Director, Materials Development & Pathfinding

Micron Technology, Inc.; City of Albany (NY); On-site; USD 250,000 - 350,000; Full time

Job summary

Micron Technology, Inc. in Albany, NY seeks a Director of Materials Development & Pathfinding to lead the materials strategy, technology roadmap, and organizational development for next-gen memory technologies.

You will build and guide a world-class team focused on ALD/CVD, thin films, and materials integration, collaborating across Micron's technology groups and industry partners to accelerate innovation and deliver differentiated solutions.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related technical field, or equivalent experience.
• 15+ years of semiconductor technology development experience.
• Deep technical expertise in ALD, CVD, Thin Films, Diffusion, Epitaxy, Semiconductor Materials Science.
• Proven leadership of technical organizations and multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Successful development of advanced semiconductor process technologies from concept to implementation.
• Strong understanding of process integration and semiconductor materials interactions.

Responsibilities

• Define and implement long-term materials development and pathfinding roadmaps aligned to future memory and semiconductor technology needs.
• Lead Albany's Materials Strategy and technology roadmap.
• Oversee organizations focused on ALD, CVD, diffusion, epitaxy, and related materials processes.
• Drive materials exploration, precursor evaluation, and pathfinding initiatives.
• Build strategic ecosystem partnerships with universities, suppliers, and research institutes.
• Develop and lead a high-performance organization with a culture of innovation and execution.

Skills

Semiconductor materials science

ALD/CVD

Team leadership

Strategic roadmapping

Materials characterization

Education

Master's or PhD in Materials Science/Engineering or related field

Tools

AI/ML for materials research

Job description

Req ID: JR115560 Director, Materials Development & Pathfinding

Our vision is to transform how the world uses information to enrich life for all.

Micron Technology is a world leader in innovating memory and storage solutions that accelerate the transformation of information into intelligence, inspiring the world to learn, communicate and advance faster than ever.

Micron has an immediate need for a Director of Materials Development & Pathfinding at our Albany, NY location.

Our Vision

Micron is establishing Albany Nanotech as a premier Memory Technology Center focused on advanced technology development, ground-breaking pathfinding, and ecosystem collaboration. Located within the NY CREATES research environment, Albany serves as a strategic platform for enabling future DRAM, NAND, Advanced Packaging, Photonics, CMOS, and next-generation memory technologies through the integration of innovative process capabilities, advanced materials research, and industry-leading partnerships. Albany's mission includes advancing materials innovation, process development, supplier collaboration, and future technology exploration to accelerate Micron's technology leadership.

Position Summary

As Director of Materials Development & Pathfinding, you will lead Albany Nanotech's materials strategy, technology roadmap, and organizational development. You will build and lead a world-class team responsible for advanced materials research, thin films process development, and ground-breaking technology pathfinding initiatives that enable Micron's future product and technology roadmaps.

This organization will be responsible for developing and integrating materials technologies supporting future DRAM, NAND, Advanced Packaging, Photonics, and emerging device architectures. Areas of responsibility include Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), diffusion, epitaxy, thermal processing, selective deposition, advanced materials characterization, precursor evaluation, and novel materials exploration.

You will work across Micron's Technology Development organizations and with external research partners, universities, material suppliers, and equipment manufacturers to accelerate innovation and develop differentiated solutions for future memory technologies.

The successful candidate will combine deep technical expertise with strategic leadership and organizational development capabilities, creating an environment that advances radical materials and process innovation from concept through integrated technology demonstration and transfer readiness.

Responsibilities

Lead Albany's Materials Strategy

• Define and implement the long-term materials development and pathfinding roadmap aligned to future DRAM, NAND, CMOS, Advanced Packaging, BEOL, Photonics, and emerging technology requirements.
• Identify and prioritize radical materials opportunities capable of enabling future scaling, performance, power, reliability, and cost objectives.
• Establish strategic roadmaps for advanced dielectric, conductor, barrier, liner, thermal management, bonding, and emerging semiconductor materials.
• Drive alignment between exploratory research, technology development, and future manufacturing needs
• Lead the adoption of AI-enabled tools and analytics to accelerate materials discovery, optimize process development, and improve engineering decision-making.

Lead Materials Development Organizations

• Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD)
• Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)
• Diffusion
• Epitaxy
• Thermal Processing and Annealing
• Selective Deposition Technologies
• Thin Films Development
• Materials Integration and Characterization
• Develop robust process modules that support both pathfinding investigations and integrated technology demonstrations.
• Drive technology readiness and process capability improvements to enable future technology insertions.

Drive Materials Exploration & Pathfinding

• Establish advanced materials discovery programs supporting future memory and semiconductor technologies.
• Develop workflows for evaluating novel materials from concept through 300 mm wafer demonstration.
• Lead the assessment of new precursor chemistries, deposition approaches, and emerging materials systems.
• Sponsor high-risk, high-reward research initiatives capable of creating long-term competitive advantage.
• Advance foundational research efforts into practical technology development opportunities.

Build Strategic Ecosystem Partnerships

• Develop strong technical relationships with leading equipment suppliers, material providers, research institutions, and universities.
• Lead collaborative development programs focused on advanced materials, deposition technologies, and next-generation process solutions.
• Influence external technology roadmaps to align with future Micron requirements.
• Leverage Albany's unique innovation ecosystem to accelerate learning cycles and technology development.

Develop and Lead a High-Performance Organization

• Recruit, develop, and retain top technical talent in materials science and semiconductor process development.
• Build an inclusive, innovative, and execution-focused engineering culture.
• Establish organizational capabilities that support both near-term work and long-term technology exploration.
• Mentor technical leaders and develop the next generation of Micron technology experts.

Collaborate Across Micron Technology Development

• Process Integration
• Device Engineering
• Lithography
• Etch
• CMP
• Advanced Packaging
• Metrology and Characterization
• Equipment Development
• Research and Pathfinding Teams
• Manufacturing Technology Organizations

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related technical field, or equivalent experience.
• 15+ years of semiconductor technology development experience.
• Deep technical expertise in one or more of the following areas: Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), Thin Films, Diffusion, Epitaxy, Semiconductor Materials Science.
• Validated experience leading technical organizations and multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Demonstrated success developing advanced semiconductor process technologies from concept through implementation.
• Strong understanding of process integration and semiconductor materials interactions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting advanced DRAM, NAND, CMOS, BEOL, Advanced Packaging, Photonics, or emerging semiconductor technologies.
• Experience with advanced precursor development, materials screening, and materials characterization programs.
• Experience establishing and leading supplier co-development initiatives.
• Demonstrated success developing technologies within a pathfinding, research, or advanced development environment.
• Familiarity with advanced patterning, EUV, and High-NA enablement challenges.
• Strong record of innovation, publications, patents, and technology leadership.
• Experience working within collaborative research ecosystems involving universities, consortia, suppliers, and research institutes.
• Experience applying AI or machine learning to materials research, semiconductor process development, or engineering workflows.

Relocation Level: TBD

The US base salary range that Micron Technology estimates it could pay for this full-time position is:

• $0.00 - $0.00 a year

Additional compensation may include benefits, bonuses and equity. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target base pay for new hire salaries of the position across all US locations. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional job-related factors, including knowledge, skills, experience, tenure and relevant education or training. The pay scale is subject to change depending on business needs. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

As a world leader in the semiconductor industry, Micron is dedicated to your personal wellbeing and professional growth. Micron benefits are designed to help you stay well, provide peace of mind and help you prepare for the future. We offer a choice of medical, dental and vision plans in all locations enabling team members to select the plans that best meet their family healthcare needs and budget. Micron also provides benefit programs that help protect your income if you are unable to work due to illness or injury, and paid family leave. Additionally, Micron benefits include a robust paid time-off program and paid holidays. For additional information regarding the Benefit programs available, please see the Benefits Guide posted on Benefits | Micron Technology, Inc

Micron is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, citizenship status, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.