Senior Software Engineer - Machine Control
Applied Materials
Santa Clara, CA · $128k–$176k a year · Posted October 29, 2026
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Where Santa Clara, CA ranks
Where Santa Clara, CA placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #1Best cities for sales pay after cost of living$175k · of 45
- #1Best cities for product pay after cost of living$224k · of 14
- #2Best cities for operations pay after cost of living$173k · of 41
- #2Best cities for marketing pay after cost of living$192k · of 16
- #2Best all-round cities for remote workers in the West Coast85 / 100 · of 39
- #3Best cities for finance pay after cost of living$156k · of 35
Rankings about engineering jobs
- Best cities for software and engineering jobs #1 San Francisco (3,412 openings)
- Best cities for engineering pay after cost of living #1 San Mateo ($216k)
- Most requested AI skills in engineering jobs #1 AI tools in daily work (6.1%)
- AI tools named most often in engineering jobs #1 Claude (1.7%)
- Employers with the most engineering jobs #1 Amazon (2,992 roles)
Pay compared with the market
This listing pays about $152,000 a year. Across 1,167 open senior software engineer listings that state pay, the middle half runs $166,000 to $222,000 and the median is $197,000. That is 23% below the median, below the middle half of those listings.
Listed pay is what employers advertise, not what people are paid.
Senior Software Engineer salaries by state · Check your own pay
How AI is used in this kind of work
Among software developers, AI is already used for some of the tasks. Measured exposure for software developers: 29% (some).
Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.
Skills this job asks for
Say which you have and which you want to build. We use it to match you to jobs like this one.
About the job
Who We Are
Applied Materials is the global leader in materials science and engineering solutions that are at the foundation of virtually every new semiconductor chip and advanced display in the world. The equipment that we create and service is essential to advancing AI and accelerating the commercialization of next-generation semiconductor chips. Join us and push the boundaries of materials science and engineering in a company at the foundation of the electronics industry. The work we do together advances the world’s technology.
What We Offer
Salary: $128,000.00 - $176,000.00
Location: Santa Clara,CA
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 .
Role Responsibilities:
Design and develop code for large scale complex software solutions for semiconductor equipment components and device with limited supervision
Lead and execute complex software projects
Define software specifications and test plan for test benches and the lab tools
Communicate with internal and external customers for requirement analysis, project schedule and software troubleshooting
Troubleshoot a wide range of complex, difficult software problems; perform tests on code and enhancements
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in computer science or related field, computer science, information management, software/system engineering, cyber security or mathematics
10–15 years of related experience
Preferred Qualifications:
Master’s degree in a related field
Extensive experience with project management and the Applied Materials product development life cycle
Leadership skills to lead moderate-sized projects as needed
Problem Solving
Ability to break down complex problems into smaller, manageable parts. This helps in understanding the root cause of issues and developing effective solutions .
Understanding and applying algorithms to solve problems efficiently. This includes knowledge of data structures and algorithms, which are fundamental to writing optimized code
Evaluating different solutions and approaches to determine the best course of action. This involves assessing the pros and cons of various options
Working effectively with other team members to solve problems. This includes clear communication and the ability to understand and incorporate feedback
Qualification and Requirements:
Proficiency in programming, particularly in Java or C# .
Experience with microservice architecture and related technologies.
Hands-on experience with AI-assisted and agentic software development , including tools such as Claude , and the ability to leverage agent-based workflows to improve software design, development, testing, and productivity.
Capability to collaborate with application and systems teams to understand system requirements and translate them into scalable software designs.
Strong computer science fundamentals, including Object-Oriented Programming (OOP), design patterns, data structures, and algorithms .
Strong software diagnostic, debugging, and troubleshooting skills.
Excellent analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and interpersonal communication skills.
Team-player mindset with a strong focus on collaboration and overall team success.
Experience working in the Semiconductor, Healthcare, or Medical Equipment industries is preferred.
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field , with 10+ years of software development experience .
Additional Information
Time Type: Full time
Employee Type: Assignee / Regular
Travel: Yes, 10% 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, 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.
In addition, 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 Accommodations_Program@amat.com, 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.