Technical Lead (Sustaining Engineer)

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

The KLA Services team headquartered in Milpitas, CA is our service organization that consists of Service Sales and Marketing, Spares Supply Chain management, Field Operations, Engineering, Product Training, and Technical Support. The KLA Services organization partners with our field teams and customers in all business sectors to maintain the high performance and productivity of our products through a flexible portfolio of services. Our comprehensive services include: proactive management of tools to identify and improve performance; expertise in optics, image processing and motion control with worldwide service engineers, 24/7 technical support teams and knowledge management systems; and an extensive parts network to ensure worldwide availability of parts.

Job Description/PreferredQualifications

Join the Singapore-based Sustaining Engineering team as thetechnical projectowner for in-fab repair activity across KLA's China customer base. Partner with field engineers to diagnose complex tool issues, define root cause, and deliver engineering solutions - including plans of action (POAs), bills of materials (BOMs), and repair procedures - that enable efficient, first-time-right repairs in the fab. Effectively manage and prioritize multiple concurrent escalations across customers and tools.

Key Responsibilities

• OwnEscalation projects from field in-fab repair teams in China; drive issues to closure with clear technical ownership.

• Manage multiple escalations and sites in parallel: Triage, prioritize, and sequence concurrent escalations across multiple customer sites based on customer impact, tool downtime, and business urgency - for both own workload and the field in-fab repair team's activities.

• Project management: Plan and track escalation milestones, dependencies, and deliverables; coordinate cross-functional stakeholders (field, HQ engineering, logistics, supply chain) to keep repair projects on schedule.

• Root-cause analysis: Investigate failure modes using tool logs, repair history, engineering data, and field input; isolate mechanical, electrical, optical, or software root causes.

• Direct field troubleshooting: Guide in-fab repair engineers step-by-step through diagnostics and corrective actions; provide real-time remote technical direction during live repair events.

• Author engineering deliverables:

• Plans of Action (POAs) outlining repair sequence, risks, and contingencies.

• Bills of Materials (BOMs) specifying parts, tooling, and consumables.

• Repair procedures and work instructions validated for fab execution.

• Sustaining ownership: Partner with Design Engineering, Reliability, and Product Support to develop permanent fixes and engineering change orders for recurring field issues; drive continuous improvement of installed-base tool reliability.

• Knowledge capture: Document root causes, solutions, and lessons learned into the knowledge base so field teams can self-serve on recurring signatures.

• Cross-region coordination: Bridge between China field teams and HQ engineering - translate field symptoms into engineering language and engineering solutions into field-executable steps.

• Travel: Certain travel required to customer sites in China and to HQ/engineering teams in the US to support escalations, engineering reviews, and knowledge transfer.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Opto-Mechanical Engineering, or related discipline.

• 5+ years of sustaining engineering, support engineering, or senior field service experience on semiconductor capital equipment (inspection, metrology, or similar precision tools preferred).

• Hands-on troubleshooting experience at the board level - ability to debug PCBAs using schematics, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, DMMs, and signal-integrity tools; diagnose down to component level (power rails, clocks, digital/analog interfaces, FPGA/DSP signals).

• Hands-on troubleshooting experience with opto-mechanical assemblies - alignment, calibration, and repair of precision optical paths, laser sources, sensors/detectors, mirrors, stages, and motion subsystems.

• Strong project management skills - demonstrated ability to run multiple concurrent escalations/projects, prioritize effectively under pressure, set clear next steps for self and field teams, and communicate status to stakeholders at all levels.

• Demonstrated ability to lead L4 escalations from triage through root cause to permanent corrective action.

• Strong working knowledge ofboard level troubleshooting, precision motion control, vacuum, high-voltage, and complex electromechanical subsystems.

• Proven ability to author clear POAs, BOMs, and repair procedures suitable for field execution in a cleanroom environment.

• Fluent written and spoken English; working proficiency in Mandarin strongly preferred for direct collaboration with China field teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience supporting customers and field teams in China.

• Experience collaborating with Design Engineering on ECOs and reliability/sustaining improvement programs.

What Success Looks Like (First 12 Months)

• Owns the L4 queue for China in-fab repairs end-to-end; measurable reduction in escalation cycle time and repeat escalations.

• Concurrent escalations are clearly prioritized and tracked; field in-fab repair team receives unambiguous direction on what to work on next.

• POAs, BOMs, and procedures are consistently adopted by field teams with minimal rework.

• Trusted point of contact for both China field leadership and HQ engineering on in-fab repair matters.

• Measurable improvement in first-time-fix rate and MTTR on tools supported by the role.

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

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