Senior Director, Operations

Applied Materials; Tempe (AZ); On-site; USD 200,000 - 275,000; Full time

Job summary

Applied Materials is looking for a Senior Director of Operations in Tempe, Arizona, to lead manufacturing operations and drive enterprise transformation initiatives. This pivotal role encompasses overseeing safety, quality, delivery, cost, and customer satisfaction while fostering innovation.

The successful candidate will have a minimum of 15 years in manufacturing leadership, with a deep understanding of advanced manufacturing processes and operational excellence. A Bachelor's degree in a relevant field is required, while a Master's degree or MBA is preferred.

With a salary range of $200,000 to $275,000, we offer an opportunity to drive impactful change in a leading global company.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of manufacturing leadership experience in advanced manufacturing.
• Expertise in complex environments, quality systems, and operational excellence.
• Experience in automation and digital transformation.

Responsibilities

• Lead manufacturing operations and enterprise transformations.
• Own manufacturing performance across safety, quality, and cost.
• Develop strategies that support business growth and technological advancements.

Skills

Manufacturing leadership

Process optimization

Quality assurance

Data-driven decision-making

Operational excellence

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Materials Science, or Operations Management

Master’s degree and/or MBA preferred

Job description

Who We Are

Applied Materials is a global leader in materials engineering solutions used to produce virtually every new chip and advanced display in the world. We design, build and service cutting‑edge equipment that helps our customers manufacture display and semiconductor chips – the brains of devices we use every day. As the foundation of the global electronics industry, Applied enables the exciting technologies that literally connect our world – like AI and IoT. If you want to push the boundaries of materials science and engineering to create next‑generation technology, join us to deliver material innovation that changes the world.

What We Offer

• Salary: $200,000.00 – $275,000.00
• Location: Tempe Spares Mfg, AZ

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.

What You’ll Do

The Senior Director of Operations is responsible for leading manufacturing operations and enterprise transformation initiatives across safety, quality, delivery, cost, customer satisfaction, innovation, and workforce development. This executive role provides end‑to‑end ownership of the manufacturing value chain, including materials qualification, production processes, quality assurance, supply chain integration, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.

This role reports to the Vice President / General Manager and leads manufacturing, operations engineering, quality, continuous improvement, production planning, and associated support functions.

Mission: Build and scale a world‑class manufacturing organization capable of supporting long‑term growth, operational excellence, customer success, and industry‑leading performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership across advanced manufacturing operations and production facilities.
• Own end‑to‑end manufacturing performance, including safety, quality, delivery, inventory management, cost, and customer satisfaction.
• Lead operational transformation through automation, digital manufacturing, advanced analytics, artificial intelligence applications, and smart factory initiatives.
• Develop and execute manufacturing strategies that support business growth, capacity expansion, and future technology roadmaps.
• Lead supplier quality management, material qualification programs, and process control systems.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives utilizing Lean, Six Sigma, throughput optimization, yield improvement, and operational excellence methodologies.
• Develop organizational capability through leadership development, coaching, succession planning, and talent management.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement across the organization.
• Partner cross‑functionally with engineering, supply chain, sales, and product teams to drive business objectives and customer success.

Required Experience

• 15+ years of manufacturing leadership experience within advanced manufacturing, engineered materials, industrial technology, precision manufacturing, or related industries.
• Demonstrated expertise in complex manufacturing environments involving highly controlled processes, quality systems, and operational excellence disciplines.
• Experience leading multi‑step production, processing, assembly, inspection, and quality assurance operations.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing process optimization, material performance characteristics, quality control, and production scalability.
• Experience implementing automation, digital transformation, data‑driven decision‑making, and advanced manufacturing technologies.
• Proven track record of improving operational performance, productivity, quality, and customer outcomes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Materials Science, Operations Management, or a related technical discipline.
• Master’s degree and/or MBA preferred.
• 15+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience.
• 8+ years leading large‑scale, multi‑site, or highly complex manufacturing organizations.
• Demonstrated success driving operational transformation, capacity expansion, automation deployment, and business growth.
• Strong financial, operational, and strategic leadership capabilities.

Additional Information

Time Type: Full time.

Employee Type: Assignee / Regular.

Travel: Yes, 25% 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, and 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. 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 [e-mail], 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.