In March 2023, as the world marked International Women’s Day and some regions celebrated Women in History Month, KLA’s female employees around the world have been developing and advancing. Today, women at KLA locations in Asia tell us about their careers, and in a future posting, female employees at other facilities will share their advice with others.
Joy Ya, training development engineer, Hsinchu, Taiwan
For Joy Ya, who joined KLA in 2022, gender equality is essential on her team, where everyone has equal opportunities to contribute their skills and knowledge.
“We believe that diverse perspectives and inclusive teamwork can lead to better innovation and progress for our company and society,” Joy says. “Women bring unique perspectives to the technology industry that can lead to greater creativity, innovation and problem-solving. Embracing gender diversity is essential to creating a positive work environment and achieving success at KLA.”
Joy’s team develops teaching functions for augmented reality (AR) and designs realistic and intricate machine models.
“What I find exciting about KLA is the frequent cross-functional discussions,” she says. “We strive to understand the needs of different teams and utilize various languages and development tools to transform physical machines into virtual teaching materials. This job requires not only expertise in machine operations and structure but also flexible communication and coordination skills.”
As one who likes to experiment and has extensive customer service and tool installation experience, Joy is curious about the structure of machines and is always exploring possibilities for the future.
“At KLA, I have seen unlimited opportunities for female engineers to thrive and succeed in their careers,” she says. “To all women interested in engineering I would say, ‘Don’t be afraid of the unknown. Find your passion, and KLA can offer you a bright and limitless future.’”
Eva Shen, senior logistics manager, China
KLA was building a warehouse network in China when Eva joined the company in 2007. Eva applied her previous work experience in international logistics to meet the company’s need for safe, on-time delivery of shipments – and at the same time set out to climb a steep learning curve by developing the domestic warehouse network. Her task was to gradually expand the scope of KLA’s logistics requirements to include local warehouses and management structures at different places across the country, all requiring communication and coordination with global teams.
Now an experienced logistics manger, she says keeping materials moving for KLA is a complicated and often unpredictable process. The job, Eva says, requires meticulous thinking, continuous energy and low stress and a high level of responsiveness, especially when working through emergencies.
“For many women, these qualities are a bonus,” she says. “Whether in life or work, your original goal is very important. Life needs to have a plan, and you must never take only one step at a time.”
Eva says being introspective, setting goals and having flexibility will carry women far in their careers, adding, “Career development is a marathon, and it never goes smoothly. Stay optimistic, and be positive when moving forward.”
Outside of work, Eva organizes activities that bring KLA families together, often participating in community service. “In this subtle way, my son also experiences KLA’s open and inclusive culture,” she says.
Amberlie Tseng, senior software engineer, Hsinchu, Taiwan
As a working mother and an engineer, Amberlie has been thriving personally and professionally at KLA since 2021, thanks to the company’s culture of inclusion.
“From flexible working hours to parental leave policies, women at KLA can succeed and grow as engineers while also meeting our family responsibilities,” she says. “I’m proud to work for an organization that values and supports the contributions of working mothers and that recognizes the importance of diversity and inclusivity in achieving our full potential as well as our personal goals.”
Amberlie uses her skills and expertise to create innovative solutions for KLA’s customers by developing and maintaining software systems as well as offering troubleshooting and related ongoing support.
“I strongly encourage all women to believe in themselves and pursue their career aspirations with confidence and determination,” she advises. “Every individual has the potential to achieve great things.”
Claire Liu, technical engagement manager, China
When Claire began working at a company soon after earning her university degree, she observed many bottlenecks involving work-life balance and a “ceiling” for women seeking career growth and promotion. After starting at KLA in 2017, however, she has found no barriers to advancement, and work-family balance is not a luxury.
“Everyone, regardless of gender, plays an important role and is respected by colleagues and management,” she says. “Every woman has the opportunity to shine equally at KLA.”
For many women, Claire observes, attention to detail and ability to communicate are advantages. In fact, she believes communication and collaboration are key strengths at KLA – and made this discovery when the opportunity for promotion arose. She knew the promotion would involve managing people and more business trips. As a mother, Claire had to weigh how the heavier burden would impact family life.
After starting the new position, Claire’s managers and colleagues have been understanding about her need for shorter business trips, and internal female mentors often share their experiences with balancing work and family.
Claire develops and learns by communicating with colleagues and customers and immerses herself in training to position herself for growth so she can further support KLA’s business. Now in her sixth year at KLA, Claire continues to develop with the knowledge that she has made the right choices.
“KLA’s equal, inclusive and open atmosphere supports every female employee’s desire to grow professionally as we move along our career path,” she says.
Susy Chen, payroll manager, China
Susy was an admitted novice to the semiconductor industry when she went to work in the finance department in 2017.
Today, Susy is no longer a novice, and the time had come for her to lead the team.
“Through a combination of affirmation of my abilities and support from my supervisor and other leaders, along with KLA’s training programs, I stepped out of my comfort zone on a path toward career growth,” Susy says.
Within a month, Susy worked with multiple departments to collaborate on a new project and launch it successfully. Collaboration among employees in China extends across functions and locations, she says.
“We have become a large group of people spread across a wide geographic region with a strong sense of solidarity and helping each other,” she says. “In balancing work and life, KLA integrates innovation and optimism in a very special team setting, where employees develop as they work hard to meet the company’s business goals.”
Justine Ling, technical engagement manager, Hsinchu, Taiwan
Justine joined KLA in 2016 as an applications engineer. Before long, she developed professionally and was promoted to technical engagement manager.
“I advanced from a rookie engineer to a manager, which was a recognition of my job performance,” she says. “As a female engineer, I take pride that gender bias has no place in our workplace. Everyone is empowered to pursue growth and success without limitations based on gender.”
As a people-oriented manager, Justine works with her team to drive a deep understanding of customer challenges and requirements related to machine usage. In addition to delivering exceptional service, the team works with KLA’s engineers to develop customized features for customers.
“KLA’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity has allowed us to benefit from a broad range of perspectives, skills and experiences that help us to better serve our customers around the world,” she says. “We value the contributions of all team members and recognize that creating a culture of gender equality is not just a moral imperative, but it’s also a strategic business decision. By embracing diversity and inclusivity, we can better understand our clients’ needs and deliver innovative solutions that exceed their expectations.”
To learn more, visit KLA’s inclusion and diversity page. If you’re interested in working with us, browse the KLA careers page for the opportunities ahead for you.
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