Succeeds in leveraging its scale but lacks agility - Senior Manager Applied Materials Employee Review

3.0
10 Oct 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Excellence in technology and ability to push the envelope in its key, moneymaking markets. If you work in the semiconductor or display areas, in certain product groups, life is relatively easy and you are personally rewarded for the group's success. Some people reading this may ask: easy? Yes, if you have worked in both sides of that coin, you would know what I'm talking about. Is a high technology engineering job that rewards in ways few engineering jobs can.

Cons

Conversely if you are in semi or display in an area that the company is struggling in, life is hell. You might do a spectacular job, and never be recognized for it. This is why people flow out of areas like etch or wet chemical products and try to get into the moneymaker groups. Your management or your group will be blamed for failures that could be cycle-related or due to the customer's desire to play AMAT against another supplier. You want the reverse to happen - you WANT the great star performers to take up the challenge of the struggling businesses. But after a short time at this company, it will be visibly and abundantly clear why people do not do this. Company is so dominant that oftentimes, your main competition/nemesis in the marketplace is another group in AMAT.

Explore other reviews about Applied Materials

5.0
15 Apr 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Friendliness Stock Purchase Benefits Culture Development

Cons

Hours Schedule Flexibility Relocation Salary

4.0
25 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Strong place to start your career. If you do the Fusion Program you will learn a lot. Good training and benefits. Amazing Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Coworkers are smart and grounded people.

Cons

Stingy with salary, raises, and promotions. The engineer roles are broken up into Jr and Senior so the title progression goes Engineer I, I Sr, II, II Sr, etc which slows career progression and pay. Only the CA office gets extra pay due to the expense of living there, even if the MA office is expensive.

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