Director of Quality – Photonics Manufacturing

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:

$172,000.00 - $237,000.00

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. 

Overview

We are looking for a Director of Quality to lead the development and execution of the Quality Management System (QMS) for a growing photonics manufacturing organization. This leader will oversee customer, supplier, manufacturing, and compliance quality programs while partnering across global operations to drive product quality, audit readiness, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and continuously improve the Quality Management System (QMS), including ISO 9001 compliance.
• Lead internal, customer, supplier, and certification audits, ensuring ongoing audit readiness.
• Drive customer quality programs utilizing CAPA, 8D, SPC, FMEA, root-cause analysis, and corrective action methodologies.
• Establish supplier quality processes, including Supplier Site Quality Assessments (SSQA) and supplier development programs.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Process Engineering, Integration Engineering, and Operations teams to improve yield, reliability, and overall product quality.
• Identify systemic quality issues and drive corrective and preventive actions across the organization.
• Lead quality strategy, governance, metrics, and reporting across multiple sites and global operations.
• Build, develop, and mentor high-performing quality teams while fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• Serve as the primary quality interface for customers, suppliers, and executive leadership.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in semiconductor or photonics manufacturing environments, with experience spanning Process Engineering, Integration Engineering, Manufacturing, and/or Quality Systems.
• Proven track record of establishing and scaling Quality Management Systems in manufacturing organizations.
• Deep expertise in ISO 9001 implementation and quality compliance programs.
• Strong experience with:
  • CAPA, 8D, SPC, and FMEA
  • Customer Quality Management
  • Supplier Quality and SSQA
  • Audit leadership and compliance governance
• Experience leading quality organizations across multiple sites, regions, or global operations.
• Demonstrated success in developing quality strategies and driving cross-functional quality improvements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a photonics fab or advanced semiconductor manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of fab quality systems, customer quality audits, and ISO certification audits.
• Familiarity with metrology and analytical techniques such as ICP-MS and related manufacturing process controls.

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.