Customer support engineer

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.

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/Preferred Qualifications

The Customer Support Engineer (CSE) is primarily responsible for repairing, troubleshooting, diagnosing, and updating highly complex capital equipment at customer sites, in accordance with documented procedures, Technical Support instructions, and established industry practices. The Customer Service Engineer represents the company to the customer and assumes accountability for customer satisfaction with service. The CSE assures the operational quality of the system equipment and coordinates actions with customers to minimize down-time and may provide assistance to Installation Engineers in resolving problems. The CSE is responsible for managing their parts inventory along with their related administrative work.  

• Evaluate, analyze, diagnose and troubleshoot technical equipment problems via telephone or at customer site. 

• Ensure equipment enhances customer production. 

• Repair and modify equipment at customer facility.

• Evaluate equipment to determine type and extend of problem.  Repairs involve board-level troubleshooting which can be performed using standard procedures, as well as system level problems which have multiple causes and no standard procedures exist.

• Repair of system level issues are based on CSEs technical knowledge, education, and training.

• CSEs also prepare field service reports on customer support activity and provide documentation to other supporting functions on re-occurring issues.

• Prepare quotes for customers based on labor, travel expenses incurred, and parts needed. CSEs use discretion and assist regional admin in preparing quotes based on reason for equipment failure, time to prepare etc.

• Cross train and assist other field service engineers as appropriate. Provides guidance and technical assistance to Installation Engineers on installations at customer sites or on installing/dismantling demonstration machines. 

• The nature of work requires that CSEs work independently; only occasionally requiring guidance from management. CSEs are required to contact management on a daily basis (at least twice each day in a down tool situation) to report activities. CSEs spend part of their time in the office resolving equipment problems via phone and at least 50% of time at customer site and/or cleanroom factory environment.

• Contribute to the Capturing, Re-use, Collaboration, and Improvement of knowledge using available systems.

Minimum Qualifications

High School diploma with at least 1-3 years of relevant work experience

• Excellent oral and written communications skills

• Motivated, dedicated and dependable

• Team performer and willing to travel

• Must maintain excellent working relationship with customers, customer support engineers, applications engineers, technical support and sales team

• Requires good troubleshooting skills

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

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.