Associate / Technical Lead PLC Programming
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Nov 3, 2026. First seen by Alion on Sep 3, 2026. KLA Corporation scores A on the Alion truth index.
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 to enable 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.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.
Essential Responsibilities:
1. PLC Software development.
2. Develop and maintain simulation concepts for PLC-controlled machine functions.
3. Understand and make changes to existing software.
4. Design, program, and modularize PLC applications according to IEC 61131-3.
5. Develop PLC control logic primarily in Structured Text (ST) and Object-Oriented Programming.
6. The technology environment is based on IEC 61131-3, Structured Text, Beckhoff TwinCAT, modular function-block-based PLC logic, fieldbus communication, and machine interfaces.
7. Perform requirements analysis, software design, development, and unit testing.
8. Providing technical expertise to the estimation process as input to the project plan.
9. Contributes to the continued improvement of the organization's development procedures, by looking for opportunities for improvement and proposing ideas for solutions.
10. Acquire and demonstrate technical knowledge of LIS product software.
11. Follow KLA defined software development processes.
12. Perform root-cause analysis and implement sustainable corrective actions.
13. In conjunction with the Software Manager, highlights, reviews and mitigate technical risks.
14. The role works closely with system engineering, PLC/software teams, application software teams, hardware and electronics development, other development sites, and partner teams.
Minimum Qualifications Required:
- BE / BS / BTech / Master degree in Automation, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or Computer / Software Engineering with 5+ years of PLC development experience using IEC 61131-3 standard.
- Solid, hands-on experience in Beckhoff TwinCAT or other PLC development along with Fieldbus fundamentals.
- Thorough knowledge of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and software engineering principles.
- Hands-on experience in analysis, design, development, and unit testing.
- Proven ability to interact and communicate effectively with all levels of staff and project management - across both business and technical areas - keeping discussions at the appropriate level of abstraction.
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, organizational, interpersonal, and motivational skills, with the ability to move seamlessly from theoretical concepts to practical implementation.
- Willingness to travel to Germany, the USA, and other customer locations on short-term assignments. Preferred:
- Hardware-in-the-loop or automated PLC testing
- Knowledge of C#, Python, C / C++, and Windows Internals.
- EtherCAT and CANOpen knowledge
PLC Keywords: Beckhoff TwinCAT, Siemens TIA, Siemens STEP7, CODESYS, Rockwell or similar systems
Minimum Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications Required:
- BE / BS / BTech / Master degree in Automation, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or Computer / Software Engineering with 5+ years of PLC development experience using IEC 61131-3 standard.
- Solid, hands-on experience in Beckhoff TwinCAT or other PLC development along with Fieldbus fundamentals.
- Thorough knowledge of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and software engineering principles.
- Hands-on experience in analysis, design, development, and unit testing.
- Proven ability to interact and communicate effectively with all levels of staff and project management - across both business and technical areas - keeping discussions at the appropriate level of abstraction.
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, organizational, interpersonal, and motivational skills, with the ability to move seamlessly from theoretical concepts to practical implementation.
- Willingness to travel to Germany, the USA, and other customer locations on short-term assignments. Preferred:
- Hardware-in-the-loop or automated PLC testing
- Knowledge of C#, Python, C / C++, and Windows Internals.
- EtherCAT and CANOpen knowledge
PLC Keywords: Beckhoff TwinCAT, Siemens TIA, Siemens STEP7, CODESYS, Rockwell or similar systems
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.
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.
We offer a competitive, family friendly total rewards package. We design our programs to reflect our commitment to an inclusive environment, while ensuring we provide benefits that meet the diverse needs of our employees.
KLA is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.