Senior Software Architect (Machine Control & Architecture)

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 e-Beam division plays a critical role in KLA’s inspection ecosystem, with tools that deliver high-resolution, timely insights into defects and critical locations on the wafer. Used alongside KLA’s patterned and bare wafer inspectors, e-Beam systems help our customers quickly identify and understand yield-impacting issues—enabling faster, more effective actions to correct the manufacturing process.

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.

We are seeking a highly experienced Sr. Software Engineer to lead the architecture, design, and development of complex software systems that power next-generation semiconductor inspection and metrology products. This role is ideal for a hands-on technical leader who thrives on solving challenging engineering problems, defining scalable software architectures, and influencing the technical direction of sophisticated hardware-software platforms.

You will work closely with systems engineers, software developers, physicists, algorithm teams, and product engineers to design and deliver high-performance C++ applications that drive innovation across KLA's product portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture, design, and implementation of complex software systems
• Define scalable, maintainable, and high-performance software architectures aligned with product and technology roadmaps.
• Drive software design decisions, conduct architecture reviews, and establish technical standards across development teams.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including systems engineering, algorithms, hardware engineering, and product development to deliver integrated solutions.
• Analyze complex technical requirements and translate them into elegant, scalable software designs.
• Drive resolution of critical system-level issues through root cause analysis and architectural improvements.
• Evaluate and introduce new technologies, tools, and development methodologies through proof-of-concept initiatives.
• Promote engineering excellence through best practices in software design, code quality, testing, automation, and continuous integration.
• Optimize software performance, scalability, reliability, and maintainability across distributed and real-time systems.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineers across multiple projects.
• Influence long-term software strategy and contribute to future platform and product architecture decisions.
• Communicate complex technical concepts, tradeoffs, and architectural recommendations to engineering and business stakeholders.

Required Qualifications

• Advanced Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Strong experience in Microsoft .NET (C#) and/or Java, C++ software development with a track record of delivering high-quality, maintainable solutions.
• Proven experience designing and delivering large-scale, complex software systems from architecture through deployment.
• Deep expertise in object-oriented design, software architecture, design patterns.
• Strong understanding of multi-threaded, distributed, and high-performance software systems.
• Experience developing software for complex engineering, scientific, semiconductor, industrial automation, or hardware-integrated applications.
• Demonstrated ability to architect scalable and maintainable software solutions that span multiple products and teams.
• Strong debugging, troubleshooting, and performance optimization skills in complex software environments.
• Experience with software development lifecycle (SDLC), code reviews, automated testing, CI/CD workflows, and software quality practices.
• Ability to influence technical direction, lead design discussions, and drive consensus across engineering organizations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to convey complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing software for semiconductor equipment, metrology, inspection systems, robotics, motion control, or other precision engineering applications.
• Knowledge of Linux-based development environments.
• Experience designing distributed systems, service-oriented architectures, or real-time software systems.
• Familiarity with image processing, machine vision, scientific computing, or data-intensive applications.
• Experience mentoring engineers and leading technical initiatives across multiple teams.
• Exposure to cloud technologies, software automation frameworks, and modern DevOps practices.

What Success Looks Like

• Architecting software solutions that support next-generation semiconductor products.
• Driving key technical decisions that improve scalability, performance, and reliability.
• Reducing technical debt while accelerating product development.
• Establishing engineering best practices that elevate software quality across teams.
• Serving as a trusted technical leader and mentor within the organization.

Minimum Qualifications Doctorate (Academic) Degree and related work experience of 3 years; Master's Level Degree and related work experience of 6 years; Bachelor's Level Degree and related work experience of 8 years

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: $159,500.00 - $271,200.00 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 [email protected] 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.