Sr. Staff Materials Engineer, Semiconductor & Thin Films, Terafab

Description:
Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI are partnering to launch the most epic chip-building effort ever – combining logic, memory, and advanced packaging under one roof. Terafab will close the gap between today's chip production and the future's demand – a future among the stars.
The team is seeking a highly experienced Materials Engineer to serve as the senior technical authority on semiconductor and thin-film materials development. In this role, you will lead materials innovation from concept through high-volume manufacturing, defining strategy for materials selection, characterization, and qualification across thin-film deposition platforms. You will work cross-functionally with process engineering, device design, and reliability teams, translating fundamental materials understanding into product-level solutions.
This is a high-impact technical leadership role requiring deep expertise in semiconductor materials science and a track record of driving complex programs from research to production. This position requires up to 50% domestic travel.

Responsibilities:
Define and execute the materials engineering roadmap for semiconductor thin-film development, ensuring alignment with product and technology milestones
Lead root-cause analysis and failure investigations involving thin-film deposition, interface chemistry, and device-level degradation mechanisms
Serve as the primary technical resource for materials selection, process-structure-property relationships, and qualification of new material systems
Mentor and develop a team of materials engineers and characterization specialists; establish best practices for materials characterization workflows
Drive cross-functional collaboration with process engineering, device integration, and reliability teams to accelerate development cycles
Evaluate and introduce emerging materials platforms (complex oxides, nitrides, novel dielectrics) to address technology scaling challenges

Requirements:
Degree in Materials Science & Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, or a closely related field, or equivalent experience
12+ years of experience in semiconductor materials engineering, thin-film technology, or advanced materials R&D
Demonstrated expertise in multiple characterization techniques (TEM, XRD, XPS, SIMS, AFM, ellipsometry)
Deep knowledge of thin-film deposition processes (PVD, CVD, PECVD, ALD, sputtering) and their impact on microstructure and performance
Proven ability to lead technical teams and drive complex, multi-stakeholder projects from research to production
Excellent communication skills with the ability to distill complex materials science into actionable engineering guidance
Experience with Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) frameworks or computational materials screening is preferred
Familiarity with semiconductor fab environments and high-volume manufacturing constraints is preferred
Ability to travel up to 50%

Compensation & Benefits:
Benefits

Along with competitive pay, as a full-time Tesla employee, you are eligible for the following benefits at day 1 of hire:
Medical plans > plan options with $0 payroll deduction
Family-building, fertility, adoption and surrogacy benefits
Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plans, both have options with a $0 paycheck contribution
Company Paid (Health Savings Accounts) HSA Contribution when enrolled in the High-Deductible medical plan with HSA
Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
401(k) with employer match, Employee Stock Purchase Plans, and other financial benefits
Company paid Basic Life, AD&D
Short-term and long-term disability insurance (90 day waiting period)
Employee Assistance Program
Sick and Vacation time (Flex time for salary positions, Accrued hours for Hourly positions), and Paid Holidays
Back-up childcare and parenting support resources
Voluntary benefits to include: critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident insurance, theft & legal services, and pet insurance
Weight Loss and Tobacco Cessation Programs
Tesla Babies program
Commuter benefits
Employee discounts and perks program