
Optical Engineer Intern
Milpitas, CAFull-timePosted 1mo agoStill listed today
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At a glance
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Job overview
KLA’s Broadband Plasma division develops optical inspection systems used by semiconductor manufacturers to detect defects. The Optical Engineer Intern will contribute to work advancing business priorities, drawing on optics, optical alignment and imaging validation, optical performance modeling, and hands-on lab problem-solving. The posting seeks a PhD student expecting to earn a doctorate in optical engineering, optical sciences, or a related field within less than one year.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Benefits
Full job description
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.
- Solid background in optics such as imaging system aberrations, Fourier optics, polarization, Radiometry etc.
- Experience or education background in high precision and sophisticated optical alignment and imaging performance validation.
- Capable of modeling optical performance, defining tolerances and degree of freedom for optical assembly using at least one of optical SW Zemax, CodeV, LightTools, FRED.
- Demonstrate detail oriented and methodical problem-solving skills in multi-disciplinary environment and hands-on lab work
- Effective written and verbal communication skills.
- Proficient in Matlab or Python is preferred
Minimum Qualifications PhD student expecting Doctorate (Academic) degree within less than 1 year in optical engineering, optical sciences or related fields.
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: $0.00 - $0.00 Per Hour 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.
How this job compares
Set against the 7,129 open Engineering jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 11, 2026.
- Pay
- This postingNot listed
- California median$132–201K/yr598 salary ranges
- California median$34–41/hr107 hourly ranges
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 883 open Engineering jobs in California and 7,129 across the US. 3% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Hiring the most in California
- Northrop Grumman60 open
- General Atomics33 open
- Accenture25 open
- Experience
- Engineering postings that state a minimum ask for 5 years of experience at the median; the middle half ask for 3 to 10 years (4,888 postings).
- Education
- 3,570 of the 7,129 open Engineering jobs (50%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 11, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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