parts.
Job Description/Preferred Qualifications
KLA is seeking a highly motivated Technical Support Engineer (TSE) to join the ADE Technical Support organization. The successful candidate will provide advanced technical support for Wafer Geometry products, including WaferSight and PWG product families, supporting global customers and field organizations. This role requires strong troubleshooting skills, customer-facing communication, data analysis capability, and the ability to lead complex technical investigations across multiple functional teams.
Key Responsibilities
Customer Escalation Support
- Provide advanced technical support for customer escalations involving Wafer Geometry products.
- Lead technical reviews and drive resolution of critical customer issues.
- Support onsite troubleshooting activities when required.
Root Cause Investigation
- Lead structured problem-solving activities using 8D, RCA, Fishbone, and other methodologies.
- Analyze tool logs, diagnostic data, wafer measurements, and system performance trends.
- Identify containment actions and long-term corrective actions.
Cross Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Field Service Engineers (FSE/CSE), Product Engineering, Manufacturing, Applications, and R&D teams.
- Coordinate global support activities for complex customer issues.
- Drive technical alignment across regions.
Product Performance Improvement
- Monitor recurring field issues and identify improvement opportunities.
- Support implementation of hardware and software upgrades.
- Develop and maintain Best Known Methods (BKMs).
Technical Communication
- Present technical findings to customers and internal stakeholders.
- Prepare detailed investigation reports and executive summaries.
- Facilitate technical review meetings and escalation discussions.
Knowledge Development
- Mentor field engineers and provide technical guidance.
- Support development of training materials and troubleshooting documentation.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physics, Materials Science, Semiconductor Engineering, or related field.
- 3+ years of experience in semiconductor equipment support, process engineering, applications engineering, or technical support.
- Strong troubleshooting and analytical skills.
- Experience interacting directly with customers.
- Ability to travel as required.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with semiconductor metrology, inspection, or wafer geometry equipment.
- Knowledge of wafer manufacturing processes.
- Understanding of:
- Wafer Warp
- Bow
- TTV
- Flatness
- Nanotopography
- Edge Profile
- Wafer Handling and Robot Systems
- Experience with SPC and statistical analysis.
- Experience using JMP, Python, SQL, or other data analysis tools.
- Familiarity with semiconductor fabs and manufacturing environments.
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 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.
