Systems Engineer

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:

$161,000.00 - $221,000.00

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 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.  

Job Summary

We are seeking a Systems Engineer with strong hands-on experience in optical system setup and integration, and a proven track record contributing to metrology or inspection system development. This role spans the full product life cycle from early prototype through New Product Introduction (NPI) and requires close collaboration with OEM vendors and cross-functional engineering teams to deliver robust, manufacturable solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead system-level integration, setup, and debug of complex optical systems, including illumination, imaging, and detection subsystems.
• Perform hands-on optical alignment, calibration, and performance verification in lab and system environments.
• Contribute to the development of metrology or inspection platforms, translating customer and product requirements into system-level specifications.
• Own and drive system requirements definition, error budge, trade studies, and architecture decisions across optical, mechanical, electrical, and software domains.
• Support the full product development lifecycle, including prototype development, design verification, system characterization, and NPI readiness.
• Define and execute system-level experiments, data analysis, and performance validation.
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams to resolve system issues and optimize performance.
• Manage and interface with OEM vendors and suppliers, including specification definition, qualification, and technical issue resolution.
• Generate and maintain system documentation including requirements, budgets, test plans, and qualification reports.

Required Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Optical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 7+ years of relevant experience in optical, metrology, or inspection system development.
• Proficiency in Python and  MATLAB for data analysis, modeling, and prototype evaluation
• Hands-on experience with optical system setup, alignment, and troubleshooting.
• Experience in metrology or inspection system projects.
• Familiarity with the full product lifecycle from prototype to NPI.
• Experience working with and managing OEM vendors or external suppliers.
• Strong system-level thinking and cross-functional communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with semiconductor metrology or inspection tools.
• Knowledge of optical performance metrics such as resolution, contrast, and signal-to-noise ratio.
• Familiarity with system qualification, GR&R, and manufacturing transfer activities.
• Exposure to SEMI standards or production compliance requirements.

Additional Information

Time Type:

Full time

Employee Type:

Assignee / Regular

Travel:

No

Relocation Eligible:

No

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 Accommodations_Program@amat.com, 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.