Physicist​/Scientist V

Position: Physicist / Scientist V
** Who We Are*
* 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.

** What We Offer*
* Salary:

$ - $

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 () .

** Key Responsibilities*
* Technically lead and/or execute engineering projects and spearhead research and development of new technologies as appropriate.

Define experiments and diagnostics to isolate dominant physical mechanisms in PVD chambers, including RF/DC plasma behavior, electromagnetic field effects, ionization, sputtering transport, thermal gradients, pressure regimes, and UHV phenomena.

Determine meaningful data required to distinguish between plasma‑driven, EM‑driven, thermal‑driven, or pressure‑driven effects in complex, coupled chamber environments.

Lead and/or develop, and executes significantly complex system projects. Oversees and approves designs in team design reviews. Takes active part in the design of complex modules / sub-modules. Approve qualification results of complex modules.

Provide physics‑based guidance during chamber, module, and sub‑module design reviews, with emphasis on E‑field / B‑field topology, plasma confinement, sputtering efficiency, thermal behavior, and vacuum performance.

Influence chamber architecture and design rules by identifying physics‑imposed constraints and tradeoffs impacting performance, uniformity, reliability, and scalability.

Problem identification and troubleshooting a wide range of significantly complex  problems. Oversees and approves research and analysis results. Supports high level / complex physics related application and system issues in the lab and in the field when required.

Lead root‑cause analysis of complex, cross‑domain chamber behaviors where plasma, electromagnetic, thermal, pressure, and vacuum effects are strongly coupled.

Diagnose non‑intuitive behaviors such as process drift, uniformity excursions, defect generation, or instability by identifying second‑order physics effects missed by purely empirical approaches.

Function as specialist for physics/scientists issues, while influencing and utilizing  expertise in interfacing with external and internal customers, lead and/or develop and execute system projects, troubleshooting system problems, and defining system specifications and schedules.  Regularly interacts with senior managers on matters involving several functional areas, departments or customers concerning projects, operations and schedules. Interactions require the ability to change thinking or gain the acceptance of others in sensitive situations.

Reviews and approves system and sub-system requirements and specifications designed by other team members.

Serve as MDP PVD physics specialist for chamber‑level multiphysics issues, supporting internal product teams and selected customer escalations involving advanced PVD challenges.

Communicate complex physics concepts to engineering, management, and customer stakeholders to drive alignment and sound technical decision‑making under ambiguity.

Apply advanced principles, theories,…