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Control System Design Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Orbotech

System Design Engineer

Milpitas, CA · On-site

$116K - $159K/yr

Group/Division With over 40 years of semiconductor process control experience, chipmakers around ... Familiarity with system integration, performance characterization, and experimental design.

KLA Corporation

System Design Engineer

Milpitas, CA · On-site

$116K - $159K/yr

Group/Division With over 40 years of semiconductor process control experience, chipmakers around ... systems. * Lead design efforts, including building models and performing analysis to derive ...

KLA Corporation

System Design Engineer

Milpitas, CA · On-site

$116K - $159K/yr

Group/Division With over 40 years of semiconductor process control experience, chipmakers around ... System performance analysis and error budgeting * Mechanical design principles and tolerance ...

KLA Corporation

System Design Engineer

Milpitas, CA · On-site

Group/Division With over 40 years of semiconductor process control experience, chipmakers around ... The Surfscan system design team is supporting multiple Surfscan engineering programs and products.

KLA Corporation

System Design Engineer

Milpitas, CA

$136K - $231K/yr

Group/Division With over 40 years of semiconductor process control experience, chipmakers around ... The Surfscan system design team is supporting multiple Surfscan engineering programs and products.

Orbotech

System Design Engineer

Milpitas, CA · On-site

$136K - $231K/yr

Group/Division With over 40 years of semiconductor process control experience, chipmakers around ... The Surfscan system design team is supporting multiple Surfscan engineering programs and products.

Orbotech

System Design Engineer

Milpitas, CA · On-site

$116K - $159K/yr

Group/Division With over 40 years of semiconductor process control experience, chipmakers around ... System performance analysis and error budgeting * Mechanical design principles and tolerance ...

KLA Corporation

System Design Engineer

Milpitas, CA

$136K - $231K/yr

Group/Division With over 40 years of semiconductor process control experience, chipmakers around ... The Surfscan system design team is supporting multiple Surfscan engineering programs and products.

KLA Corporation

System Design Engineer

Milpitas, CA · On-site

$159K - $271K/yr

Group/Division With over 40 years of semiconductor process control experience, chipmakers around ... Typically PhD with 5+ years or MS with 8+ years of relevant experience in complex system design ...

RoviSys

Lead Control Systems Engineer

Walnut Creek, CA · On-site

$90K - $129K/yr

Thorough understanding of control system design and coding * Self-motivated, excellent communication skills, and enjoy working with people * B.S. in Electrical, Chemical, or Computer Engineering or ...

KLA Corporation

System Design Engineer

Milpitas, CA · On-site

$116K - $159K/yr

Group/Division With over 40 years of semiconductor process control experience, chipmakers around ... Interest in applying AI technologies to accelerate system development, improve design quality, and ...

RoviSys

Lead Control Systems Engineer

Walnut Creek, CA · On-site

$90K - $129K/yr

Thorough understanding of control system design and coding * Self-motivated, excellent communication skills, and enjoy working with people * B.S. in Electrical, Chemical, or Computer Engineering or ...

KLA Corporation

System Design Engineer

Milpitas, CA

$116K - $159K/yr

Group/Division With over 40 years of semiconductor process control experience, chipmakers around ... Interest in applying AI technologies to accelerate system development, improve design quality, and ...

RoviSys

Lead Control Systems Engineer

Walnut Creek, CA · On-site

$90K - $129K/yr

Thorough understanding of control system design and coding * Self-motivated, excellent communication skills, and enjoy working with people * B.S. in Electrical, Chemical, or Computer Engineering or ...

KLA Corporation

System Design Engineer

Milpitas, CA · On-site

$116K - $159K/yr

Group/Division With over 40 years of semiconductor process control experience, chipmakers around ... Familiarity with system integration, performance characterization, and experimental design.

KLA Corporation

System Design Engineer

Milpitas, CA · On-site

$116K - $159K/yr

Group/Division With over 40 years of semiconductor process control experience, chipmakers around ... Design and develop multi-disciplinary systems and features. * Planning and testing system for ...

KLA Corporation

System Design Engineer

Milpitas, CA · On-site

$116K - $159K/yr

Group/Division With over 40 years of semiconductor process control experience, chipmakers around ... Design and develop multi-disciplinary systems and features. * Planning and testing system for ...

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Showing results 21-40

All JobsControl System Design JobsControl System Design Jobs in California

Control System Design information

See California salary details

$60.2K

$107.4K

$173.2K

How much do control system design jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for control system design in California is $107,351.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $82,900.00 and $124,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a control system design engineer?

To thrive as a Control System Design Engineer, you need a solid background in electrical engineering, automation, and control theory, often supported by a relevant degree. Familiarity with industry-standard tools such as PLC programming software, SCADA systems, MATLAB/Simulink, and certifications like ISA CAP are typically required. Strong problem-solving, analytical thinking, and effective communication skills help you excel in designing efficient and safe automation solutions. These skills ensure the creation of reliable control systems that optimize processes, increase safety, and meet project requirements.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals in control system design, and how can they be addressed?

Professionals in Control System Design often encounter challenges such as integrating new control systems with legacy equipment, ensuring system reliability under varying operating conditions, and managing tight project deadlines. To address these, it’s important to stay updated with the latest industry standards, collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams (such as electrical, software, and mechanical engineers), and conduct thorough testing and simulation before implementation. Effective communication with stakeholders and regular documentation also help in troubleshooting and future maintenance.

What is a control system design?

Control system designers are engineers or specialists who develop, implement, and optimize systems that automatically manage, regulate, or control the behavior of machinery, processes, or devices. They use principles from electrical, mechanical, and computer engineering to create systems that ensure stability, efficiency, and safety in industries such as manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, and energy. Their work involves selecting sensors, designing controllers, programming automation software, and testing system performance. Control system designers play a crucial role in modern automation and industrial processes.

What is the difference between Control System Design vs Control Systems Engineer?

AspectControl System DesignControl Systems Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Engineering, Control Theory knowledgeBachelor's or Master's in Engineering, Control Theory, and practical experience
Work EnvironmentDesign labs, simulation software, project planningFieldwork, system integration, testing facilities
Industry UsagePrimarily in design and development phasesImplementation, testing, and maintenance of control systems

Control System Design focuses on creating and developing control algorithms and system architectures, often in a theoretical or simulation environment. Control Systems Engineers apply these designs in real-world settings, implementing, testing, and maintaining control systems in various industries. While both roles require similar educational backgrounds, Control System Design emphasizes planning and modeling, whereas Control Systems Engineering involves practical application and system management.

What are popular job titles related to Control System Design jobs in California?

For Control System Design jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Control System Design jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Control System Design jobs in California are:

Control System Design jobs near you
Infographic showing various Control System Design job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 82% Full Time, 13% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 92% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $107,351 per year, or $51.6 per hour.

System Design Engineer

Orbotech

Milpitas, CA • On-site

$116K - $159K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 15 days ago

Job description

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

With over 40 years of semiconductor process control experience, chipmakers around the globe rely on KLA to ensure that their fabs ramp next-generation devices to volume production quickly and cost-effectively. Enabling the movement towards advanced chip design, KLA's Global Products Group (GPG), which is responsible for creating all of KLA's metrology and inspection products, is looking for the best and the brightest research scientist, software engineers, application development engineers, and senior product technology process engineers. First to deliver the best imaging and classification data for every defect or point on any layer at any time. EBeam's mission encapsulates its role as the "eyes" of KLA's product line, providing timely information on defects and critical locations on the wafer at the highest spatial resolution possible. Customers use EBeam products alongside KLA patterned and bare wafer inspectors to quickly understand the nature of defects and other imperfections on product wafers and take action to correct the manufacturing process.

Job Description/Preferred Qualifications

We're looking for a Systems Design Engineer who enjoys solving complex technical challenges and wants to influence the performance of advanced electron beam inspection systems. In this role, you'll work across hardware, software, and system engineering teams to help develop, characterize, and optimize cutting-edge semiconductor inspection solutions. This is an opportunity to expand beyond a single subsystem and gain broad exposure to complete system performance while contributing to technologies that enable the world's most advanced semiconductor devices.

Responsibilities
  • Contribute to the design, integration, characterization, and optimization of advanced electron beam inspection and metrology systems.
  • Partner with cross-functional engineering teams to define system requirements and translate them into subsystem performance goals.
  • Analyze system performance, identify opportunities for improvement, and support technical trade-off evaluations.
  • Investigate, troubleshoot, and resolve complex technical issues affecting system functionality, reliability, and throughput.
  • Support root cause investigations and corrective actions for development and field-related challenges.
  • Develop and execute experiments to characterize system behavior and validate performance against requirements.
  • Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, and field teams to support new product introduction and ongoing product improvements.
  • Participate in system-level testing, qualification, and performance validation activities.
  • Document technical findings and communicate recommendations to project stakeholders.
Required Qualifications
  • Advanced Degree in Physics, Applied Physics, Electron Optics, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field.
  • 3+ years of industry experience developing, integrating, supporting, or optimizing complex semiconductor capital equipment, inspection systems, microscopy systems, or related technologies.
  • Experience working with one or more of the following:
    • Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
    • Electron Beam Inspection (EBI)
    • Wafer Inspection or Review Systems
    • CD-SEM
    • Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)
    • Electron Optics
    • Advanced Imaging or Metrology Systems
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to diagnose complex technical issues using data-driven approaches.
  • Hands-on experience working with complex systems involving vacuum technology, charged particle optics, detectors, imaging systems, precision motion control, or similar technologies.
  • Ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary engineering teams.
Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience within semiconductor equipment, metrology, inspection, or microscopy industries.
  • Familiarity with system integration, performance characterization, and experimental design.
  • Experience analyzing large datasets and translating findings into actionable engineering recommendations.
  • Exposure to system engineering principles and system-level performance optimization.
Travel
  • Ability to travel approximately 10-20% domestically and internationally to support development activities, customer engagements, and product deployments.
What Success Looks Like

Success in this role means becoming a trusted technical contributor who can connect subsystem behavior to overall system performance. You'll leverage your SEM or eBeam expertise while developing broader systems knowledge, helping improve product performance, troubleshoot challenging issues, and deliver innovative inspection technologies that enable the next generation of semiconductor manufacturing.

Minimum Qualifications

Doctorate (Academic) Degree and 0 years related work experience; Master's Level Degree and related work experience of 3 years; Bachelor's Level Degree and related work experience of 5 years

Base Pay Range: $136,300.00 - $231,700.00 AnnuallyPrimary Location: USA-CA-Milpitas-KLAKLA'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 attalent.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.

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