Director: Cobot Service Automation

Applied Materials•Santa Clara, CA

1d•$210,000 - $289,000•Onsite

About The Position

Applied Materials is a global leader in materials engineering solutions used to produce virtually every new chip and advanced display in the world. We design, build and service cutting-edge equipment that helps our customers manufacture display and semiconductor chips – the brains of devices we use every day. As the foundation of the global electronics industry, Applied enables the exciting technologies that literally connect our world – like AI and IoT. If you want to push the boundaries of materials science and engineering to create next generation technology, join us to deliver material innovation that changes the world. 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 . The Director of Maintenance Service Fab Automation will lead the strategy, development, and deployment of collaborative robotic solutions that modernize Preventive Maintenance (PM), equipment servicing, and technician support across Applied’s product families. This leader will define and execute a multi-year roadmap integrating advanced mechatronics, software, controls, and human-robot collaboration to drive significant gains in uptime, safety, service quality, and overall fab productivity. Leveraging current and emerging cobot technologies to advance autonomous maintenance, this role will champion precision, repeatability, and reliability improvements while enabling next generation, robotics driven maintenance automation across the organization.

Requirements

12–15+ years of experience in robotics, automation, semiconductor equipment engineering, or related high-tech fields.
Demonstrated success leading complex, integrated hardware/software engineering teams.
Strong technical expertise in mechatronics, controls, machine vision, safety systems, robot integration, and fab operations.
Excellent communication, executive presence, and organizational leadership skills.
Experience with fab PM processes, equipment reliability engineering, or high-volume semiconductor manufacturing.
Position requires understanding of Applied Materials global Standards of Business Conduct and compliance with these standards at all times. This includes demonstrating the highest level of ethical conduct reflecting Applied Materials' core values.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Vision Develop and own the enterprise roadmap for cobot integration into PM and maintenance workflows, aligned with corporate and fab operational priorities.
Lead long range planning for cobot platforms, partner ecosystems, and scalable deployment strategies.
Establish success metrics and KPIs covering reliability, cycle time reduction, equipment availability, system design requirements for cobot servicing, and technician enablement.
Interface with internal and external customers on technology and roadmap requirements
Technology & Program Ownership Direct the end-to-end design, engineering, verification, and production rollout of cobot-enabled PM capabilities.
Lead cross disciplinary engineering teams across robotics, hardware, software, and controls.
Ensure all solutions meet fab safety, compliance, tool integration, and reliability standards.
Develop frameworks for cobot serviceability in chamber/platform design, predictive maintenance integration, and digital twin–based simulation.
Deployment, Integration & Execution Excellence Drive factory readiness, including pilot execution, qualification processes, technician readiness, and change management plans.
Govern program execution across schedule, budget, risks, and mitigation actions, ensuring disciplined delivery across multiple facilities.
Implement robust governance practices, including milestone reviews, partner alignment, and technical decision forums.
Cross-Functional & External Partnerships Partner closely with BU Engineering, FSO, Manufacturing, R&D, Safety, Quality, and Supply Chain to ensure seamless adoption and integration of cobot capabilities.
Establish and scale design tenets for automated service to include robotic‑interface capabilities into equipment design to drive next‑generation service efficiency, equipment performance, and operational excellence.
Build and manage strategic relationships with cobot OEMs, integrators, and component suppliers.
Represent the program in executive, customer, and industry settings to communicate strategy, progress, and business impact.
Organizational Leadership & Talent Development Build, mentor, and scale a high performing team of product managers, engineers and automation leaders, and maintenance transformation specialists.
Foster a culture grounded in innovation, safety, continuous improvement, and data driven decision making.