System Engineer IV - Wet Chemical Tool

Applied Materials • Santa Clara, CA

8d • $161,000 - $221,000 • Onsite

About The Position

As a Systems Engineer, you’ll design, integrate, and optimize complex systems that drive the semiconductor industry forward. Your expertise in systems thinking and problem-solving is essential as you collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop advanced solutions to intricate processes and writing system specifications. You’ll be responsible for analyzing requirements, defining system architectures, conducting thorough testing, and ensuring seamless integration of subsystems. Additionally, you’ll identify and mitigate risks, confirming that our systems meet the highest quality standards and exceed customer expectations.

Applied Materials is looking for a Systems Engineer who is an effective problem solver for our next-generation copper Electrochemical Deposition (ECD) platform. You will be challenged with solving complex technical problems that require creativity, ingenuity, and system-level understanding of the interaction between mechanical, electrical, controls, automation, and process/chemistry subsystems. As a Systems Engineer, you will develop technical solutions by generating root-cause hypotheses, working cross-functionally to brainstorm design concepts, and performing hands-on integration testing to validate tool-level performance — enabling the wafer-level performance, throughput, and reliability targets of one of the industry's most advanced copper plating tools.

Requirements

• Master's or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline, with 7+ years of applicable experience in semiconductor equipment development; equivalent combination of a Bachelor's degree and additional relevant experience will be considered.
• 3D CAD experience with tools such as UG NX, or equivalent.
• Experience with statistical data analysis tools such as JMP and MS Excel, or equivalent.
• Direct experience integrating multi-disciplinary subsystems (mechanical, electrical, controls, software) on complex capital equipment; experience with wet process or electrochemical systems (e.g., copper plating, wafer cleaning) is strongly preferred.
• Track record of driving tool bring-up, integration testing, and qualification from concept through production readiness.
• Experience leading root-cause investigations with a track record of reducing integration risk and accelerating development timelines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to align cross-functional teams and communicate system-level status to management.

Nice To Haves

• Experience using engineering analysis or simulation tools such as ANSYS, CFD-Ace, or COMSOL, or equivalent, is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Technically lead engineering projects and own end-to-end execution to deliver complete system-level solutions for the copper Electrochemical Deposition (ECD) platform, spanning wafer handling, plating chambers, fluid delivery, chemistry, controls, and automation.
• De-construct on-wafer performance requirements into engineering design requirements and partner with process, mechanical, electrical, and software engineers to develop solutions that meet and exceed those requirements.
• Own system-level issue resolution and interface management across mechanical, electrical, controls, and software domains.
• Drive engineering execution from concept through release, including design, analysis, supplier engagement, build, and validation of complex subsystems; experience with wet process or electrochemical systems (e.g., copper plating, wafer cleaning) is strongly preferred.
• Define and optimize system-level design tradeoffs across on-wafer performance, throughput, reliability, manufacturability, cost, and serviceability.
• Support tool bring-up, debugging, integration testing, and qualification to meet throughput, uptime, and on-wafer performance targets, translating process requirements into hardware and control system implementation.
• Track and drive closure of system-level risks, technical gaps, and cross-team action items; validate solutions through structured testing, first-principles calculations, and simulation tools (e.g., FEA/CFD), analyzing results using tools such as JMP and MS Excel.
• Communicate technical results and system-level status through presentations to cross-functional teams, management, and customers; create, specify, and review engineering documentation and release through PLM systems (e.g., Teamcenter).

Benefits

• Supportive work culture that encourages learning, development, and career growth.
• Programs and support that encourage personal and professional growth.
• Comprehensive benefits package.
• Participation in a bonus program.
• Participation in a stock award program.

What This Job Offers

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