Difficult problems to solve but with politics - Software Engineer II Applied Materials Employee Review

4.0
Nov 8, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Fair compensation Great opportunity to make a difference for customers Can learn a lot from the smart people who work there Managers and co-workers care about you and your happiness

Cons

Government politics and red tape Waterfall methodology Slow to adopt new practices and technologies Understaffed Upper management doesn't care about attrition Mandatory unpaid training hours Benefits mediocre and declining

Explore other reviews about Applied Materials

5.0
Jul 18, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Fast paced, Intense, Problem solving

Cons

low pay, over hours, stressful

2.0
Apr 8, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Salary, I was compensated very well, the I hated working there so much that I resigned without anything even lined up. It was a good move for my mental health.

Cons

The leadership in general are not very intelligent, disorganized, and uncommunicative. They were decades behind in certain areas that lead to massive inefficiencies and overwork. (Out of respect I will not be specific). I suggested an improvement that would have taken task time down from 8 hours to virtually real time, but the executive Team, in their arrogance, did not allow me to implement the system. Sometime later, the cumbersome, unreliable system was not working and a deadline approaching. I worked 20 hours per day for 7 days and built an entire real time reporting system - then resigned. No one at AMAT was ever helpful. It always seemed an inconvenience to give a colleague outside ones group the time of day. I gained absolutely ZERO new skills or professional development at AMAT all my time there. Many of the employees at the time, including senior management, felt free to publicly express invectives against the current POTUS in their suffering TDS. Another reason I could not work in the environment. Rules for thee and not for me.

2
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