Process Technician

Applied Materials•Santa Clara, CA

18d•Onsite

About The Position

As a Process Technician at Applied Materials, you will prepare wafers for experimentation, operate reactors to perform thin film processes, and use scanning electron microscopes (SEM) for analysis and imaging. You will record process conditions and experimental observations, evaluate wafers and thin films, perform routine maintenance, prepare cross-section samples, identify patterns of interest in images, and operate laboratory process equipment and instrumentation. Your troubleshooting, equipment-maintenance, and process-optimization skills support productivity, quality, and efficiency in manufacturing processes. The position is based in Santa Clara, California. It is a full-time, regular employee role with no travel. Relocation is eligible. The stated salary range is $33.00–$45.70; the selected candidate’s offer depends on factors including location, hire grade, job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and internal equity. The posting also notes that eligible candidates may receive bonus and stock-award compensation, as applicable.

Requirements

Technical diploma.
4–7 years of experience.
Meet the physical requirements described in the posting, including walking and standing for extended periods, working in tight spaces and at heights, lifting up to 35 pounds, distinguishing colors, working with electricity, tolerating potentially difficult noise levels, and using hand and power tools.
Use appropriate clean-room personal protective equipment, including coveralls, hoods, booties, safety glasses, gloves, respirators, chemical aprons, and face shields.

Responsibilities

Prepare wafers for experimentation, including cleaning and preparing reactors.
Operate reactors for thin film processes; evaluate process-system performance and recommend troubleshooting procedures.
Prepare cross-section samples for SEM analysis, optimize sample-preparation procedures and conditions, and identify cut locations based on pattern instructions.
Record process conditions and experimental observations; evaluate wafers and thin films, including modifying process recipes, and prepare graphs and tables summarizing results.
Operate SEM for cross-section and top-view, critical dimension (CD), or energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis and imaging.
Identify patterns of interest in imaging and understand image-quality requirements and sample/beam interactions to determine optimized conditions.
Understand basic SEM principles.
Be responsible for all technology products.
Perform SEM system software alignment and routine maintenance, including flash and plasma cleaning.
Interface with requestors, understand detailed requirements, communicate results, monitor Wafer In Process, and maintain throughput.
Check process-system performance; order equipment and supplies; and coordinate with vendors and purchasing.
Coordinate wafer evaluations and instrument repair and maintenance.
Perform routine shutdown procedures and set up equipment for experiments.
Use quantitative wafer evaluation and process-instrumentation knowledge to draw conclusions from data.
Assist in training junior technicians.
Develop and publish best known method (BKM) procedures, including sample preparation, SEM conditions, and special sample handling.