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:
$116,000.00 - $159,500.00
Location:
Austin,TX, 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.
Position Summary
The Supplier Account Manager IV for Rare Earths is responsible for developing and executing short-term and long-term sourcing, supplier, contracting, and risk-management strategies across rare-earth materials and related applications, including permanent magnets, electric motors, coatings, and other advanced material systems. This role requires a strong combination of technical knowledge, commercial judgment, and contracting experience to build a resilient, competitive, and scalable global supply base. The position works cross-functionally with Engineering, Quality, Operations, Legal, Finance, and business stakeholders to translate product and technology requirements into actionable supplier and commercial strategies.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and execute near-term and long-range category strategies for rare-earth materials, permanent magnets, motors, coatings, and related technologies, supported by a comprehensive understanding of the end-to-end rare-earth supply chain—from raw-material extraction, separation, refining, and alloying through component manufacturing and finished products.
- Assess global supply markets, capacity, cost drivers, geopolitical exposure, trade constraints, and supply-chain vulnerabilities; translate findings into sourcing and risk-mitigation plans.
- Identify, qualify, develop, and manage strategic suppliers across mining, separation, refining, alloying, magnet production, component manufacturing, and recycling value chains.
- Lead complex commercial negotiations and contracts, including pricing frameworks, supply commitments, capacity reservations, intellectual property, quality, liability, continuity, and performance provisions.
- Build should-cost, total-cost-of-ownership, scenario, and business-case analyses to support supplier selection and executive decisions.
- Partner with technical teams to define specifications, qualification requirements, product road maps, and supplier-development priorities.
- Establish supplier performance metrics and lead business reviews, corrective actions, capacity planning, and continuous-improvement initiatives.
- Develop dual-source, localization, inventory, recycling, and alternative-material strategies to improve resilience and reduce concentration risk.
- Coordinate cross-functional sourcing decisions and provide clear recommendations, risks, trade-offs, and approval requests to senior leadership.
- Maintain market intelligence on technology, pricing, regulation, sustainability, and emerging suppliers within the rare-earth ecosystem.
- Negotiates and manages the maintenance of agreements with suppliers that provide the structure for all business relationships between Applied Materials and the supply base.
- Engages with the PLC process to ensure alignment with the commodity strategies.
- Directs new supplier introduction and/or disengagement requirements to/from the Applied Materials supply base.
- Drives resolution to systemic supply chain issues affecting quality, cost, delivery or lead-time, which may include engagement with sub-tiers in the supply chain.
- Develops and presents high level cost reduction opportunities.
Functional Knowledge
- Demonstrates depth and/or breadth of expertise in own specialized discipline or field.
- Advanced knowledge of strategic sourcing, category management, supplier relationship management, negotiations, and contract lifecycle management.
- Technical understanding of rare-earth elements and the value chain from feedstock through separation, metals and alloys, magnets, motors, coatings, and finished components.
- Working knowledge of material specifications, manufacturing processes, supplier qualification, quality systems, and change-control requirements.
- Demonstrated experience working with machine shops and suppliers of machined parts and assemblies, including knowledge of machining and machined-parts manufacturing processes, supplier capabilities, cost drivers, quality requirements, and production constraints.
- Working knowledge of aluminum and steel raw materials, including material grades, specifications, forms, processing methods, availability, pricing drivers, and their application in machined components and assemblies.
- Demonstrated ability to negotiate and administer complex supply agreements, development agreements, confidentiality agreements, and commercial terms.
- Strong financial and analytical capability, including cost modeling, market analysis, forecasting, capacity analysis, and total-cost evaluation.
- Understanding of geopolitical, environmental, regulatory, responsible-sourcing, and trade-compliance considerations affecting critical minerals.
- Proficiency in supplier performance management, risk assessment, executive presentations, and cross-functional program management.
Business Expertise
- Interprets internal/external business challenges and recommends best practices to improve products, processes or services.
- Typically requires a bachelor’s degree in materials science, metallurgy, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, supply chain, business, or a related field; an advanced degree is preferred.
- Typically requires 10+ years of progressive experience in strategic sourcing, supplier management, commodity management, engineering, operations, or commercial contracting.
- Demonstrated experience developing and implementing global category strategies in technically complex, supply-constrained, or highly regulated markets.
- Proven record of managing high-value supplier relationships and achieving measurable improvements in cost, quality, delivery, capacity, innovation, and continuity.
- Ability to connect technology and product road maps with market dynamics, sourcing options, capital requirements, and long-term commercial commitments.
- Experience operating across regions and cultures and engaging suppliers at executive, commercial, and technical levels.
Leadership
- Leads cross-functional teams and aligns stakeholders without relying solely on formal authority.
- Builds credibility with technical experts, business leaders, legal partners, and supplier executives through fact-based recommendations and dependable execution.
- Sets clear strategy, priorities, decision criteria, and accountability for complex supplier and category initiatives.
- Communicates complex technical and commercial issues in concise, decision-oriented terms for executive audiences.
- Develops supplier capability and internal talent by sharing market knowledge, negotiation practices, analytical methods, and lessons learned.
- Demonstrates experience briefing senior executives and preparing concise, executive-level reports, presentations, business cases, and decision materials that clearly communicate strategy, risks, trade-offs, recommendations, and required actions.
- Demonstrates integrity, ownership, resilience, cultural awareness, and the ability to constructively challenge assumptions.
Problem Solving
- Leads others to solve complex problems; uses sophisticated analytical thought to exercise judgment and identify innovative solutions.
- Solves ambiguous, high-impact supply and commercial problems involving limited data, emerging technologies, long qualification cycles, and competing stakeholder priorities.
- Integrates technical, financial, legal, operational, and geopolitical inputs to develop practical recommendations and contingency plans.
- Uses structured analysis to evaluate supplier capability, capacity, cost, risk, scalability, and strategic fit across multiple scenarios and time horizons.
- Anticipates constraints and develops options before issues affect product development, production continuity, customer commitments, or financial performance.
- Exercises sound judgment in determining when to resolve issues independently and when to escalate decisions or risks to senior leadership.
Impact
- Impacts the achievement of customer, operational, project or service objectives; work is guided by functional policies.
- Shapes enterprise-level supply strategie