Look elsewhere unless this is your only option. - Senior Software Engineer KLA Employee Review

1.0
3 Aug 2011
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

As a software engineer, the work was interesting. My management looked to me for most of the technical direction of our product, which was satisfying. My requests for resources and purchases (e.g. laptops, books, commercial software utilities) were never denied.

Cons

During my 3.5 years at KLA-Tencor two of my managers were put on performance warnings and ultimately dismissed from the company. My last (third and final) manager was put on performance warning after 8 months, which is the reason I resigned and took a position elsewhere. I don't consider it professional to give the details of the aberrant behavior I witnessed from my managers. I will just say my experience was bizarre and unsettling. As an individual contributor, I only interacted with the lower levels of management (line-management up through mid-level management), so the more senior managers may not have the issues I witnessed. I am giving the KLA-Tencor's CEO (Rick Wallace) a low rating because all I can really judge him on is the culture he created that I worked in (described above) and the value of KLA-Tencor's stock during my time at the company. When I started the price of KLA-Tencor stock was $50/share, and on my last day it was $39/share.

Explore other reviews about KLA

5.0
10 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Strong technical depth and industry leadership. Talented colleagues and meaningful work.

Cons

Organizational processes can be relatively conservative. The skills developed are highly valuable within semiconductor equipment and imaging-related industries but may be less directly transferable to unrelated sectors.

1.0
5 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

If you’re looking for a place where accountability doesn’t exist and you can do the bare minimum while getting paid maximum overtime, this is your spot. No approval needed, no questions asked—just stay late, watch YouTube, and collect your paycheck (plus free food if you linger long enough). Weekends are basically a free-for-all since the people who are supposed to supervise are either absent or the worst offenders.

Cons

This place is what happens when a parent company buys a smaller one and then completely forgets it exists. There is zero meaningful oversight. Management knows exactly what’s going on—they just don’t care as long as quotas are eventually met. Efficiency, integrity, and actual productivity mean nothing here. Documentation is either nonexistent or completely useless, full of errors and missing critical information. Parts are constantly missing, and instead of fixing the system, people exploit it to justify delays and stretch their hours. The entire operation rewards time-wasting over competence. The culture actively punishes anyone who tries to work a normal, honest 8-hour day. Want recognition or a raise? Better start padding your hours. The more time you burn, the more management “appreciates” you. It’s not about results—it’s about how long you can pretend to be working. Managers, being salaried, conveniently disappear when it matters most—nights and weekends—while turning a blind eye to the dysfunction they fully understand. Leadership isn’t absent by accident; it’s absent by choice.

3
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