Technical Program/Project Manager (Software)

To make electronics, you need chips, wafers, transistors, reticles, and... To make these, you must see, test and manufacture them at scale—faster and better than ever before. That's where KLA comes in. Whether you're early in your career or an experienced professional, you'll solve complex challenges, work alongside brilliant minds and help shape the future of technology.

Group/Division

The Semiconductor Products and Customers (Semi PC) business unit designs, builds and sells KLA’s product portfolio to help chip manufacturers meet high-quality standards for technologies like AI, data centers, automotive and electronic devices. Our inspection, metrology, and analytics systems detect and monitor defects across logic and memory chips, specialty semiconductors, wafers, reticles, advanced packaging, process equipment and materials. We also develop technologies for specialty processes, IC substrates, and PCB manufacturing, including etch and deposition, component inspection, and imaging and analytics. The Broadband Plasma (BBP) division is the market-leading optical inspection system used by logic, foundry, and memory customers to detect critical defects at advanced nodes. These tools combine broadband plasma technology with unmatched sensitivity and speed to support high-volume manufacturing.

What You'll Do

In this role, you will play a key part in advancing business priorities by delivering high-impact work across your area of expertise.

The Broadband Plasma Division (BBP) provides market-leading patterned wafer optical inspection systems for innovative IC manufacturing. Logic, foundry, and memory customers depend on BBP products to detect yield-critical defects for process debug and excursion monitoring at advanced process nodes.

BBP flagship products include the 29xx and 39xx series which leverage Broadband Plasma technology to capture a wide range of defects with ultimate sensitivity at the optical inspection speeds needed for inline defect monitoring.

You will be a key member of our highly integrated multi-disciplinary team of software, systems, applications and algorithm engineers. 

Key requirements:

• Program Leadership: Drive development of software for wafer inspection systems, coordinating across software, systems, algorithms, and applications teams.
• Product Integration: Collaborate with hardware and firmware teams to ensure seamless integration of software features into capital equipment platforms.
• Customer Engagement: Interface with Marketing and global customers to gather requirements, validate solutions, and support field deployment.
• Risk Management: Identify technical, schedule, and operational risks, implement mitigation strategies, and ensure alignment with business goals.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Work with marketing, supply chain, manufacturing, and service teams to ensure readiness and scalability of solutions.
• Business Acumen: Demonstrate business insight with clear understanding of value proposition, feature interdependencies, and business value
• Technical Breadth: Demonostrate technical competency to ensure development plans are comprehensive to meet performance, reliability, cost, manufacturability, and serviceability goals

The successful candidate will have the following skills.

• Software development experience with good software design exposure is desired.
• Experience with New Product Introduction or Product Development Experience from inception to delivery.
• Proven Technical Capability and Risk Management with deep understanding of business goals.
• Experience articulating the progress and impact through relevant key performance indicators.
• Familiarity with Agile, Iterative, and Waterfall development methodologies.
• Great team player with strong leadership, critical thinking, and effective communication.
• Enthusiastic communicator who successfully advocates for action and positive change.
• Creative problem solver with a proven track record of solving complex technical issues with urgency.
• Ability to lead multiple projects simultaneously.
• Experience in customer engagement, feedback analysis, and adoption strategy development desired.

Minimum Qualifications

• Doctorate (Academic) Degree and minimum of 5 years of relevant experience OR
• Master's Level Degree and minimum of 8 years of relevant experience OR
• Bachelor's Level Degree and minimum of 10 years of relevant experience

About KLA

We provide advanced inspection tools, metrology systems, process solutions, and computational analytics that make electronics possible, tackling complex challenges. From electron and photon optics to machine learning and data analytics, we seek perfection at the most fundamental level of matter in the universe. If you want to make electronics that push industries forward and make the world a better place, join us.

Total Rewards

Base Pay Range: $186,200.00 - $273,067.00 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 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.

Use of AI Statement 

At KLA, our interviews seek to understand your individual skills, problem-solving approach and authentic thinking. To ensure a fair and consistent evaluation, the use of AI, recording tools or other technologies to generate, suggest or provide responses during interviews—whether virtual or in person—is not permitted unless explicitly approved in advance as part of a reasonable accommodation or invited by the interviewer. Use of these tools may interfere with our ability to evaluate your individual qualifications and affect your candidacy. KLA is committed to advancing innovation through responsible AI, and we value candidates who share this mindset.

Equal Opportunity Statement

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.

For additional information, view the US Know Your Rights poster on the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission website.