New College Grad Physicist/Scientist (PhD)
Applied MaterialsJob Title
New College Grad Physicist/Scientist (PhD)
Role Summary
Conduct research and develop optical and photonic technologies for semiconductor equipment products. Work with cross-disciplinary engineering teams to translate physics-based models and experimental results into integrated optical solutions and measurement systems.
Position is based in Santa Clara, CA; relocation eligible for qualified candidates.
Experience Level
Entry-level - targeted to new college graduates with a Ph.D. (recent doctoral graduates preferred).
Responsibilities
Conduct experimental and modeling work to develop optical systems and metrology for product integration.
- Design, develop, and characterize optical and photonic systems, components, and architectures.
- Perform modeling and simulation of optical, electromagnetic, and photonic phenomena.
- Design and execute experiments to validate theoretical predictions and system performance.
- Analyze measurement data to identify performance limits and optimization opportunities.
- Develop novel optical metrology and sensing approaches.
- Collaborate with hardware, software, systems, and product engineering teams to integrate optical technologies into products.
- Contribute to invention disclosures, patents, and technical leadership.
- Document and present technical findings in reports, presentations, and design reviews.
- Engage with academic, industrial, and research partners on advanced technology development.
Requirements
Must-have technical skills and experience; followed by concise nice-to-have items.
- Must-have: Strong background in optics, electromagnetics, or photonics.
- Must-have: Experience with optical design and simulation tools (examples: Zemax, Lumerical, COMSOL, FDTD/FEM platforms).
- Must-have: Proficiency in scientific programming and data analysis (e.g., Python, MATLAB, or equivalent).
- Must-have: Demonstrated ability to translate scientific concepts into practical engineering solutions.
- Must-have: Strong written and verbal communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- Nice-to-have: Experience in integrated or silicon photonics, optical metrology, interferometry, imaging, fiber optics, or laser systems.
- Nice-to-have: Background in computational optics, electromagnetic modeling, nanophotonics, or machine learning applied to optical system design.
- Nice-to-have: Experience with experimental optical metrology, instrument design, or prior invention/patent activity.
Education Requirements
Ph.D. in Physics, Applied Physics, Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Photonics, or a related field (explicitly targeted to new college graduates with a Ph.D.).
About the Company
Company: Applied Materials
Headquarters: Santa Clara, CA, United States
Global leader in materials engineering solutions for the semiconductor and display industries, designing, manufacturing, and servicing equipment used to produce chips and advanced displays worldwide. Enables customers' production of semiconductor devices and display technologies and supports innovations like AI and IoT.
