Applied Materials is a fantastic place to learn some deep skills in semiconductor manufacturing processes, however it is far from ideal. The role as a Process Engineer is typically very hands on and provides a lot of technical learning. Those familiar with the Process Engineer role at semiconductor manufacturers such as Intel or Global Foundries and those at semiconductor capital equipment vendors will appreciate the huge contrast in technical skills needed and learnable at AMAT as compared to Intel. If you have a choice between employers and want to do some interesting hands-on R&D work then choose AMAT. It's a great first or second job in the industry.
There are some downsides. The industry is mature and as such it is difficult to continue to provide the growth demanded by Wall Street while solving more and more challenging problems related to semiconductor fabrication. The most frustrating aspect of working here is the cyclical nature of the business and how that translates to morale and resources. Every 2 years there is an industry downturn. Everyone knows this, but management treats these lulls in business like they are the end of the world, cutting resources to the bone on paper. However managers on key projects then have to jump through hoops to get the resources they need to continue developing future products. The place where this is the most frustrating is with new hire requisitions. Hiring freezes are common so reqs are frozen just as soon as they
ProsPlenty of opportunity to learn, benefits/savings
ConsSlow advancement compared to other industries, few Americans hired in technical roles, long hours, not enough internal opportunities to change roles.
4.0
Senior Financial Analyst | Austin, TX | Oct 11, 2013
Team focused and interactive financial analysis
I joined Applied Materials almost 3 years ago as the Repair, Rework, and Cost Setting Financial Analyst. In our team-driven environment, our group is known for delivering world class service internally to a number of business critical processes supporting all major organizations globally branching from: Planning/Sourcing, Procurement, Human Resources, Manufacturing, Logistics and Fulfillment, R&D, and Corporate upper management. As an analyst on the Inventory and Variance team, I have received exposure to many of these major groups and dealt with specific business units thus far. My time spent within my team over the past years has given me the opportunity to learn more about the major business group we service (Spares and Service, a group that accounts for nearly a third of company-wide revenue stream), and everything related to reporting/accounting for inventory financially within a large manufacturing company. As such the specific variances I have had exposure to (Repair and Rework, Inventory Shrinkage, Inventory Scrap) have led me to strengthening my accounting/reconciliation and analytic skills overall. During my time with my team I have successfully closed multiple Quarters while following the strict accounting cycle. Throughout any given quarter I have reconciled General Ledger accounts, forecasted and assessed Reserves/P&L impact to a specific variance, prepared and dealt with Internal and External audit requirements (SOX Com testing, KPMG External audit requirements
Unsupportive in the field, but easiest job I had for the pay.
My first 30 days my trust for the company was damaged. From the start things seemed shady and unconventional. I was put on shift and I didn’t feel confident in doing that because I was still brand new and didn’t know squat. My training was botched in the classroom and treated like a vacation. I was micromanaged and judged by my coworkers and left to figure things out on my own. Constantly felt lost and confused about daily tasks. Meetings were mostly shooting the bull and not much about the days plans. Never was able to feel confident about my roles and responsibilities. I never was able to set myself into a good work rhythm. I worked here almost two years. Before I left I was selected for a one time large raise and that threw up a red flag for me, and here’s why. I had already put my two weeks in and so they chose me for a raise because they knew they wouldn’t have to continue paying me at that wage increase for the next x amount of years. It was waisted on me instead of a more deserving coworker or other employee.
I came in at a bad time and was scheduled for training in Taiwan but never made it out there due to COVID-19. My career at AMAT got started on the rocks and I suffered from there. I was paid well the benefits were good the people overall were c+ characters at best. I’m an individual who needs support from the team to be a well oiled cog in the machine. Dry Etch Boise ID CE II
#1 Manufacturer of Semiconductor Capital Equipment
The corporate culture is 'Silicon Valley' - a flat management style where results matter. There are no 'silos': the workers are expected to go anywhere and interact with anyone, without restriction, to accomplish their objectives. Managers are there to clear roadblocks.
In return for an unfettered work environment, the workers are evaluated on their performance - and if the performance is excellent, they are richly rewarded. If their performance is not excellent, they should be looking around for another job. The industry is cyclical, and layoffs occur roughly every 18 months or so. Regardless if you are a worker or a manager, if you do not demonstrate consistent, superior performance, you should be looking around for work elsewhere.
Because Applied is the #1 global manufacturer of capital equipment, the expectations are sky-high. Competition is fierce, and Applied competes on a global basis.
Applied sells their products worldwide because they are the best in the world, with the fastest time to market. The typical product horizon is released in 90 days or less - the longest is 6 months, and that is rare. This is generally not the environment for a work/life balance - the emphasis is on being #1 with rapid deliveries.
On the plus side, working at Applied is the opportunity to demonstrate superior performance in a world-class organization.
ProsNo expense is spared to see that you accomplish your objectives
ConsSilicon Valley is goal-oriented, and is not friendly to a work/life balance
Customer Engineer (Associate II) for XP Producer Etch
Troubleshoot faults that developed both during and after install at IMFT plant
Help with down load of software and maintain software on the tool
Involved on 9 XP Producer Etch tool installs from the time it hit the dock to the time of release to the customer
Main person on return and orders of RF generators and other spare parts for the Etch Team
Trained 8 or more persons on how to do returns, the paperwork that goes with the returns, and location to ship the product out
Learning new software troubleshooting techniques with motion logs, FDA files (troubleshooting broken wafer issues), and RF generators problems
Continues training for IMFT personnel on how to do calibrations of different parts of the tool (please ask), replace parts on the tool, and on how to reboot the tool
Team player working to keep the customer and management informed on what the tools are doing by either face to face or Excel pass down communications
Set up different tracking logs for info that would be used to help troubleshoot different issues to the tool
Maintain and replace hand tools as well as test equipment (made sure they were sent out for cal on time) that were missing or need special tools and cables for installing and testing on the tool
5.0
Senior Business Development Manager | Santa Clara, CA | Feb 12, 2012
Great Employee benefits and opportunities
Applied Materials, like most companies serving the computer chip manufacturers, is right there on the cutting edge. Being on that cutting edge, while exciting, can also be frustrating with its cyclic expansion and contraction modes. For the past several decades, the High Tech industry has expanding and contracted on an 18 month cycle (Moore's Law). During the expansion, companies such as Applied will rush to hire enough workforce to keep pace with the expansion. Counter to that expansion is the inevitable contraction, which forces the company to expunge just as many employees as it hired during the expansion. This ebb and flow of personnel has had serious implications to the affected families of of RIF'd employees.
For anyone considering to enter high tech, it would be my advice to consider the worse case scenario of loosing your job every 18 months, with the possibility of being unemployed for up to two years.
Prosgreat salary, benefits, and tremendous opportunity for career growth
Consexpansion/contraction model, +/- 30% every 18-months
4.0
Senior Process Engineer | United States | Apr 17, 2018
Traditional Semi Company will never die
I have been working at Applied Materials full-time (More than a year)
Pros
Engineering driving company. There is always 20%-30% great engineering team and cross-functional team to work together. Yes, I say only 20-30%
Cons
Too much politics and management team changes too much each year. Management not value great employee. It is hard to be promoted. Perhaps you need to work here over five years or longer... Employee likes to play games like leaving this company and jump back years later and will get much better salary and higher level career title. However, it is hard to be promoted and valued if you just work here loyally.
Advice to Management
1. Senior is not equal to old. Hiring more passionate and excellent younger employee especially business or supply chain function.
2. What would you make the company better if you hear that employee picks this company as it is good to wait for retire...It is not good, correct?
3. Very inefficient work process. You will always see that too many people work on one project and it becomes really inefficient.
Engineering in Flat panel: Display and Flexible Technology
Perform complex electro-mechanical technical functions and activities such as design, test, modification, troubleshooting of 5,5K ALD, 25K ALD, 10K Inductive Capacitive Coupling CVD, 5.5K PECVD and 100K CVD systems.
Test and troubleshooting system level and component level problems in electrical and mechanical systems and sub-systems.
Perform mechanical and electrical, pneumatic, heater, and vacuum and process testing on AMAT platforms.
Maintains a secure, safe, clean and healthy work environment. Attends required health and safety training and follow safety and security policies.
Familiar with building, leak checking and testing on Gas panel, RF generator for process and cleaning, RF match, Throttle valve, Z-drive motor, DI water and Galden heat exchanger fluid for Chemical Depositing systems.
Has developed proficiency in range of analytical process or procedure to carry out assigned tasks.
My day was spent mostly data-mining the inventory for finance, or finding new ways to rework outdated parts into new working parts. This required immaculate attention to detail and creativity to overcome the challenges of carrying unused inventory.
Management was more than helpful and practiced open-door policies that were used on occasion and greatly influenced the positive dynamic of the workplace. My coworkers and I often had lunches together and enjoyed friendship outside of work which increased productivity and flow in the workplace.
"Safety Celebrations" were very enjoyable for the whole office. If we went a quarter following all of our safety guidelines the company would pay for us to go do something fun, this included movies, Top Golf, dinner, etc. It was a great way to unwind after a hellacious quarter-end rush and consider a job well-done.
Prossafety celebrations, on-site breakfast and lunch, ESPP
During a typical work week, one of my biggest tasks is checking in on my staff and assessing their progress on various projects. I like to meet first thing on Monday to discuss our priorities for the week, then meet again in the middle of the week to check progress, and meet once at the end of the week to discuss goal setting for the next week. I meet with smaller groups of my staff during the middle of the week to troubleshoot any issues. For example, during a recent mid-week meeting, I noticed one team was a few days behind on a long-term project. I met with the team and, together, we came up with a strategy for increasing efficiency among the team. Along with constant interaction with my team, I also attend a weekly board meeting where I present my department’s progress to the executive board. On Fridays, once all these tasks are completed, I make sure I have completed all necessary communication for the week via email and in person, and create a list of priorities for next week
• Forecast Obsolescence of the Electrical / Electronic Components to avoid the line down situation and minimize part obsolescence risk.
• PCN/PDN processing, End of Life process, AML/AVL maintenance, vendor qualification.
• Finding Replacement/Alternate parts for the obsolete parts.
• Identification of RoHS Status for Components.
• Preparing Form Fit Function Reports for suggested replacements of obsolete parts.
• Cleansing, Updating and Maintaining the BoM’s.
• Release of new parts in Team Center
• Finding Inventory/Stock, MOQ, Lead time and Price of the parts depending upon requirement.
• Forecasted Supply, Demand and Engineering level of effort required for obsolete parts.
• Familiar with Obsolescence Management tools [Silicon Experts, Arrow, 4D online (I H S), Partminer, TPP].
Component Analysis
• Validation: Manufacturer Name, Manufacturer Part Number, Customer Part Number Validation from Approved Vendor list(AVL)
• Life Cycle Status: Finding status of the Part.
• Attributes: Gathering part specific parameters.
• Obsolescence Management: Provide information on new variants of components which are constantly replacing older versions, functionality of components used in their products and identify alternates/replacements using Form-Fit-Function reports.
• RoHS: Identify the RoHS status of the part, If Non-RoHS suggest RoHS replacement and provide other details such as Material declaration, Reflow temperature, MSL, Termination etc.
Questions And Answers about Applied Materials
Why did you leave your job at Applied Materials?
Asked Mar 23, 2017
Watch your back. Corruption and toxicity. Inmates running the asylum. Games with pay and benefits.
Answered Oct 17, 2019
After the dot-com bust, Applied Materials outsourced all most all of their technical IT personnel.
Answered Aug 3, 2019
How would you describe the pace of work at Applied Materials?
Asked Jun 13, 2018
Avoid unless you don’t have any other option.
Answered Dec 24, 2019
24-7. We supported an intranet of more than 20000 worldwide clients.
Answered Aug 3, 2019
What is Applied Materials sick leave policy? How many sick days do you get per year?
Asked Jan 20, 2017
Send a mail to your manager about your health issue, and they'll add 8 days of sick leave per every year which will add up each year if you haven't taken any at a max of 15 you can have.
Answered Jan 18, 2018
5 days...the policy need medical certificate
Answered Jun 7, 2017
How are the working hours at Applied Materials?
Asked Oct 19, 2016
If you get on shift the hours are great.
Answered Sep 28, 2017
8 to 12 hours if depend how urgent at customer site.
Answered Aug 1, 2017
On average, how many hours do you work a day at Applied Materials?
Asked Jul 23, 2019
Between eight and eleven hours a day
Answered Apr 16, 2020
Since, Applied Materials is widespread globally, we need to align with our suppliers and customers, especially, with Asian countries. I work almost 12 hour/day.
