As a Manufacturing Engineer, you are responsible for developing and maintaining methods, operating sequences, and processes in the fabrication of parts, components, subassemblies, and final assemblies. You'll work closely with other engineering functions to coordinate the release of product improvements and new products, and you'll use engineering principles to estimate and reduce manufacturing costs, improve product quality, determine time standards, and make recommendations for tooling and process requirements. Your expertise in lean principles, automation, and continuous improvement will be instrumental in driving operational excellence and achieving higher levels of productivity and cost-effectiveness. You'll develop and use test procedures, evaluate test results, and assess work methods, procedures, and policies to identify root cause issues and solutions that ensure operational success.
Job SummaryApplied Materials is seeking a Weld Engineer to own weld process development, qualification, and continuous improvement for precision mechanical, vacuum, and gas/chemical delivery assemblies used in semiconductor manufacturing equipment. This role partners with design engineering, quality, and manufacturing to develop robust weld procedures, qualify welders and equipment, troubleshoot production issues, and drive root-cause corrective action for weld-related defects, all within a high-purity, ultra-clean fabrication environment.
Key Responsibilities- Develop, qualify, and document Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS) and Procedure Qualification Records (PQR) for orbital GTAW, manual GTAW, and other applicable welding processes on stainless steel and specialty alloys.
- Define and validate weld parameters (current, travel speed, purge, filler selection) for new product introductions and design changes, in partnership with mechanical and product design engineering.
- Lead welder and welding-operator performance qualification (WPQ) programs; evaluate and certify welders/orbital equipment against internal and industry standards.
- Investigate weld-related nonconformances and field failures; perform root-cause analysis (e.g., fishbone, 5-why, DOE) and implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
- Specify and review nondestructive and destructive testing (NDT/DT) methods, including dye penetrant, radiographic, helium leak, and cross-section/metallurgical evaluation, to verify weld integrity.
- Collaborate with suppliers and internal manufacturing teams to resolve weld quality issues and drive process capability (Cpk) improvements.
- Support new equipment and tooling qualification for orbital welding heads, power supplies, purge systems, and fixturing.
- Author and maintain engineering specifications, work instructions, and training materials related to welding processes and cleanliness requirements.
- Support cost reduction, cycle-time reduction, and yield improvement initiatives across fabrication lines.
- Ensure compliance with applicable codes and standards (ASME Section IX, AWS D1.1/D1.6, SEMI, customer-specific specifications) and support internal/external audits.
Education & Experience- Bachelor's degree in Welding Engineering, Materials Science/Metallurgical Engineering, or a related field required; advanced degree a plus.
- Typically 2-4 years of relevant experience in welding/joining engineering, manufacturing engineering, or process engineering, ideally in semiconductor, aerospace, medical device, or other high-purity/high-precision manufacturing industries.
- Demonstrated experience developing and qualifying WPS/PQR documentation and leading welder qualification programs.
- Prior experience with orbital and manual GTAW welding of stainless steel and exotic alloys (e.g., Hastelloy, Inconel) is required.
Certifications & Technical Qualifications- Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) preferred; Certified Welding Engineer (CWEng) or progress toward CWEng a plus.
- Working knowledge of ASME Section IX, AWS D1.1/D1.6, and SEMI high-purity gas/chemical delivery standards.
- Familiarity with NDT methods (PT, RT, helium leak testing) and interpretation of metallurgical cross-sections.
- Experience with root-cause and quality tools such as 8D, FMEA, DOE, and statistical process control (SPC).
- Proficiency with CAD/PLM tools (e.g., SolidWorks, Creo, Windchill) and standard MES/ERP systems a plus.
Skills & Abilities- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate metallurgical and process data into practical manufacturing solutions.
- Solid understanding of materials science, metallurgy, and heat-affected-zone behavior in stainless steel and specialty alloys.
- Effective cross-functional communicator, able to work with design engineering, quality, supply chain, and production teams.
- Comfortable working hands-on with welding equipment and operators on the shop floor as well as at a desk generating engineering documentation.
- Self-directed with strong project management skills; able to prioritize across multiple concurrent initiatives.
Work Environment- Role is based primarily on-site to support welder qualification, process trials, and shop-floor troubleshooting, with some flexibility for hybrid work depending on business needs.
- Requires occasional presence in fabrication shop and cleanroom-adjacent environments; use of PPE (safety glasses, welding shade lenses, gloves) as required when observing or conducting weld trials.
- Some domestic and limited international travel to support supplier qualification and multi-site manufacturing.
Additional Information- Travel: Yes, up to 15% of the time.
- Relocation: Eligible for this position.
- Full-time employees are eligible for a comprehensive benefits package including medical/dental/vision coverage, 401(k) with company match, employee stock purchase plan, and paid time off, plus eligibility for bonus and stock award programs as applicable.
Additional InformationTime Type:Full time
Employee Type:Assignee / Regular
Travel:Yes, 10% of the Time
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.
