Mechanical Engineer IV

Who We Are

Applied Materials is the global leader in materials science and engineering solutions that are at the foundation of virtually every new semiconductor chip and advanced display in the world. The equipment that we create and service is essential to advancing AI and accelerating the commercialization of next-generation semiconductor chips. Join us and push the boundaries of materials science and engineering in a company at the foundation of the electronics industry. The work we do together advances the world’s technology. 

What We Offer

Salary:

$147,000.00 - $202,500.00

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. 

As a Mechanical Engineer, you’ll leverage your strong foundation in physics, mathematics, and materials science to process and resolve mechanical problems, design and implement custom mechanical tooling and associated processes, and enable the handling, assembly, and disassembly of parts, components, sub-assemblies, and final assemblies throughout the product life cycle. You'll be responsible for designing, developing, and modifying mechanical engineering layouts, schematics, and specifications. You will oversee manufacturing and installation processes, ensuring adherence to industry standards and regulations-- and you'll coordinate the procurement and assembly of mechanical components and equipment for design projects, identifying sources of critical parts and subsystems to resolve technical issues.

Role Summary

The Mechanical Design Engineer IV (E4) will lead the design, development, qualification, and lifecycle improvement of PVD chamber hardware, vacuum subsystems, pedestals, ESCs, process kits, and thermal management assemblies for semiconductor manufacturing equipment. This role requires strong mechanical engineering fundamentals combined with hands-on semiconductor equipment experience and the ability to drive complex projects from concept through production release.

Key Responsibilities

• Own mechanical design of PVD chambers, targets, cathodes, shields, liners, pedestals, ESCs, process kits, wafer handling interfaces and vacuum hardware.
• Perform 3D design, 2D drawings, GD&T, tolerance analysis, and engineering calculations.
• Conduct thermal, structural, vibration and design tradeoff analyses using FEA/CFD tools.
• Develop solutions for contamination control, particle reduction, thermal stability, reliability and manufacturability.
• Partner with process, RF, electrical, systems, manufacturing and quality teams.
• Lead root cause investigations and corrective actions for customer and field issues.
• Define qualification plans and analyze engineering test data.
• Drive supplier development and component qualification activities.

E4 Expectations

• Demonstrates deep expertise in mechanical design and semiconductor equipment hardware.
• Independently drives complex engineering programs with minimal supervision.
• Leads technical problem solving across multiple disciplines.
• Influences design decisions and establishes best practices.
• Communicates effectively with customers, suppliers and senior leadership.

Required Qualifications

• BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• 5-10 years of mechanical design experience.
• Strong CAD, GD&T, tolerance stack-up and drawing creation skills.
• Experience with vacuum systems, thermal management, precision assemblies and product development.
• Ability to generate specifications, test plans and engineering reports.
• Strong troubleshooting and root-cause analysis skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct PVD experience including process chambers, cathodes, targets, magnetrons, shields, process kits, pedestals and ESCs.
• Understanding of plasma processes, vacuum technology, contamination control and thermal management.
• Experience with advanced packaging, logic or memory applications.
• Knowledge of RF hardware integration and high-temperature components.
• Experience with NX, Teamcenter, ANSYS and engineering change processes.

What Sets This Role Apart

Ideal candidates combine hands-on hardware design capability with strong semiconductor process understanding. They are comfortable working in the lab, with suppliers, and with customers while taking ownership of critical hardware that directly impacts tool performance, reliability and manufacturability.

Additional Information

Time Type:

Full time

Employee Type:

Assignee / Regular

Travel:

Yes, 20% of the Time

Relocation Eligible:

Yes

The salary offered to a selected candidate will be based on multiple factors including location, hire grade, job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and with consideration of internal equity of our current team members. In addition to a comprehensive benefits package, candidates may be eligible for other forms of compensation such as participation in a bonus and a stock award program, as applicable.

For all sales roles, the posted salary range is the Target Total Cash (TTC) range for the role, which is the sum of base salary and target bonus amount at 100% goal achievement.

Applied Materials is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law.

In addition, Applied endeavors to make our careers site accessible to all users. If you would like to contact us regarding accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact us via e-mail at [email protected], or by calling our HR Direct Help Line at 877-612-7547, option 1, and following the prompts to speak to an HR Advisor. This contact is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.