The Head – CTO Engineering at Applied Materials leads strategic technology development and product commercialization programs across global regions. This senior leadership role involves defining long-range engineering strategies aligned with corporate priorities and overseeing high-performing teams to develop disruptive technologies from concept through full-scale production. Key responsibilities include building technical expertise, collaborating with business units and external partners for rapid innovation, and ensuring alignment with customer needs and market demands. The ideal candidate has over 15 years of experience in leading large engineering organizations, a strong background in technology development and productization, and the ability to engage effectively with executive-level stakeholders. Advanced degrees in Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or related fields are preferred, along with expertise in managing complex programs and evaluating emerging technologies for commercial viability.
Define long-range engineering strategies for existing and new emerging product roadmaps.
Build high-performing engineering teams to support disruptive technology programs from concept through commercialization.
Partner with external stakeholders to accelerate learning and development of innovative programs.
Provide expert technical evaluation for assessing the feasibility and scalability of new technologies.
Direct senior engineering teams responsible for complex engineering program execution and commercialization.
Collaborate with operations teams to design and scale laboratory infrastructure for technology development.
Define performance metrics, KPIs, and success criteria for engineering initiatives.
What we're looking for
Over 15 years of engineering leadership experience in large, matrixed organizations.
Proven expertise in technology development and productization of disruptive programs.
Strong track record of collaborating with academic institutions and research partners.
Demonstrated ability to strategize and execute at executive levels within the company.
Advanced degree in Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or related field preferred.
Experience leading complex concept-to-commercialization engineering programs.
Deep expertise in evaluating emerging technology opportunities with technical diligence.
Market check
Salary context
This
$280,000–$385,000
range sits above
99%
of similar postings on FindRole.
Peer median band
$143,000–$239,600
Median floor and ceiling across peers.
Typical midpoint (25–75%)
$165,000–$214,500
Middle half of comparable postings.
Based on 240 comparable postings.*
* 240 is the maximum number of comparable postings sampled.
Employer
About Applied Materials
Applied Materials is the world''s largest supplier of equipment, services, and software for the semiconductor and display industries, enabling the production of chips and advanced displays. Industry: Semiconductor Equipment
Applied Materials currently has
65 open roles
on FindRole.
Listed pay typically runs
$141,000–$193,500
across 65 roles with salary data.
Locations El Segundo, California, US16 days ago
$86,800–$198,000
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