Diagnostics Software Engineer

Software Engineer

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. KLA invents systems and solutions for the manufacturing of wafers and reticles, integrated circuits, packaging, printed circuit boards and flat panel displays. 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 RAPID division is the world leading provider of reticle inspection solutions for the semiconductor industry. The company provides inspection solutions to both the mask shops and the semiconductor fabs to ensure that lithography yields are consistently high thus enabling cost-effective manufacturing.

We are seeking a hands-on, curious Software Engineer to join our Diagnostics & Calibration software team in Milpitas, CA. In this role you will design, develop, and deliver software that diagnoses and calibrates KLA's reticle inspection platforms. You will partner closely with physicists, hardware engineers, system teams, and global software organizations to translate complex system-level requirements into robust, scalable diagnostic and calibration solutions.

We are especially looking for an engineer energized by the current wave of AI—someone who actively explores modern AI/ML and generative-AI tooling and loves turning it into working applications. Beyond core systems development, you'll have real room to prototype and build AI-assisted tools that make diagnostics, calibration, and engineering workflows faster, smarter, and more reliable. If you're the kind of developer who spins up a proof-of-concept over a weekend, benchmarks a new model or framework because you're curious, and enjoys shipping tools people actually use, this role is for you.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, test, and maintain LabVIEW-based and multi-language software for diagnosing and calibrating KLA's reticle inspection platforms.
• Learn the existing diagnostics and calibration software architecture and contribute clean, maintainable, well-tested code to meet program goals.
• Translate system-level and user requirements into software designs, implementations, and test plans.
• Explore and apply AI/ML and generative-AI techniques—LLMs, agents, copilots, and automation—to build applications and internal tools that improve diagnostics, calibration, developer productivity, and data analysis.
• Rapidly prototype AI-driven proofs-of-concept, evaluate feasibility and impact, and mature promising ideas into production-ready tools.
• Improve software reliability, maintainability, performance, and scalability through sound design and refactoring.
• Build, maintain, and improve CI/CD pipelines and workflows to support reliable, automated build, test, and release of diagnostics & calibration software.
• Participate actively in design reviews, code reviews, and development best practices.
• Partner cross-functionally with hardware, subsystem, system, manufacturing, and service teams to deliver integrated solutions.
• Support root-cause analysis of complex system-level issues and drive effective, sustainable solutions.
• Travel occasionally to global sites and customer locations to support integration, bring-up, and deployment activities (up to ~10%).

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Physical Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Optics, Microscopy, or a related field.
• 4+ years of software development experience (or 2+ years with a Master's) building medium to large-scale applications in multi-developer environments.
• Proficiency with object-oriented design and experience with one or more additional languages such as Python, C++, or C#.
• Genuine enthusiasm for exploring AI/ML and generative-AI tools, with a demonstrated drive to build working applications with them; hands-on experience building applications with LLMs / generative AI—fine tuning, RAG, or agentic frameworks, or integrating AI APIs/copilots into engineering workflows - personal projects, prototypes, hackathons, or on-the-job tooling all count.
• Familiarity with CI/CD tools and practices (e.g., Git, Jenkins, GitLab CI, or Azure DevOps), including building and maintaining automated build, test, and release workflows.
• Strong background in software involving hardware-software interaction and system-level behavior.
• Demonstrated ability to translate user needs and system requirements into technical specifications and executable plans.
• Strong problem-solving skills with experience diagnosing and resolving complex issues.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills in globally distributed teams.
• Self-motivated, with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.

Preferred (not required)

• Experience in diagnostics, calibration, machine control, inspection, or metrology systems.
• Experience working in semiconductor capital equipment or similar complex hardware platforms.
• Familiarity with computer vision, image processing, or image analysis techniques.
• Certified LabVIEW Developer (CLD) or equivalent experience.