Applications Engineering Manager
KLA · Milpitas, CA
- Level
- Manager
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Base pay
- $127k–$216k
- Experience asked
- 40+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A management manufacturing role at KLA (industrial) in Milpitas, CA. In Electrical Engineering, Physics, Materials Science, Optics, Semiconductor Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- They ask for
- 40+ years
- Tools it names
- Root cause, Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ)
- Base pay
- $127k–$216k
- Day to day
- some off-shift / weekend coverage
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Manufacturing Engineer roles in California: typical posted base $114k–$167k. This one lists $127k–$216k.
Median of the low and high ends of 117 live postings that list pay, out of 320 manufacturing engineer openings in California, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
California plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 319 other live manufacturing postings in California.
- Base pay
- About 29% above similar roles
- Experience asked
- More than usual (40+ vs 5+)
Typical $111k–$157k, from 104 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- Tooling 53%
- ✓ New product launch 51%
- ✓ Root cause 40%
- Automation 35%
- Machining 29%
- CATIA / NX 29%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at KLA
We found 4 people at this company and state: 3 in this kind of role, 1 leaders. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Nishant → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- How does off-shift and weekend coverage work?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: KLA in Milpitas
13 other open roles at this site · 4 people we found in manufacturing roles at KLA.
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- Sr. Global Instrumentation & Controls Engineer · Controls · Senior
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- Project Controls Engineer · Controls
- Front-End Production Manager · Production · Manager
Full description from KLAAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Qualifications
Key
Responsibilities
1. Lead New Product Introduction (NPI) and Product Validation
- ◆Own applications support for new product development, including alpha and beta testing, application characterization, and product validation.
- ◆Drive the development of Best Known Methods (BKMs), Applications Notes, and technical documentation to enable successful product deployment and adoption.
2. Drive Customer Engagement and Product Demonstrations
- ◆Lead customer evaluations and demonstrations for beta products and emerging technologies.
- ◆Partner with Sales, Marketing, and Field Applications teams to showcase product value and accelerate customer adoption.
3. Manage Technical Escalations and Customer Success
- ◆Oversee critical customer and field escalations, ensuring timely resolution through effective cross-functional collaboration.
- ◆Partner with Engineering, Service, and Field teams to perform root cause analysis and implement sustainable corrective actions.
4. Influence Product Strategy and Capability Development
- ◆Collaborate with Product Marketing, Engineering, and Field Applications teams to identify customer requirements, define new product features, and drive capability enhancements.
- ◆Provide strategic input based on customer feedback, competitive benchmarking, and field experience to shape future product roadmaps.
5. Develop Global Applications Capabilities
- ◆Establish and drive worldwide Applications Engineering training programs to ensure consistent technical competency and execution excellence across regions.
- ◆Promote knowledge sharing through BKMs, Apps Notes, training materials, and technical forums.
6. Build and Develop a High-Performing Team
- ◆Lead, coach, and develop a team of Applications Engineers to achieve technical excellence, operational effectiveness, and career growth.
- ◆Drive a culture of accountability, innovation, customer focus, and continuous improvement.
Qualifications
- ✓M.S. or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Materials Science, Optics, Semiconductor Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- ✓8+ years of experience in the semiconductor equipment industry, semiconductor manufacturing, or related process technologies.
- ✓Demonstrated expertise in reticle manufacturing, reticle inspection, lithography, process control, or optical inspection technologies.
- ✓Proven experience leading Applications Engineering, Product Applications, Field Applications, Product Development, or related technical teams.
- ✓Experience supporting New Product Introduction (NPI), including alpha and beta testing, product characterization, and customer qualifications.
- ✓Track record of successfully driving customer evaluations, technical demonstrations, and product adoption programs for strategic customers.
- ✓Experience managing complex customer escalations and leading cross-functional teams to resolve technical challenges.
- ✓Outstanding leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence across global organizations.
- ✓Experience developing and delivering technical training programs and establishing best practices, BKMs, and knowledge-sharing processes.
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 including but not limited to: 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.
Interns are eligible for some of the benefits listed. Our pay ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed reflects the pay for this p
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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 RAPID division is the world leading provider of reticle inspection solutions for the semiconductor industry. The company provides inspection solutions to both the mask shops and the semiconductor fabs to ensure that lithography yields are consistently high thus enabling cost-effective manufacturing.