Process Engineer, Quality & Operations

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:

$124,000.00 - $171,000.00

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. 

As a Process Engineer, you'll play a crucial role in designing and optimizing manufacturing processes for display and semiconductor manufacturing technologies. You will collect and analyze data, perform hardware characterization, and troubleshoot engineering issues. You'll also measure film properties, generate technical documentation, and engage with customers to resolve concerns. Process Engineers collaborate with vendors and suppliers, and become familiar with implementing new technologies and products. You will experiment, learn, and collaborate with some of the brightest minds in the semiconductor and display industries, partnering with our globally recognized R&D teams on state-of-the-art research and development projects.  

About the Role 

Applied Materials' SPG Metrology organization supports a wide range of business units through FIB, TEM, SEM, and related analytical capabilities. As the scope and volume of work continue to grow, maintaining consistent quality while improving operational efficiency becomes increasingly important. 

We are seeking a Process Engineer, Quality & Operations to drive quality excellence and operational improvement initiatives across our metrology organization. 

The primary focus of this role is to establish, improve, and sustain quality systems, standards, metrics, and best practices that drive consistency, repeatability, and customer satisfaction across laboratory operations. You will lead quality improvement initiatives and cross-functional projects focused on productivity, capacity, workflow optimization, automation, and operational effectiveness. 

While familiarity with FIB, TEM, SEM, or related metrology techniques is beneficial, the core requirement is a strong background in quality engineering, process improvement, operational excellence, and data-driven problem solving within semiconductor, manufacturing, laboratory, or other high-tech environments. 

You will work closely with engineers, technicians, managers, business unit customers, suppliers, and partner labs to identify opportunities, align stakeholders, and drive initiatives to successful implementation. This role succeeds through influence, collaboration, and execution across multiple teams. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Lead quality improvement initiatives to improve consistency, repeatability, customer satisfaction, and operational performance. 

• Develop and implement quality standards, acceptance criteria, metrics, KPIs, and best practices across laboratory operations. 

• Analyze quality and operational data to identify improvement opportunities and drive corrective and preventive actions to closure. 

• Partner with engineering, hardware, operations, and supplier teams to improve process capability, equipment performance, reliability, and overall operational effectiveness. 

• Lead or support projects focused on productivity, workflow optimization, automation, capacity expansion, and continuous improvement. 

• Identify operational bottlenecks and drive initiatives that improve throughput, cycle time, capacity, and lab efficiency. 

• Translate business requirements into practical quality standards, process controls, and operational improvements. 

• Coordinate cross-functional teams to align stakeholders, manage priorities, and successfully execute improvement initiatives. 

• Establish dashboards, metrics, and reporting methodologies to monitor performance and drive accountability. 

• Promote a culture of quality, operational excellence, and continuous improvement across the organization. 

Qualifications 

Minimum Qualifications 

• BS or higher degree in Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, Chemistry, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality Engineering, or a related technical field. 

• 5+ years of experience in quality engineering, process engineering, operational excellence, manufacturing engineering, reliability engineering, laboratory operations, or continuous improvement within semiconductor, electronics, manufacturing, or other high-technology environments. 

• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing quality standards, acceptance criteria, process controls, metrics, and KPIs. 

• Experience performing root cause analysis, corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), process standardization, and continuous improvement initiatives. 

• Experience utilizing quality methodologies such as SPC, MSA, DOE, FMEA, Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent quality systems and tools. 

• Strong analytical, communication, stakeholder management, and project leadership skills. 

• Ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive initiatives to closure across multiple organizations. 

• Proven ability to use data to identify trends, solve complex problems, and drive measurable business results. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience working within semiconductor metrology, characterization, failure analysis, or laboratory environments. 

• Hands-on experience with FIB, TEM/STEM, SEM, or related analytical and microscopy techniques. 

• Familiarity with FIB sample preparation, TEM imaging, and advanced semiconductor characterization workflows. 

• Experience supporting metrology, characterization, microscopy, or analytical laboratory operations. 

• Experience leading quality, operational excellence, automation, digital transformation, or process improvement projects. 

• Green Belt, Black Belt, or similar Lean Six Sigma certification. 

• Experience with statistical analysis, data visualization, automation tools, or advanced analytics platforms. 

What We're Looking For 

• Strong quality engineering and continuous improvement background, with demonstrated success driving measurable improvements in consistency, repeatability, process capability, and operational performance. 

• Experience with FIB, TEM, SEM, failure analysis, or metrology technologies is preferred but not required. 

• Collaborative and influential, with the ability to build alignment and drive action across multiple teams and organizations. 

• Organized and execution-focused, with strong follow-through and attention to detail. 

• Comfortable facilitating discussions, resolving ambiguity, and coordinating stakeholders with competing priorities. 

• Practical, data-driven problem solver with a continuous improvement mindset. 

• Self-motivated and adaptable, with the ability to balance operational needs with longer-term strategic improvements. 

• Strong customer focus and commitment to delivering high-quality operational outcomes. 

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.