Senior Research Scientist

Base Pay Range: $149,000.00 - $253,300.00 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 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. Enabling the movement towards advanced chip design, KLA's Global Products Group (GPG), which is responsible for creating all of KLA's metrology and inspection products, is looking for the best and the brightest research scientist, software engineers, application development engineers, and senior product technology process engineers. The Broadband Plasma Division (BBP) provides market-leading patterned wafer optical inspection systems for leading-edge 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. Job Description/Preferred Qualifications We seek an expert in electromagnetics to join the technology development team in the Broad Band Plasma division at KLA. This division develops the world's most advanced optical inspection technology deployed by all semiconductor manufacturers to detect critical defects in wafers patterned with logic and memory devices. Optical inspection is performed for feature scales far below the diffraction limit. In this regime, defects are not resolved in optical data, but their signal is detected against a complex background of scattering from roughness in the pattern itself. In this role you will acquire expertise in the physics of signal and noise in optical inspection of highly complex circuitry, and large-scale simulation and data analysis. You will need to learn the application space well through exposure to the semiconductor chip fabrication process, and data from fabs around the world. An ideal candidate will exploit his/her insight into electromagnetism to help improve sensitivity of optical inspection at the ever-evolving frontier of logic and memory device fabrication. Under the direction of senior technical staff, you will: Perform modeling and simulation to provide first principles-based analyses of the sensitivity limitations in optical detection of nanometer scale defects in CMOS circuitry. Contribute to the development and evaluation of new optical solutions to meet these challenges. Track new research and rigorously assess new concepts through simulation and/or experiment and provide a sound physical basis for the results. Gain the confidence of key team members by demonstrating predictive value of models and simulations through in-depth analysis of modeling and empirical data. Demonstrate a deep commitment to the validation of inputs and outputs of simulations. Apply fundamental principles of electromagnetism to imaging and optical scattering problems. Education Requirements: PhD in Physics or Electrical Engineering with specialization in electromagnetism and/or optics. Minimum Technical Skills: Fourier optics for modeling of coherent and incoherent imaging systems with a good understanding of wavefront aberrations. Electromagnetic scattering theory and perturbation methods evident through peer-reviewed publications as a primary author. Ability to setup FDTD or FEM simulations of highly dispersive materials complex structures. Ability to verify results, perform convergence studies, and properly choose numerical parameters for each simulation approach. Ability to communicate results to audiences of diverse technical backgrounds. Preferred Skills and Experience: Strong understanding of noise in optical imaging and detection systems. Image processing, signal processing and knowledge of linear systems. Performing experiments with optical microscopes. Ability to build HPC simulators of large scale complex physical systems. Minimum Qualifications PhD Degree + 3 years, or Master Degree + 6 years, or Bachelor Degree + 8 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 to request accommodation.