Process Engineer, Quality & Operations

Applied Materials • Santa Clara, CA

2d • $124,000 - $171,000

About The Position

Applied Materials is seeking a Process Engineer, Quality & Operations for its SPG Metrology organization, which supports business units through FIB, TEM, SEM, and related analytical capabilities. The role drives quality excellence and operational improvement across laboratory operations as work scope and volume grow.

The primary focus is to establish, improve, and sustain quality systems, standards, metrics, and best practices that promote consistency, repeatability, and customer satisfaction. The engineer will lead quality-improvement initiatives and cross-functional projects involving productivity, capacity, workflow optimization, automation, and operational effectiveness. The role works with engineers, technicians, managers, business-unit customers, suppliers, and partner laboratories, using collaboration, influence, and execution to implement improvements. Familiarity with FIB, TEM, SEM, or related metrology techniques is beneficial, while the core background is quality engineering, process improvement, operational excellence, and data-driven problem solving in a semiconductor, manufacturing, laboratory, or other high-tech environment.

The position is based in Santa Clara, California. It is a full-time regular role with travel of 10% and no relocation eligibility. The listed salary range is $124,000 to $171,000. Candidates may also be eligible for bonus and stock awards, as applicable. The company describes a supportive work culture and a comprehensive benefits package, but does not specify individual benefits in this posting.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, Chemistry, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality Engineering, or a related technical field.
• At least 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 using 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.
• Ability to use data to identify trends, solve complex problems, and drive measurable business results.
• Strong quality-engineering and continuous-improvement background, with demonstrated success improving consistency, repeatability, process capability, and operational performance.
• Collaborative, influential, organized, execution-focused, and attentive to detail; able to facilitate discussions, resolve ambiguity, coordinate stakeholders with competing priorities, and balance operational needs with longer-term strategic improvements.
• Strong customer focus and commitment to high-quality operational outcomes.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in 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.

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 operational effectiveness.
• Lead or support productivity, workflow optimization, automation, capacity-expansion, and continuous-improvement projects.
• Identify operational bottlenecks and drive initiatives to improve throughput, cycle time, capacity, and laboratory efficiency.
• Translate business requirements into practical quality standards, process controls, and operational improvements.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams, align stakeholders, manage priorities, and 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.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package
• Potential eligibility for bonus and stock awards, as applicable
• Supportive work culture that encourages learning, development, and career growth
• Programs and support for employee health, wellbeing, and personal and professional growth

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level