Director, Physicist/Scientist - Lasers

About the Role

Applied Materials is the global leader in materials science and engineering solutions at the foundation of virtually every new semiconductor chip and advanced display. This role drives long-term laser and optics technology strategy and leads new product development for next-generation laser annealing platforms.

Key Responsibilities

• Technology Strategy & Vision: Define long-term laser and optics technology roadmaps supporting advanced logic, DRAM, power devices, specialty semiconductors, and advanced packaging. Identify emerging laser, optics, sensing, and thermal processing technologies. Establish technical investment priorities aligned with customer and product roadmaps. Drive strategic make-versus-buy decisions for laser, optics, metrology, and subsystem technologies.
• New Product Development: Lead development of next-generation laser annealing platforms. Define system architectures for high-power laser subsystems, beam shaping and homogenization optics, optical delivery systems, wafer temperature metrology, pyrometry systems, optical sensing and diagnostics, and laser safety and stray-light management. Drive proof-of-concept demonstrations through production deployment. Lead technical risk assessments and architecture trade studies.
• Installed Base Support & Continuous Product Improvement (CIP): Own laser and optics technical strategy for currently released products. Drive continuous improvement programs focused on productivity, reliability, availability, cost reduction, serviceability, yield improvement, and process performance. Lead root-cause investigations for critical field issues and customer escalations. Develop corrective and preventive actions for recurring product issues. Identify opportunities for hardware, software, and process upgrades across the installed base. Cross-functional interfaces include Product Management, Process, Systems Engineering, Manufacturing, Service, Quality, Supply Chain, EHS/Laser Safety, and Customer Engineering.
• Supplier Management & Strategic Partnerships: Serve as executive technical interface to laser manufacturers, optical suppliers, coating vendors, and metrology suppliers. Develop supplier technology roadmaps aligned with future product requirements. Evaluate supplier capabilities, technology readiness, and risk. Lead technical supplier reviews and joint development programs. Drive component performance, reliability, and cost improvements through supplier engagement. Support supplier qualification and sourcing decisions. Establish strategic partnerships that provide sustainable competitive advantage.
• External Engineering Partner Leadership: Direct and oversee third-party engineering services companies engaged in optical, laser, mechanical, controls, and systems development activities. Develop statements of work, technical requirements, deliverables, and acceptance criteria. Lead technical reviews including requirements reviews, concept reviews, Preliminary Design Reviews (PDR), Critical Design Reviews (CDR), and qualification reviews. Ensure external developments meet performance, schedule, quality, and cost objectives. Coordinate activities across internal and external engineering teams. Provide technical leadership while maintaining accountability for final system performance.
• Laser & Optical Systems Leadership: Lead development and optimization of fiber laser systems, diode laser systems, beam delivery systems, beam shaping optics, diffractive optical elements (DOE), refractive optical elements (ROE), homogenizers, polarization control systems, optical coatings, stray-light mitigation systems, in-situ optical diagnostics, and wafer temperature measurement systems.
• Customer & Business Engagement: Engage directly with strategic semiconductor customers to understand future device and process requirements. Support executive customer reviews and technical roadmap discussions. Translate customer requirements into product and technology development plans. Provide technical leadership during customer escalations and critical issue resolution.
• Innovation & Intellectual Property: Generate and champion invention disclosures and patent filings. Build strategic intellectual property portfolios in laser processing, optics, metrology, and thermal processing. Lead technical due diligence activities related to acquisitions, partnerships, and technology evaluations. Publish and present technical work internally and externally when appropriate.
• Organizational Leadership: Leads direct report in a matrix team and managing external partners while providing technical leadership. Mentor physicists, optical engineers, systems engineers, and technologists. Establish technical standards and best practices throughout the organization. Influence technical direction of laser annealing roadmap. Act as a recognized company expert in laser annealing and optical systems.

Critical Success Metrics

• New product introduction success
• Installed-base reliability improvements
• Customer satisfaction and escalation closure
• Laser and optics cost-reduction achievements
• Supplier technology and quality performance
• Patent generation and innovation impact
• Third-party development effectiveness
• Technology roadmap development and execution
• Team technical capability growth
• Reliability/availability improvement
• Qualification cycle-time reduction
• Supplier quality improvement
• Patents/patent disclosures

Preferred Experience

• Laser annealing, laser spike annealing, or millisecond annealing systems
• High-power lasers (kW-class)
• Advanced optical system design for high power lasers
• Semiconductor capital equipment
• Laser safety systems
• Wafer temperature metrology and pyrometry
• Strategic supplier management
• Management of outsourced engineering development team

Pay

$210,000.00 - $289,000.00

Schedule

Full time, assignee/regular, with 10% travel required. Relocation eligible.