Manager – Process Engineering

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:

$147,000.00 - $202,500.00

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. 

We're hiring a front-line manager to lead a team of technical contributors in our Electron Microscopy and materials characterization lab. You'll provide day-to-day supervision, keep the lab running to schedule, and help develop both the team and our analytical capabilities. This is an ideal step for a strong, technically minded, early-career manager looking to grow.

What you'll do

• Provide direct supervision to a team of professional and skilled technical staff, setting priorities and removing roadblocks to meet commitments.
• Serve as a technical and operational advisor to the team, stepping in hands-on when needed to keep schedules on track and resolve problems.
• Track and analyze the performance of both direct reports and lab equipment, using data to drive decisions and improvements.
• Sustain and continuously improve established lab workflows, recommending changes to team processes, protocols, and policies.
• Recruit, interview, hire skilled new talent, and administer company policies fairly and consistently.
• Build strong working relationships and rapport with direct reports, peers, stakeholdes, and management.
• Present technical information on projects, schedules, and results to stakeholders, and secure cooperation across teams.

What you'll need (required)

• 2+ years of managerial experience
• 5+ years of relevant technical experience, with at least 1–2 years leading, mentoring, or coordinating others.
• Strong technical background in Electron Microscopy (SEM/TEM), or broad working knowledge of metrology techniques and failure analysis.
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills, with the judgment to act within established procedures, protocol, and policies.
• Ability to analyze situations and data, weighing relevant factors before recommending action.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including comfort presenting technical material to upper management.
• Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Physics, Engineering, or a related field — or equivalent experience.
• Recent people-management or team-lead experience in a lab, fab, or manufacturing environment.
• Experience managing lab equipment uptime, calibration, or maintenance programs.
• Familiarity with semiconductor processes and a data-driven approach to performance tracking.
• Ability and willingness to work the primary evening shift schedule and support business needs during evening hours.

Impact

Decisions in this role directly affect team output and lab schedules; sound judgment keeps projects and deliverables on time.

Applied Materials is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.

Additional Information

Time Type:

Full time

Employee Type:

Assignee / Regular

Travel:

Yes, 10% of the Time

Relocation Eligible:

No

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.