Global Supply Chain Rotational Program, New

About the Role

Applied Materials is the global leader in materials science and engineering solutions for the semiconductor and advanced display industries. This 30-month rotational program offers a blended learning environment with mentorship, job shadowing, and networking opportunities, providing high-level visibility and impact within a global manufacturing organization.

Program Overview

The 30-month Supply Chain MBA Development Rotational Program includes:

• Rotations through Purchasing/Sourcing, Project/Program Management, and Supplier Account Management over 18 months.
• A 12-month "Final Placement" role, potentially as a Materials Project Manager or Supplier Business Manager, based on business needs and individual performance.
• Development and refinement of technical and business skills for success in the Supply Chain organization.

Position Details

During rotations, participants will have full-time responsibility, which may include:

• Issuing RFQs, analyzing proposals, negotiating prices, executing orders, and ensuring delivery for New Product Integration/Commercialization.
• Developing strategies to procure components at the lowest cost while considering quality, reliability, and urgency.
• Assisting with the development, alignment, and implementation of commodity strategies across Applied Business Units.
• Forecasting and communicating engineering, materials, and manufacturing requirements to suppliers.
• Performing make versus buy analysis to provide input for outsourcing decisions.
• Coordinating demand signals through MRP to minimize inventory exposure.
• Coordinating product development process deliverables through matrix management of buyers, planners, and production control.
• Collaborating with the engineering team to interpret engineering requirements.
• Assisting in supplier price and delivery negotiations.
• Utilizing preferred supplier selection and assessment processes.
• Completing supplier risk assessments on critical and unique parts.
• Monitoring supplier performance (delivery, quality, and cost).
• Managing the materials change control process.
• Meeting cost objectives and resolving quality issues.
• Generating and publishing Key Process Indicators.
• Tracking total landed costs targets.
• Working with engineering to identify preliminary critical parts, long-lead parts, and inspection requirements.
• Assisting in developing supplier and commodity road maps for engineering.
• Mediating and partnering with quality and engineering teams to resolve supplier quality issues.
• Escalating issues to relevant paths (Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Technical Program Management, Finance) as needed.
• Using standard tools, dashboards, and BKMs to assess supplier capability, capacity, ability to support rapid prototyping, volume manufacturing, and vertical integration for sustainable sourcing decisions.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Candidates must be prepared to complete the full 30-month program.
• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) technology exposure required; hands-on experience preferred.
• Data analytics skills (e.g., advanced Excel, working with multiple data sets for decision-making).
• Ability to interpret engineering drawing specifications/requirements to source parts aligning with sourcing strategy and supplier capabilities.

Qualifications

• Graduating with an MBA in Supply Chain Management coupled with a technical undergraduate degree.
• Must be in good academic standing with a preferred GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale.
• Ability to communicate difficult concepts and negotiate with others.
• Ability to exercise judgment based on the analysis of multiple sources of information.
• Previous experience in Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations, Manufacturing, or Project Management is a plus.
• Certifications such as Six Sigma Green Belt, APICS CPIM, APICS CSCP, PMP are a plus.
• Flexible and adaptable mindset who thrives in a results-driven culture.

Additional Information

• Salary: $101,000.00 - $139,000.00
• Location: Santa Clara, CA
• Time Type: Full time
• Employee Type: New College Grad
• Travel: Yes, 10% of the Time
• Relocation Eligible: Yes
• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Please apply by October 31, 2026.
• Note: This position may close early based on application volume or candidate selection.