Not for the faint hearted - Senior Member of Technical Staff Applied Materials Employee Review

3.0
Jan 10, 2012
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Very high pace of work and technical demands - challenging - you work on the cutting edge and AMAT is actively looking for new business areas to pursue. Some mix of the good qualities of a big company (institutions and internal functions work OK, overall consistency of workforce is OK - few idiots hired, year to year performance is solid) with some of the good qualities of a small company (people are actively looking for new business and feel connected to the bottom line). The AMAT name goes a long way when talking to suppliers and vendors and that makes you more effective.

Cons

Hire and fire culture still exists in 2011-2012, ten years after the bust. Forced shutdowns means vacation time is eaten up. You have job security if you move around in the company and look for opportunities inside. If you stick in the same spot you will eventually get RIF'ed no matter what your competency. Huge turnover rate means you get people coming and going and coming back all the time. Causes AMAT to have a bad rep sometimes when the person who is about to leave just drops the supplier/vendor relationship like a lead balloon.

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5.0
Apr 15, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Friendliness Stock Purchase Benefits Culture Development

Cons

Hours Schedule Flexibility Relocation Salary

4.0
Jun 24, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good health insurance, pay is just enough to not quit, 4% 401k contribution gives 3% match, stock purchase program is 15% discount no annually. Work is hit and miss, sometimes your left to struggle and there very little support, other times things are planned out and well executed. This company promotes from within more often than not so there is a ladder to climb. The work is 12hr shifts which is good for long weekends, but if things are busy with lots of projects you will be asked to come in for overtime. 60hr weeks 2x a month is very common. You can say no, but it’s discouraged in a few ways 😉

Cons

Management is very hit and miss, for the last decade we’ve had the avg stay of a manger <1yr. If you have a good one, they get burnt out from unreasonable expectations, and if you have a bad one they’re so disconnected you get nothing out of it. As a whole, due to leadership being promoted from within they tend to be very resistant to making any changes to their system because it worked a decade ago. This industry moves rapidly, because it was the best a decade ago does not mean it’s the best today. The raise structure is silly. Every year they’ve changed to it to have more disconnect from you and the people who approve raises. Most managers claim they’re told how much each employee is getting from someone that the employee is never met, and then have to argue over how to distribute an additional 5% over the entire team. This means if you work as hard as you can, and really stand out from your peers, you can get an additional 2% for an annual raise and your manager will claim that the best possible.

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