Front-End Production Manager
KLA
Milpitas, CA · $121k–$177k a year · Posted October 8, 2026
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Where Milpitas, CA ranks
Where Milpitas, CA placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #12Best cities for mid-career professionals in the West Coast60% · of 71
- #17Best cities for manufacturing and industrial pay after cost of living$132k · of 35
- #19Best cities for pay after cost of living in California$149k · of 32
- #20Best all-round cities for mid-career professionals in the West Coast46 / 100 · of 39
- #20Best all-round cities for AI careers in the West Coast44 / 100 · of 39
- #21Cities with the most jobs that need no experience in the West Coast0.8% · of 66
Rankings about operations jobs
- Best cities for operations jobs #1 New York (1,429 openings)
- Best cities for operations pay after cost of living #1 Reston ($177k)
- Most requested AI skills in operations jobs #1 AI tools in daily work (2.5%)
- AI tools named most often in operations jobs #1 Claude (0.28%)
- Employers with the most operations jobs #1 Amazon (1,480 roles)
How AI is used in this kind of work
Among first-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers, AI is already used for some of the tasks. Measured exposure for first-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers: 19% (some).
Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.
Skills this job asks for
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About the job
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.
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.
Minimum 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 Base Pay Range: $120,700.00 - $177,033.00 Annually 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.
Equal Opportunity Statement
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.
For additional information, view the US Know Your Rights poster on the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission website.