Application Engineer

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 are seeking an experienced Senior Application Engineer to support advanced materials characterization and failure analysis activities across semiconductor and high-technology applications. The successful candidate will provide technical expertise, application development, customer support, and problem-solving for a portfolio of characterization tools including SEM, FIB, ICP/MS, X-ray/CT, and related analytical techniques.

This role will be instrumental in expanding technical capability, supporting customer escalations, driving application innovation, and enabling adoption of next-generation characterization technologies.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership

• Serve as a subject matter expert for materials characterization and failure analysis techniques.
• Support development and optimization of analytical methodologies.
• Lead complex troubleshooting and root-cause investigations for customer and internal projects.
• Develop best practices, operating procedures, and application notes.

Application Development

• Develop characterization workflows for semiconductor devices, packaging, interconnects, and advanced materials.
• Evaluate new technologies and emerging applications.
• Work closely with R&D, product engineering, process engineering, and manufacturing teams.

Customer Support

• Provide expert-level support for customer demonstrations, evaluations, and escalations.
• Deliver technical presentations and training programs.
• Participate in customer visits and strategic technical discussions.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with engineering, marketing, and product management teams.
• Support new tool adoption and technology roadmaps.
• Mentor junior application engineers and assist with technical skill development.

Preferred Technical Expertise

Required

• Strong hands-on experience with:Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)Materials CharacterizationFailure AnalysisImage Analysis and MetrologyTool troubleshooting capability

Highly Preferred

• SEM/EDX
• Focused Ion Beam (FIB)
• CT-Xray
• ICP-MS

Nice to Have

• Surface analysis techniques
• Optical microscopy
• Statistical data analysis
• Programming/scripting for data automation

Qualifications

• MS or PhD in:Materials SciencePhysicsChemistryElectrical EngineeringRelated technical discipline

OR

• BS degree with significant industry experience.

Additional Information

Time Type:

Full time

Employee Type:

Assignee / Regular

Travel:

Yes, 20% 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.