GC-MS Engineer III (E3)

Who We Are

Applied Materials is the global leader in materials science and engineering solutions that are at the foundation of virtually every new semiconductor chip and advanced display in the world. The equipment that we create and service is essential to advancing AI and accelerating the commercialization of next-generation semiconductor chips. Join us and push the boundaries of materials science and engineering in a company at the foundation of the electronics industry. The work we do together advances the world’s technology. 

What We Offer

Salary:

$138,000.00 - $190,000.00

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.  

SUMMARY

We are seeking an experienced GC-MS Engineer to support cleanliness qualification and optics lifetime initiatives for semiconductor capital equipment. This role independently operates GC-MS (and related outgassing analysis techniques) to identify and quantify molecular contamination — hydrocarbons, siloxanes, phthalates, and other outgassing species — that degrade optics performance, cause haze/damage, or compromise tool cleanliness specifications. The ideal candidate works autonomously to design test protocols, execute experiments on materials and subsystems, analyze chromatograms, interpret complex spectral data, and drive root-cause investigations with cross-functional engineering teams. The candidate must be capable of owning testing programs end-to-end with minimal oversight.

Role RESPONSIBILITIES

Instrument Operation & Method Ownership

·         Independently operate GC-MS systems, including headspace GC-MS and thermal desorption GC-MS (TD-GC-MS), for material outgassing and cleanliness analysis

·         Own instrument qualification, calibration, tuning, and preventive maintenance schedules without requiring supervisory sign-off

·         Diagnose and resolve instrument issues (sensitivity drift, column degradation, contamination carryover, tuning failures) independently, escalating only vendor-level hardware failures

·         Manage consumables, standards, and reference materials inventory for the lab

Test & Experiment Design

·         Design and execute outgassing test protocols for materials, components, and subassemblies (e.g., per ASTM E595, IPC-TM-650, or internal cleanliness specifications) used in tool chambers and near critical optics

·         Develop sampling strategies to correlate molecular contamination levels with optics degradation mechanisms (e.g. haze formation, transmission loss, coating damage)

·         Design accelerated aging/bake-out studies to predict long-term outgassing behavior and material qualification for new builds or vendor changes

·         Establish acceptance criteria and test matrices for incoming material and part and/or sub-assembly qualification, in collaboration with optics and process engineering teams

·         Determine appropriate sample prep and desorption parameters (bake temperature, dwell time, purge/trap conditions) tailored to material type (polymers, adhesives, , lubricants, and metals)

Data Analysis & Root Cause Investigation

·         Interpret chromatograms and mass spectra to identify contaminant species (siloxanes, phthalates, hydrocarbons, amines, and other volatile/semi-volatile organic compounds) at trace/ultra-trace levels

·         Perform quantitative analysis against calibration standards and library-based qualitative identification (NIST/Wiley)

·         Lead root-cause investigations connecting GC-MS findings to field failures, optics lifetime shortfalls, or excursions in cleanliness monitoring

·         Correlate GC-MS data with complementary techniques (FTIR, TOC, SEM/EDX, etc. ) as part of a broader contamination control toolkit

·         Track trends across builds, lots, or suppliers to flag emerging contamination risks proactively

Reporting & Cross-Functional Communication

·         Prepare clear, engineering-grade reports and present findings to optics engineering, process engineering, supplier quality, and program management

·         Translate analytical data into actionable material/process recommendations (e.g., material substitution, bake-out process changes, supplier corrective action)

·         Support Failure Analysis (FA) teams and Material Review Board (MRB) activities with data-driven input

·         Maintain rigorous documentation supporting internal specs, supplier qualification packages, and customer-facing cleanliness compliance requirements

·         Mentor junior lab staff or technicians on GC-MS operation and outgassing test methodology as needed

Compliance & Lab Operations

·         Ensure lab practices align with internal contamination control specifications and, where applicable, industry standards (SEMI standards, ASTM outgassing methods)

·         Maintain data integrity, traceability, and audit-readiness for supplier and customer audits

·         Follow safety protocols for handling solvents, calibration gases, and hazardous materials

Minimum QUALIFICATIONS

·         BS with 3+ years of experience or MS with 1+ years of experience or PhD in Chemistry, Material Sciences, Chemical Engineering, or related technical field.

·         3~7+ years of hands-on GC-MS experience, ideally including dynamic headspace thermal desorption GC-MS

·         Demonstrated experience designing outgassing or material cleanliness test protocols (ASTM E595, IPC-TM-650, or equivalent internal methods)

·         Proven ability to work independently — designing experiments, troubleshooting instrumentation, standard quantification and routine calibration, and driving investigations without close supervision

·         Strong working knowledge of molecular contamination sources relevant to precision optics (siloxanes, plasticizers/phthalates, hydrocarbons, low-molecular-weight polymers)

·         Proficiency with GC-MS data software (MassHunter, ChemStation, Xcalibur, or equivalent) and library searching (NIST/Wiley)

·         Excellent written/verbal communication for cross-functional engineering audiences

Preferred QUALIFICATIONS

·         Experience in semiconductor capital equipment, precision optics, aerospace, or other industries with stringent outgassing/cleanliness requirements

·         Familiarity with SEMI standards related to contamination control (e.g., SEMI F21, F72, or facility/tool cleanliness specs)

·         Experience correlating molecular contamination data with optics performance metrics (haze, transmission, coating lifetime)

·         Working knowledge of complementary analytical techniques: SPME GC-MS, FTIR, TOC analysis, Ion Chromatography, particle counters, surface contamination analysis (XPS, XRF, TOF-SIMS, etc.)

·         Statistical analysis skills (Minitab, JMP) or scripting (Python/R) for trend analysis and DOE

·         Experience supporting supplier qualification or new product introduction (NPI) programs

Core Competencies

Competency

Description

Technical Autonomy

Designs, executes, and troubleshoots testing programs with minimal oversight

Analytical Depth

Identifies trace-level contaminants and connects them to physical failure mechanisms

Systems Thinking

Understands how material chemistry links to optics degradation and tool-level cleanliness

Cross-Functional Influence

Drives engineering decisions through clear, credible data presentation

Rigor & Documentation

Sustains audit-ready, traceable data suitable for supplier/customer scrutiny

Working Environment

·         Cleanroom or controlled-environment lab setting

·         Occasional collaboration with optics, process, and supplier quality engineering teams across sites

·         May require handling of customer- or supplier-provided materials under confidentiality agreements