Field Service Engineer IV (C4) - Technical Lead

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:

$45.00 - $62.20

Location:

Phoenix,AZ

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 Field Service Engineer [Customer Engineer] at Applied Materials, you serve as the direct liaison with customers, collaborating closely to install, maintain, and upgrade equipment. You'll use digital analytics for troubleshooting and apply basic diagnostic techniques to assess and address technical issues. Your responsibilities include performing preventative and corrective maintenance on various systems such as electrical, vacuum, mechanical, plasma, hydraulic, and gas systems. Additionally, you'll coordinate and communicate directly with customers to ensure smooth operations and exceptional service.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership & Troubleshooting
• Act as the technical authority for CVD equipment hardware and process performance.
• Lead troubleshooting and resolution of complex equipment failures, including:

• Mass Flow Controller (MFC) failures
• Vacuum pump malfunctions
• Heater and temperature control breakdowns
• Gas delivery issues and leak detection

• Perform deep root cause analysis for repeat failures, defect excursions, and film non-uniformity.
• Escalate and drive closure of critical, chronic, or high-impact tool issues.

Equipment & Process Expertise
• Maintain strong hands-on expertise in CVD process fundamentals and chamber hardware.
• Support and optimize CVD platforms from AMAT, ASM, or LAM.
• Understand interactions between process conditions, hardware health, defectivity, and yield.
• Partner closely with process engineering to debug defects, uniformity loss, and process drift.

Fab Operations & Resource Management
• Allocate engineering resources to daily assignments based on fab priorities and tool status.
• Own machine availability and performance metrics for assigned CVD tools.
• Balance corrective maintenance, preventive maintenance, and improvement activities to support production demand.

Coaching & Team Development
• Observe, coach, and mentor junior engineers and technicians directly on the fab floor.
• Establish best practices for troubleshooting, diagnostics, and equipment recovery.
• Provide technical guidance during high-pressure tool down or yield-impacting events.

Continuous Improvement & Data Analytics
• Drive Continuous Improvement Projects (CIP) focused on hardware reliability, uptime, and cost reduction.
• Lead structured data collection, failure trend analysis, and performance monitoring.
• Generate clear documentation and reports capturing lessons learned and corrective actions.

Cross-Functional & Business Interface
• Translate complex technical field issues into clear, actionable communication for Business Units.
• Interface with equipment vendors to resolve systemic issues and drive design or hardware improvements.
• Communicate technical risks, priorities, and progress to fab and operations leadership.

Required Qualifications
• Minimum 5+ years of semiconductor industry experience in one or more of the following areas:
o Field Service Engineering
o Process Engineering
o Manufacturing / Fab Engineering
• Strong hands-on experience supporting CVD equipment in a production fab environment.
• Proven expertise in CVD hardware, process interactions, defectivity, and uniformity troubleshooting.
• Direct experience with AMAT, ASM, or LAM CVD tools.
• Solid understanding of vacuum systems, gas delivery, thermal control, and equipment safety systems.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and resolve complex technical issues in high-volume manufacturing.

Education
• Minimum Bachelor’s degree in:

• Materials Science & Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering

• Master’s degree (MS) preferred in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline.

Preferred Attributes
• Strong ownership mindset for equipment uptime and fab performance.
• Data-driven problem solver with structured root cause analysis skills.
• Ability to coach and technically influence engineers without direct authority.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills across technical and business audiences.
• Comfortable operating in high-pressure, fast-paced fab environments.

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 View email address on click.appcast.io, or by calling our HR Direct Help Line at View phone number on click.appcast.io, 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.