NPI Hardware Productization Engineer
KLAJob Title
NPI Hardware Productization Engineer
Role Summary
Responsible for taking sensor and hardware products from prototype through production release by bridging design and manufacturing. The role leads New Product Introduction (NPI) activities, ensures production readiness, and supports successful product ramp and customer deployment.
Experience Level
Mid-level (typical candidate has multiple years of hardware development and NPI experience; company minimums vary by degree).
Responsibilities
Primary responsibilities include planning and executing NPI activities and ensuring products are manufacturable, reliable, and scalable.
- Lead NPI from prototype to production release; coordinate prototype, pilot, qualification, and production builds.
- Drive transition of new products into manufacturing and partner with Manufacturing Engineering for ramp-up and production readiness.
- Develop and execute build plans, validation activities, and manufacturing readiness reviews; support first-article builds and product qualifications.
- Implement Design for Excellence (DFx) covering manufacturability, assembly, testability, reliability, serviceability, quality, and cost.
- Support manufacturing test strategies, product validation, and production launches.
- Identify technical risks, drive root-cause investigations, and implement corrective actions.
- Improve yield, quality, and production efficiency through data-driven problem solving.
- Ensure manufacturing documentation (BOMs, work instructions, test procedures) is complete and release-ready.
- Manage supplier and contract manufacturer engagement during development and ramp.
- Communicate technical status, risks, and recommendations across cross-functional teams.
Requirements
Must-have technical skills and experience for immediate contribution.
- Proven experience in electrical hardware development and productization.
- Demonstrated experience with NPI, pilot builds, and manufacturing ramp-up; track record taking hardware designs into production.
- Experience with microelectronics, semiconductor devices, advanced packaging, and electronic assembly manufacturing processes.
- Hands-on experience with lab equipment and manufacturing test strategies.
- Experience working with global suppliers and contract manufacturers.
- Familiarity with semiconductor equipment, industrial systems, or other high-reliability products.
- Strong skills in DFx practices, documentation, cross-functional collaboration, and data-driven problem solving.
- Nice-to-have: understanding of regulatory, safety, and compliance requirements.
Education Requirements
Degree required: Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctorate in Electrical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Physics, Systems Engineering, or a closely related technical field. Company minimums: Doctorate with 0 years related experience; Master's with ~3 years related experience; Bachelor's with ~5 years related experience.
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.
