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 Information Technology (IT) group at KLA is involved in every aspect of the global business. IT’s mission is to enable business growth and productivity by connecting people, process, and technology. It focuses not only on enhancing the technology that enables our business to thrive but also on how employees use and are empowered by technology. This integrated approach to customer service, creativity and technological excellence enables employee productivity, business analytics, and process excellence.

Job Description/Preferred Qualifications

Our Enterprise Analytics & Data Science team is at the forefront of transforming data into actionable insights that drive strategic decisions across the organization. You will be working on Large Language Models (LLMs) and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) pipelines. You’ll help design, build, and evaluate AI systems that solve complex real-world problems at scale. We are a collaborative, cross-functional group of engineers, data scientists, analysts, and architects. You’ll be joining a team that believes in building with purpose, where engineering excellence meets data-driven strategy

Key Responsibilities:

Design and deliver LLM-powered applications such as:
- Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) with enterprise knowledge sources
- Agentic workflows (tool/function calling, orchestration, multi-step reasoning)
- Text extraction/summarization, classification, Q&A, and document intelligence
Build and optimize retrieval pipelines: chunking strategies, embeddings, vector search, reranking, grounding, and evaluation.
Implement safety and quality guardrails: prompt injection defenses, PII redaction, secure prompt templates, hallucination mitigation, and auditability.
Create robust evaluation frameworks: golden datasets, automated scoring, offline/online A/B testing, and continuous regression testing for prompts/models.
Lead technical design for complex initiatives; define reference architectures and reusable components for LLM applications and MLOps.
Mentor engineers, conduct design/code reviews, and elevate engineering standards (testing, documentation, observability, security).
Partner with stakeholders to translate ambiguous business needs into clear AI deliverables, milestones, success metrics, and operational SLAs.

Core Technical Skills:

LLM Apps: RAG, agents, tool/function calling, prompt engineering, evaluation harnesses, guardrails
Languages: Python (required), SQL (required)
Cloud: Azure (deployments, security, observability, CI/CD)
Ops: Monitoring, incident response, SLO/SLA management, cost optimization
Data: ETL/ELT, distributed processing concepts, data quality frameworks

Expectations:

Leads delivery for ambiguous, high-impact AI initiatives with minimal oversight.
Influences architecture and establishes scalable patterns for LLM apps, MLOps, and data products.
Owns operational excellence (monitoring, reliability, security, compliance) for AI services in production.
Mentors others and raises the bar through reviews, standards, and knowledge sharing.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience).
Minimum eight (8) years experience in software engineering, ML engineering, or applied AI roles.
Strong programming expertise in Python, solid SQL, and strong software engineering fundamentals (APIs, testing, CI/CD, code quality).
Demonstrated experience building and deploying AI/ML systems into production with measurable outcomes.
Hands-on experience building LLM applications (RAG/agents/tool calling) and implementing evaluation/monitoring practices.
Experience with vector databases / search (e.g., Azure AI Search or equivalent), rerankers, and embedding lifecycle management.
Familiarity with Responsible AI practices: privacy, security reviews, model risk management, bias/fairness, and explainability.

Base Pay Range: $111,100.00 - $188,900.00 Annually

Primary Location: USA-MI-Ann Arbor-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.

KLA is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We will ensure that qualified individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us at talent.acquisition@kla.com or at +1-408-352-2808 to request accommodation.

Be aware of potentially fraudulent job postings or suspicious recruiting activity by persons that are currently posing as KLA employees. KLA never asks for any financial compensation to be considered for an interview, to become an employee, or for equipment. Further, KLA does not work with any recruiters or third parties who charge such fees either directly or on behalf of KLA. Please ensure that you have searched KLA’s Careers website for legitimate job postings. KLA follows a recruiting process that involves multiple interviews in person or on video conferencing with our hiring managers. If you are concerned that a communication, an interview, an offer of employment, or that an employee is not legitimate, please send an email to talent.acquisition@kla.com to confirm the person you are communicating with is an employee. We take your privacy very seriously and confidentially handle your information.