Freelance R&D Software Developer Jobs in Arizona

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

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

About the Role

We are seeking an AI Engineer to serve as a technical lead within a growing, operations-aligned engineering team. This role is ideal for someone who combines strong hands-on engineering capability with a passion for mentoring others and shaping how teams build and scale AI systems.

You will work alongside data scientists and full-stack engineers to deliver AI-powered solutions across internal tooling, customer-facing features, and the supporting data/ML infrastructure. The team is actively shipping; this role focuses on strengthening technical execution, improving system reliability, and elevating overall engineering practices.

While there will be opportunities to take on broader leadership responsibilities over time, the primary focus of this role is technical leadership, delivery, and mentorship.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the design, development, and deployment of production AI systems end-to-end

• Contribute hands-on to the codebase and set a high bar for engineering quality

• Establish scalable patterns for evaluation, deployment, and system reliability

• Conduct technical design reviews and guide architectural decisions

• Mentor and develop engineers, providing regular coaching and technical guidance

• Support hiring efforts, including candidate evaluation and onboarding

• Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to align priorities and deliver impactful solutions

• Help translate experimentation into stable, production-ready systems

Preferred Qualifications:

Technical Expertise

• 5-8 years of experience building production software systems

• At least 2 years working with AI/ML or LLM-based solutions in production environments

• Demonstrated ownership of delivering end-to-end AI systems or features

• Strong understanding of modern AI development practices (e.g., evaluation, prompt iteration, system integration)

• Comfortable working across the stack, including data pipelines, model serving, and application layers

• Sound judgment in making technical trade-offs, including build vs. buy decisions

Leadership & Mentorship

• Experience serving as a technical lead or senior engineer on a team

• Proven ability to mentor and uplift other engineers

• Strong communication skills, including technical documentation and stakeholder engagement

• Ability to influence decisions and drive alignment without formal authority

• Interest in growing leadership scope over time (optional, not required)

Role Scope

• Primarily a hands-on technical leadership role

• Emphasis on delivery, system quality, and team enablement

• Opportunities to expand into people leadership over time, based on interest and business needs

• Not a research-focused role - emphasis is on applied, production systems

Additional Information

• Periodic travel may be required

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Data Science, or a related technical field

• Advanced degree (MS or PhD) preferred, particularly with a focus on AI, Machine Learning, or distributed systems

Minimum Qualifications

Base Pay Range: $111,900.00 - $190,200.00 AnnuallyPrimary Location: USA-MI-Ann Arbor-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.