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.

Job Description

Senior Optical Engineers are core to KLA’s technology, while we do not currently have an opening, we are always building our Optical Engineering talent community, we are interested in learning about your background.

Apply to this posting for Future Opportunities with KLA.

The general responsibilities include to create designs, develop build and testing methods for the many optical subsystems that make up the inspection tool. Specific deliverables include optical system design, optical alignment methodology, and analysis of various optical modules. This person will also lead the design of a custom metrology system to verify and adjust the optical performance of our primary optical system. The candidate will interact closely with the systems engineering group to define performance criteria and system level specification. During the design phase the candidate will work with hardware and software design teams following a rigorous product design protocol. Specific tasks include creating optical models, statistical tolerance analysis, performance predictions, leading design reviews, creating test procedures, and selecting suppliers.

Responsibilities

Investigate different design options and finding the best option through evaluating tolerances, manufacturability, light budgets and other trade-offs in imaging and illumination system.
Deliver a complete optical system design by performing thorough tolerancing analysis with full consideration of alignment process, metrology, system calibrations and opto-mechanical design limitations.
Translate system or subsystem requirements into optical design and optical manufacturing requirements.
Deliver opto-mechanical design requirements such DOF table.

Design and implement optical alignment and metrology process, test/tooling fixtures to achieve targeted optical performance.

Follows complete design process throughout full product development cycle. It includes design reviews, part procurement from vendors, verification, integration and product release.
Debug, and trouble-shooting of any optical problems that arise with the system
Designing and building off-axis mirror system in high precision.
Deliver coating modeling in optical software and optical requirements to complete coating requirements.
Conduct optical analysis to deliver information needed to complete light budget.

Qualifications

The preferred candidate will have experience and capability in the following areas:

Excellent optical system design such as high precision lens/mirror design, illumination design, preferably in semiconductor tools
High proficiency in optical design software such as CodeV or Zemax or LightTools
Able to conduct statistical optical component and system tolerancing
Able to create specifications of precision opto-mechanical assemblies
Understand optics manufacturability and reflect it in optical design
Strong understanding in optical metrology tool and data
Building and aligning complex optical system using diverse mechanical, auto-collimator, point source microscope, CGH, and interferometry.
Test stand design and build: concept, error budget, realization.
Optical module and system build and debugging.
Deliver solid design reviews and achieve design approvals from multi-disciplinary stakeholders
Working knowledge with diverse optical devices and components: objectives, collimation and relay optics, fibers, cameras and detectors.

Experience

Highly desired to have more than five years of professional experience in high precision optical system development, preferably in semiconductor tools
Experience of working with top tier optical suppliers to develop high precision optics and optical assembly
Strong emphasis on creative problem solving and effective communication.
Be able to interface with multidisciplinary groups and work effectively in a team and be willing to take on responsibility, follow through and keep multiple simultaneous assignments on schedule.
Be able to quickly acquire technical knowledge from documentation and on-the-job training and be capable of thoroughly investigating technical issues (analytically and hands-on in a lab).
Strong communication and presentation skill. Must have the capability to clearly communicating progress and status of ongoing investigations to managers and to customers; Candidate will be required to write reports documenting investigations carried out.

Personal skills

Should be able to work, and deliver self-independently with minimum supervision
Can observe and respond to people and situations and interact with others encountered in the course of work.
Strong customer focus and commitment to customer satisfaction through prioritization, quality, efficiency and professionalism.
Ability to complete assignments with attention to detail and high degree of accuracy.
Proven ability to perform effectively in a demanding environment with changing workloads and deadlines.
Result driven-demonstrate ownership and accountability.
Identifies bottlenecks and drives improvements.
Work independently or as part of a team and follow through on assignments with minimal supervision.
Demonstrate open, clear, concise and professional communication.
Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with manager, co-workers and customer.
Work according to a strict set of procedures within the provided timelines.

Education

MS or Ph.D in Optical engineering (preferred) or Physics
Highly desired to have strong background in following disciplines, Geometrical optics, Fourier optics, Lens/mirror design, Radiometry, Optical metrology, Illumination optics, Optical imaging system, Optical alignment.

The Position is located in the U.S., must be willing to relocate to Milpitas, CA

Minimum Qualifications

This is a senior engineering role. Advanced degree is a must.
Doctorate in Optics/Physics and 5+ years of work experience, or a Masters Degree and 8+ years of work experience.

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.