Senior Software Engineer - AI/ML

Role Overview KLA is a global leader in semiconductor and electronics manufacturing technology, and its Enterprise Advanced Analytics team is looking for a Senior Software Engineer specialising in AI and ML. This is a high-impact role where you will design and deploy production-grade LLM-powered applications that directly shape enterprise-wide strategy and operations. You will work alongside engineers, data scientists, architects, and business stakeholders in a culture built on innovation, ownership, and continuous learning. Key Responsibilities - Design and deliver LLM-powered applications including Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) systems, agentic workflows with tool and function calling, text summarisation, document intelligence, and Q&A solutions - Build and optimise retrieval pipelines covering chunking strategies, embeddings, vector search, reranking, grounding, and automated evaluation - Implement safety and quality guardrails such as prompt injection defences, PII redaction, hallucination mitigation, secure prompt templates, and full auditability - Create robust evaluation frameworks including golden datasets, automated scoring, offline and online A/B testing, and continuous regression testing for prompts and models - Lead technical design for complex AI initiatives, define reference architectures, and develop reusable components for LLM applications and MLOps pipelines - Mentor engineers, conduct design and code reviews, and uphold high standards across testing, documentation, observability, and security - Partner with business stakeholders to translate ambiguous requirements into clear AI deliverables, milestones, success metrics, and operational SLAs Required Qualifications - Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience - 8 or more years of experience in software engineering, ML engineering, or applied AI roles - Strong programming proficiency in Python along with solid SQL skills and sound software engineering fundamentals covering APIs, testing, CI/CD, and code quality - Proven track record of building and deploying AI/ML systems into production with measurable business outcomes - Hands-on experience building LLM applications using RAG, agents, and tool calling, including evaluation and monitoring practices - Experience with vector databases and search tools such as Azure AI Search, rerankers, and embedding lifecycle management - Familiarity with Responsible AI principles including privacy, security reviews, model risk management, bias, fairness, and explainability - Exposure to the Azure AI/ML ecosystem including Azure ML, Azure OpenAI, AKS, Key Vault, and Azure Monitor is a plus - Microsoft Azure certifications such as Solutions Architect Expert or Developer Associate are advantageous Why Join Us At KLA, you will be part of a team that invests heavily in R&D and empowers every engineer to drive meaningful impact from concept to production. This is an opportunity to work at the intersection of cutting-edge AI research and real-world enterprise applications in one of the world's most respected technology companies.

- 8 or more years in software engineering, ML engineering, or applied AI roles - Strong Python programming skills (mandatory) - Solid SQL skills (mandatory) - Hands-on experience with LLM applications including RAG, agents, and tool calling - Experience with vector databases and search tools such as Azure AI Search - Knowledge of embedding lifecycle management and reranking techniques - Experience deploying AI/ML systems to production with measurable outcomes - Familiarity with Responsible AI practices including privacy, fairness, and explainability - Understanding of software engineering fundamentals: APIs, CI/CD, testing, and code quality - Exposure to Azure cloud services including Azure ML, Azure OpenAI, AKS, and Azure Monitor - Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent experience

- Competitive and family-friendly total rewards package - Inclusive work environment with diverse employee support programs - Professional development through certifications, tech talks, and hands-on learning - Opportunity to work on enterprise-wide, high-impact AI initiatives - Equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion