Freelance Embedded Software Engineer Jobs in California

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. The RAPID division is the world leading provider of reticle inspection solutions for the semiconductor industry. The company provides inspection solutions to both the mask shops and the semiconductor fabs to ensure that lithography yields are consistently high thus enabling cost-effective manufacturing.

Job Description/Preferred Qualifications

Your Role: Innovate and Grow

• We are seeking a highly motivated Embedded Software Engineer to join our team within the RAPID division. In this role, you will take end-to-end technical ownership of embedded software that powers our reticle inspection systems, with a strong focus on high-speed data capture pipelines, and low-level hardware interfaces. You will work hands-on across the stack-from Linux user space to Linux kernel drivers-including PCIe device bring-up and driver development, and you will influence design and implementation direction through strong engineering judgment and design reviews.

• This is a hands-on, Individual Contributor role. You will drive technical decisions, raise the bar on engineering quality, and collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to deliver reliable, production-grade embedded software.

Job Responsibilities:

• Own Critical Projects & Features: Design, develop, and deploy complex embedded software/firmware for machine control in semiconductor inspection systems. Build demanding quasi real-time applications in C/C++ for image capture systems running on environments such as real-time Linux or VxWorks.
• Drive Implementation: Design and implement robust, scalable software for system control, high-speed data acquisition, image processing, and intricate hardware interaction. Translate system-level requirements into well-partitioned user-space and kernel-space designs where appropriate.
• Own Low-Level Interfaces: Develop and debug Linux kernel drivers and related user-space components for custom hardware, including PCIe device enumeration/bring-up, DMA and interrupt handling, memory-mapped I/O, and performance tuning for high-throughput/low-latency data paths.
• Collaborate Across Boundaries: Partner with mechanical, systems, electrical, optics/opto-mech, algorithms, and applications teams to deliver integrated solutions from concept through production.
• Raise Team Effectiveness: Share expertise through design reviews, debugging sessions, documentation, and lightweight coaching to help the team deliver consistently high-quality software.
• Drive Best Practices: Champion modern development practices (Agile, CI/CD, code reviews, automated testing). Define and execute test plans to measure subsystem performance; document, analyze, and present results.
• Solve Tough Problems: Troubleshoot complex system-level issues across hardware, kernel, and user space; optimize performance-critical software and improve system reliability.
• Influence the Roadmap: Contribute to technical planning, estimation, and architectural tradeoffs. Participate in all stages of development, including design, implementation, integration, deployment, testing, and field troubleshooting.

Required Skills & Qualification:

• BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).
• 5+ years of embedded software development experience in an industrial or product-focused environment (Senior level).
• Strong C/C++ skills and solid software engineering fundamentals (OOD/OOP, design patterns, testable design).
• Strong experience with Linux and/or RTOS environments, multi-threading, synchronization, and embedded software architecture; familiarity with Linux kernel concepts (process context vs. interrupt context, basic memory management, sysfs/debugfs, etc.).
• Hands-on experience developing and debugging Linux kernel drivers (preferred upstream-style workflow), including device-tree/ACPI exposure as applicable, and strong understanding of PCIe fundamentals (configuration space, BARs, interrupts/MSI/MSI-X, DMA, and link characteristics).
• Experience with communication protocols such as Serial (RS-232), Ethernet, EtherCAT, and TCP/IP sockets/network programming.
• Strong analytical and communication skills to present designs in reviews, work effectively across disciplines, and drive issues to closure in a collaborative team environment.
• Self-motivated and curious; able to learn quickly and turn prototypes into quality, maintainable production code used in mission-critical applications.
• Strong software debugging and troubleshooting skills are required.

Preferred (nice to have) Skills:

• Hands on experience and laboratory exposure to electrical, mechanical and optical measurement instruments
• Experience in semiconductor fab operations/manufacturing technology.
• Linux administration and debugging tools knowledge (e.g., perf, ftrace, trace-cmd, gdb) and familiarity with UML or similar modeling methods.
• Experience with high-speed I/O subsystems and driver ecosystems (PCIe endpoints/switches, DMA engines, IOMMU concepts) and diagnosing throughput/latency issues.
• Knowledge of Python or other scripting language
• Systems thinking based on first principle and physics.
• Project planning and management skills.

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.