This week, we’d like to recognize Kris Hearn, KLA’s Vice President of U.S. Operations. We’ve known Kris a long time – in fact, he’s worked with KLA since graduating with his bachelor’s degree! You may be wondering why he’s decided to stay with us for more than 20 years. Kris said it’s because of the people and the technology.

“That’s the exciting part. KLA is involved in nearly every aspect of technology, from optics to artificial intelligence and algorithms, to advanced mechanics and materials. You name it, we do it.”

Kris emphasized that innovation isn’t easy, but the results are worth the time and effort. To create KLA’s machines, our employees need to solve the toughest inspection challenges in the world. This involves years of development and millions of dollars spent on research.

“The satisfaction of solving these complex problems and seeing the life changing outcomes is my motivation,” Kris said. “It gives me a sense of pride to know we’re working on things that matter to so many different industries. When I saw the first iPhone, for example, I knew that we were behind some of the chips there. It was a great experience to know that we’re enabling that – that our work is going to set off a new era and change our lives.”

Be sure to catch up on our previous opportunity ahead profile, and don’t forget to browse the KLA careers page for the opportunities ahead of you.