Research Scientist

Base Pay Range: $124,100.00 - $211,000.00 Annually

Primary Location: USA-CA-Milpitas-KLA

KLA’s total rewards package for employees may also include participation in performance incentive programs and eligibility for additional benefits identified below. Interns are eligible for some of the benefits identified below. Our pay ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed above reflects the minimum and maximum pay for this position in the primary location identified in this posting. Actual pay depends on several factors, including location, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education level or training. If applicable, your recruiter can share more about the specific pay range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

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

Enabling the movement toward advanced chip design, KLA's Measurement, Analytics and Control group (MACH) is looking for the best and brightest research scientists, software engineers, application development engineers and senior product technology process engineers to join our team. The MACH team's mission is to collaborate with our customers to innovate technologies and solutions that detect and control highly complex process variations—at their source—rather than compensate for them at later stages of the manufacturing process. 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. Our MACH team develops leading-edge solutions for patterning process analytics and control technologies, thereby providing customers with critical insight at the feature level, field level and cross-wafer analysis. Our teams also develop advanced modeling simulation, data analytics and process control modeling technologies. As a member of the MACH team, you’ll be joining the most sophisticated and successful process-control company in the semiconductor industry--working across functions to solve the most complex technical problems in the digital age.

Job Description/Preferred Qualifications

In this exciting Research Scientist role, you will have several responsibilities.  You will work on a team to develop mechanical models for wafer-to-wafer bonding. These models will be used in conjunction with KLA's metrology tools for measuring overlay (ATL/Archer) and for measuring wafer shape (PWG). The resulting mechanical model will be used to provide additional insight into the measurements made on these wafers and for making control strategies to improve overlay. These models will then need to be integrated into software systems produced by KLA.

The ideal candidate will have a proven innovative track record in the related fields of algorithm development, computational physics, and mechanical modeling. Background in computational physics or applied mathematics solving problems in areas such as fluid mechanics, imaging science, Maxwell equations, plasma chemistry and dynamics, surface evolution, and inverse problems.

Experience/skills needed:

• Ability to solve mechanical problems analytically and numerically using simulations engines such as ABAQUS, ANSYS, Mathematica.
• Designing, developing, modifying, and diagnosing complex algorithms
• Ability to invent, develop and implement new algorithms and ideas
• Hands-on experience in object-oriented and functional programming
• Hands-on experience with products such as Matlab, Python
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work both independently and in a team environment.

Minimum Qualifications

Doctorate (Academic) Degree and 0 years related work experience; Master's Level Degree and related work experience of 3 years; Bachelor's Level Degree and related work experience of 5 years

The company offers a total rewards package that is competitive and comprehensive including but not limited to the following: 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.

KLA is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other status protected by applicable law. 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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] to confirm the person you are communicating with is an employee. We take your privacy very seriously and confidentially handle your information.