Next stop on our virtual world tour of KLA’s global locations is in Israel. In the second edition of our exciting series of location spotlights, we visit Migdal HaEmek, in the heart of the “Silicon Valley of Israel.”
KLA Talent at the Heart of the “Silicon Valley of Israel”
Located in the northern district of Israel 10 km southwest of Nazareth, Migdal HaEmek is a key center for KLA research and development (R&D) and operations and a major manufacturing hub. It is the birthplace of the Archer™ series of overlay metrology solutions, which after more than 30 years is still regarded as the industry standard for overlay measurement among semiconductor manufacturers. In addition, the facility continues to be on the cutting edge of optical metrology and serves as the hub for the corporate platform group that develops robotic arms for all KLA products.
Migdal HaEmek means “Tower of the Valley,” and the city is situated in the Jezreel Valley, sometimes called the “Silicon Valley of Israel.” KLA Migdal HaEmek is based alongside many other semiconductor and technology companies. Employees here are multi-disciplinary, inspired by technical challenges and excited to work in such an important center of technological progress and innovation.
“I’m constantly exposed to new challenges. The heart of our metrology tools is high-end optics and advanced algorithms. We measure displacement between different structures on the wafer up to sub-nanometer accuracy, far below the optical diffraction limit. Our technology enables us to support our customers’ ever-increasing needs to reduce the dimensions of their integrated circuits (ICs), while keeping production-worthy yields.”
Dasha Negri, advanced development group manager in KLA Migdal HaEmek’s optical metrology division.
KLA currently has around 800 employees at the Migdal HaEmek site, and is expanding at a fast rate. The site includes staff across corporate functions, operations, supply chain management and technical staff consisting of integration and systems engineers, algorithm developers, optics engineers, research scientists, customer acceptance managers and software developers. These technical teams support R&D and manufacturing activities of several important business units, including the Optical Metrology Division (OMD), FaST Division, Corporate Platform Group and customer service.
To accommodate growing demand for KLA products and solutions, KLA Migdal HaEmek is opening a new building which will include a new 1800m2 state-of the-art clean room as well as 250m2 of offices and a 350m2 warehouse. Additional buildings are expected to be added in the next few years.
“Managing the supply chain for KLA Migdal HaEmek is both challenging and rewarding, particularly with the dramatic growth that the electronics industry has experienced over the last few years.
We are responsible for the entire supply chain from the moment we receive the order to the moment that the tool is shipped to the customer, and we work with hundreds of local and global suppliers to make sure that our customers get what they need on time.
I’ve been with KLA for 19 years and have worked my way up inside the organization. It is enriching to work for a company that is committed to enabling employees to grow their careers within the organization.”
Sharon Yogev, material & supply chain senior director in KLA Migdal HaEmek Operations
KLA Migdal HaEmek – Volunteering in the Community
Building on KLA’s strong culture of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and longstanding commitment to investing in the communities in which it operates, KLA Migdal HaEmek employees are extremely active, volunteering with a variety of noteworthy causes and non-profit organizations in the city.
One important collaboration is with Shavot, a non-profit organization focused on building girls’ self-esteem. A group of employees in Migdal HaEmek take part in a special mentoring program run by Shavot. Working in a “pay it forward” chain, KLA volunteers mentor female university students who, in turn, coach younger girls by providing guidance and inspiration, focusing on leadership, self-esteem, and decision-making processes.
In addition to volunteering, KLA Migdal HaEmek, through the KLA Foundation, contributes to Shavot’s activities to help young girls discover the world of tech and encourage them to consider careers in engineering, with $50,000 donated in 2021.
KLA Migdal HaEmek Employee Life – Valley Style
The KLA Migdal HaEmek campus is surrounded by a wonderful forest. A few years ago, the company came up with the idea of converting the fire road that surrounds the campus into a well-kept hiking trail for the benefit of the company’s employees.
With the support from the Jewish National Fund (JNF), KLA created a scenic walking path adjacent to the company’s offices in Migdal HaEmek.
The project includes seating areas with tables and benches for employees to relax and be inspired during their lunch breaks, enjoy the scenic views, and take refreshing walks. It is just one of many elements which make working at KLA Migdal HaEmek such a positive, distinctive experience.
“This is an important project through which the company’s employees enjoy a lovely corner that can be used during the day for relaxation, meditation, social events, lunches or refreshments, and the forest enjoys constant care,” says Tzipi Elbaz, community coordinator for the Lower Galilee Forest Gilboa. “It truly gives KLA employees direct access to nature and beautiful views to enjoy from office windows.”
KLA Migdal HaEmek Slam Dunks Employee Camaraderie On and Off the Court
KLA Migdal HaEmek’s basketball team won first place in the Workplace League, Haifa District in November. The team has been a league participant for eight consecutive years.
“We play in the workplace league once a week in the evening, and we usually meet for additional training during the week. The players come from all divisions of the company, including production and engineering, and all levels up to senior executives. On the court, everyone is equal.”
Eyal Cohen, team captain and a technical support engineer and customer service manager at KLA Migdal HaEmek.
On the Sunday after the competition, all members of the group gather for a joint lunch in the KLA dining room. “It is nice to see the pride on the faces of our co-workers,” adds Cohen.
“We maintain a very high sense of professionalism, sharing in our commitment to high performance teams both at work and on the court. Participating in this team allows us to develop relationships with people from other divisions, and against this backdrop, we are able to form very close friendships. This melting pot, at the end of the day, gives us much more than a basketball team.”
To start your career at KLA and be part of the next technological breakthrough, browse our job openings in Israel and our many global locations.
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