Front-End Production Manager
KLA · Milpitas, CA
- Level
- Manager
- Team
- Production
- Base pay
- $121k–$177k
- Degree
- Required (or equivalent experience)
- Experience asked
- 10+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- 16 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A management production role at KLA (industrial) in Milpitas, CA. In this role, you will play a key part in advancing business priorities by delivering high-impact work across your area of expertise.
- They ask for
- 10+ years · degree required (or equivalent experience)
- Tools it names
- Lean, Six Sigma, 5S, MES
- Base pay
- $121k–$177k
- 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
Production Engineer roles in California: typical posted base $122k–$177k. This one lists $121k–$177k.
Median of the low and high ends of 37 live postings that list pay, out of 111 production 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 110 other live production postings in California.
- Base pay
- In line with similar roles
- Experience asked
- More than usual (10+ vs 5+)
Typical $120k–$174k, from 30 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- New product launch 37%
- ✓ Lean 30%
- Root cause 27%
- Automation 24%
- Python 22%
- ✓ Team leadership 22%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for 5S, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with 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 Production team at KLA
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find 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.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- 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
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Full description from KLAAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
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.
You will own production operations supporting the RAPID 7xx reticle inspection tools. This role provides direct leadership to a growing team of Associate Test Engineers (ATEs), currently consisting of five personnel with plan to build a team of more than twenty employees over the coming years!
Must drive manufacturing execution, workforce development, production readiness, quality performance, and process improvement while partnering closely with Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, and Program Management teams. The position requires a strong background in semiconductor capital equipment manufacturing and proven leadership of technical teams in a clean environment.
Coordinate daily efforts for module and subsystem builds. Ensure production schedules, quality requirements, cost targets, and delivery commitments are achieved! They will lead manufacturing prioritization to support changing business demands while driving operational excellence.
Required Qualifications
- ✓Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in a technically applicable field of study.
- ✓Minimum 10 years of manufacturing of semiconductor equipment or semiconductor manufacturing environment.
- ✓Minimum 5 years of direct people-management in a supervisory role.
- ✓Experience manufacturing electro-mechanical, opto-mechanical, precision motion, or semiconductor products in a cleanroom environment.
- ✓Strong understanding of manufacturing critical metrics including safety, quality, delivery, cost, and cycle time.
- ✓Excellent communication, leadership, mentoring, and problem-solving skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- ✓Experience with semiconductor inspection, metrology, lithography, or related capital equipment.
- ✓Knowledge of lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, 5S, and continuous improvement methodologies.
- ✓Experience supporting new product transitions and manufacturing ramps.
- ✓Familiarity with manufacturing execution systems (MES), ERP systems, and quality management systems.
- ✓Experience with high-vacuum, precision mechatronic, optical, or ultra-clean manufacturing environments.
Qualifications
Requires a minimum of 5 years of related experience with a Bachelors Degree; or 3 years and a Master's degree; or a PhD without experience; or equivalent experience.
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.
Total Rewards
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 position in the primary location identified in this posting. Actual pay depends on several factors, including state minimum pay wage rates, location, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education level or training. We are committed to complying with all applicable federal and state minimum wage
requirements
where applicable. If applicable, your recruiter can share more about the specific pay range for your preferred location during the hiring process.
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.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
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
KLA has manufacturing sites worldwide. The Global Operations (GOPS) team, comprised of Manufacturing, Supply Chain Management, Manufacturing Engineering, Installation and Quality, builds our leading-edge technology. GOPS partners with KLA's global supply base and design engineering teams to develop new products, working continuously to build better, faster and more cost-efficient solutions.
