Apps Engineer

Job Title

Apps Engineer

Role Summary

Provide applications and technical support for semiconductor inspection/metrology tools at customer sites, driving product adoption through recipe development, training, performance analysis, and collaboration with service, sales, and engineering teams.

Experience Level

Mid-level; typically requires about 3–5 years of relevant industry experience supporting semiconductor equipment or processes.

Responsibilities

Core responsibilities include customer-facing support, project coordination, and pre-sales assistance.

• Create and maintain production recipes and Best Known Methods to support customer processes and drive tool acceptance.
• Train operators and engineers on equipment operation and use cases.
• Analyze tool performance, diagnose issues, and collaborate with Service and Technical Support to implement solutions.
• Plan and manage project priorities, schedules, milestones, and progress tracking across stakeholders.
• Prepare concise project summaries and value propositions for business and executive reviews.
• Maintain regular communication with customers to present results, capture data, and escalate issues.
• Support sales and marketing with pre-sales technical input, competitive analysis, and customer penetration strategies.

Requirements

Must-have technical and interpersonal skills; list separates required versus preferred.

• Must-have: Knowledge of advanced optics/laser technology, physics, or material science relevant to semiconductor inspection.
• Must-have: Solid understanding of semiconductor and advanced packaging process technologies.
• Must-have: Excellent presentation, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Must-have: Project management ability and experience handling multiple projects in parallel under pressure.
• Must-have: Native-level Japanese (JLPT N1) and business-level English.
• Preferred / Nice-to-have: IC process background or prior customer/industry experience; experience working across multiple cultures.
• Preferred / Nice-to-have: Ability to influence by facts, creative thinking to address new customer challenges, and successful execution in high-pressure environments.

Education Requirements

Master's degree plus ~3 years relevant work experience, or Bachelor's degree plus ~5 years relevant work experience. Relevant fields and expertise cited include Advanced Optics/Lasers, Physics, Materials Science, IC process knowledge, and semiconductor/advanced packaging technologies; equivalent practical experience is considered per the stated experience thresholds.

About the Company

Company: KLA

Headquarters: Chennai, India

KLA is a global leader in diversified electronics for the semiconductor manufacturing industry. The company enables the production of electronic devices by inventing systems and solutions for manufacturing integrated circuits, wafers, and displays. With over 40 years of experience, KLA invests heavily in innovation and R&D to support advanced chip design and manufacturing process optimization, collaborating with top technology providers to deliver future electronic devices.