Director: Physicist/Scientist - Lasers

Who We Are

Applied Materials is the global leader in materials science and engineering solutions that are at the foundation of virtually every new semiconductor chip and advanced display in the world. The equipment that we create and service is essential to advancing AI and accelerating the commercialization of next-generation semiconductor chips. Join us and push the boundaries of materials science and engineering in a company at the foundation of the electronics industry. The work we do together advances the world’s technology.

What We Offer

Salary:

$210,000.00 - $289,000.00

Location:

Santa Clara,CA

You’ll benefit from a supportive work culture that encourages you to learn, develop, and grow your career as you take on challenges and drive innovative solutions for our customers. We empower our team to push the boundaries of what is possible—while learning every day in a supportive leading global company. Visit our Careers website to learn more. 

At Applied Materials, we care about the health and wellbeing of our employees. We’re committed to providing programs and support that encourage personal and professional growth and care for you at work, at home, or wherever you may go. Learn more about our benefits. 

Key Responsibilities

Technology Strategy & Vision

• Define long-term laser and optics technology roadmaps supporting advanced logic, DRAM, power devices, specialty semiconductors, and advanced packaging.
• Identify emerging laser, optics, sensing, and thermal processing technologies that create competitive differentiation.
• Establish technical investment priorities aligned with customer and product roadmaps.
• Drive strategic make-versus-buy decisions for laser, optics, metrology, and subsystem technologies.

New Product Development

• Lead development of next-generation laser annealing platforms.
• Define system architectures for:
  • High-power laser subsystems
  • Beam shaping and homogenization optics
  • Optical delivery systems
  • Wafer temperature metrology
  • Pyrometry systems
  • Optical sensing and diagnostics
  • Laser safety and stray-light management
• Drive proof-of-concept demonstrations through production deployment.
• Lead technical risk assessments and architecture trade studies.

Installed Base Support & Continuous Product Improvement (CIP)

• Own laser and optics technical strategy for currently released products.
• Drive continuous improvement programs focused on:
  • Productivity
  • Reliability
  • Availability
  • Cost reduction
  • Serviceability
  • Yield improvement
  • Process performance
• Lead root-cause investigations for critical field issues and customer escalations.
• Develop corrective and preventive actions for recurring product issues.
• Identify opportunities for hardware, software, and process upgrades across the installed base.
• Cross functional interfaces:  Product Management, Process, Systems Engineering, Manufacturing, Service, Quality, Supply Chain, EHS/Laser Safety, and Customer Engineering.

Supplier Management & Strategic Partnerships

• Serve as executive technical interface to laser manufacturers, optical suppliers, coating vendors, and metrology suppliers.
• Develop supplier technology roadmaps aligned with future product requirements.
• Evaluate supplier capabilities, technology readiness, and risk.
• Lead technical supplier reviews and joint development programs.
• Drive component performance, reliability, and cost improvements through supplier engagement.
• Support supplier qualification and sourcing decisions.
• Establish strategic partnerships that provide sustainable competitive advantage.

External Engineering Partner Leadership

• Direct and oversee third-party engineering services companies engaged in optical, laser, mechanical, controls, and systems development activities.
• Develop statements of work, technical requirements, deliverables, and acceptance criteria.
• Lead technical reviews including:
  • Requirements reviews
  • Concept reviews
  • Preliminary Design Reviews (PDR)
  • Critical Design Reviews (CDR)
  • Qualification reviews
• Ensure external developments meet performance, schedule, quality, and cost objectives.
• Coordinate activities across internal and external engineering teams.
• Provide technical leadership while maintaining accountability for final system performance.

Laser & Optical Systems Leadership

Lead development and optimization of:

• Fiber laser systems
• Diode laser systems
• Beam delivery systems
• Beam shaping optics
• Diffractive optical elements (DOE)
• Refractive optical elements (ROE)
• Homogenizers
• Polarization control systems
• Optical coatings
• Stray-light mitigation systems
• In-situ optical diagnostics
• Wafer temperature measurement systems

Customer & Business Engagement

• Engage directly with strategic semiconductor customers to understand future device and process requirements.
• Support executive customer reviews and technical roadmap discussions.
• Translate customer requirements into product and technology development plans.
• Provide technical leadership during customer escalations and critical issue resolution.

Innovation & Intellectual Property

• Generate and champion invention disclosures and patent filings.
• Build strategic intellectual property portfolios in laser processing, optics, metrology, and thermal processing.
• Lead technical due diligence activities related to acquisitions, partnerships, and technology evaluations.
• Publish and present technical work internally and externally when appropriate.

Organizational Leadership

• Leads direct report in a matrix team and managing external partners while providing technical leadership
• Mentor physicists, optical engineers, systems engineers, and technologists.
• Establish technical standards and best practices throughout the organization.
• Influence technical direction of laser annealing roadmap.
• Act as a recognized company expert in laser annealing and optical systems.

Critical Success Metrics

• New product introduction success
• Installed-base reliability improvements
• Customer satisfaction and escalation closure
• Laser and optics cost-reduction achievements
• Supplier technology and quality performance
• Patent generation and innovation impact
• Third-party development effectiveness
• Technology roadmap development and execution
• Team technical capability growth
• Reliability/availability improvement
• Qualification cycle-time reduction
• Supplier quality improvement
• Patents/patent disclosures

Preferred Experience

• Laser annealing, laser spike annealing, or millisecond annealing systems
• High-power lasers (kW-class)
• Advanced optical system design for high power lasers
• Semiconductor capital equipment
• Laser safety systems
• Wafer temperature metrology and pyrometry
• Strategic supplier management

• Management of outsourced engineering development team​

Additional Information

Time Type:

Full time

Employee Type:

Assignee / Regular

Travel:

Yes, 10% of the Time

Relocation Eligible:

Yes

The salary offered to a selected candidate will be based on multiple factors including location, hire grade, job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and with consideration of internal equity of our current team members. In addition to a comprehensive benefits package, candidates may be eligible for other forms of compensation such as participation in a bonus and a stock award program, as applicable.

For all sales roles, the posted salary range is the Target Total Cash (TTC) range for the role, which is the sum of base salary and target bonus amount at 100% goal achievement.

Applied Materials is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law.

In addition, Applied endeavors to make our careers site accessible to all users. If you would like to contact us regarding accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact us via e-mail at [email protected], or by calling our HR Direct Help Line at 877-612-7547, option 1, and following the prompts to speak to an HR Advisor. This contact is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.