2027 Spring Particle Science (Defect) Co-op - Master's or Doctorate (Gloucester, MA)

Employer description

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

Location:

Gloucester,MA

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. 

Applied Materials’ Implant New Product Introduction Department is searching for a co-op to join our Particle Science team for Spring/Fall 2027! Our team develops particle defectivity learning, source identification methods, and mitigation strategies for advanced ion implantation systems used in leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing. This role will provide hands-on experience connecting materials science, surface analysis, wafer inspection, data analysis, and process engineering to solve real contamination-control problems. The position will entail the following: 

Support particle science investigations for ion implantation systems, including particle source tracking, wafer defect review, and correlation of defects to process conditions, tool hardware, and materials interactions. Support focused experiments and demonstrations through test planning, wafer processing, inspection/metrology, sample handling, and documentation. Analyze wafer inspection, metrology, and characterization data to identify trends, compare process conditions, and summarize findings for technical stakeholders. Integrate experimental observations with computational modeling to develop mechanistic insights into ion beam–material interactions and guide follow-up investigations. Lead a small development project focused on particle reduction, particle characterization, wafer metrology, contamination control, or process/materials learning. Collaborate with process, hardware, metrology, and lab teams, and communicate results, key findings, and recommended next steps through concise technical summaries, charts, and presentations. 
Start date: Spring (Jan 2027) or Fall 2027 for 6–9 months on-site at our Gloucester, MA location

Requirements 

Student must be pursuing a Master’s or Ph.D. degree program in Materials Science & Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, or a related field. Student must be in good academic standing at their university, with a preferred GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale. Strong interest in semiconductor processing, particle contamination, defectivity reduction, materials characterization, or process development. Experience with wafer inspection, optical/SEM review, metrology, surface analysis, cleanroom processing, or laboratory experimentation preferred. Experience with data analysis or programming tools such as Python, MATLAB, JMP, Excel, or similar software preferred. Familiarity with one or more computational methods—molecular dynamics, density functional theory (DFT), or machine learning—and relevant modeling or coding workflows preferred. Demonstrated ability to learn quickly, work safely in a laboratory environment, document work clearly, and communicate technical results.

Additional Information

Time Type:

Full time

Employee Type:

Intern / Student

Travel:

Yes, 10% 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 [email protected], or by calling our HR Direct Help Line at 877-612-7547, 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.