AI/ML Research Scientist

About the role

About The Company

Applied Materials is a global leader in materials engineering solutions used to produce virtually every new chip and advanced display in the world. We design, build, and service cutting-edge equipment that helps our customers manufacture display and semiconductor chips - the brains of devices we use every day. As the foundation of the global electronics industry, Applied enables the exciting technologies that literally connect our world - like AI and IoT. If you want to push the boundaries of materials science and engineering to create next-generation technology, join us to deliver material innovation that changes the world.

About The Role

We are seeking a highly motivated and innovative AI/ML Research Scientist to join our dynamic team focused on applying advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to accelerate scientific discovery in materials science. In this role, you will develop, train, and optimize large language models and generative AI solutions tailored for scientific and materials data. Your work will directly impact the development of new materials, hardware designs, and scientific hypotheses, enabling our company to stay at the forefront of technological innovation. You will collaborate with scientists, engineers, and product teams to translate cutting-edge research into practical applications, fostering an environment of continuous learning and discovery. This is an excellent opportunity for someone passionate about leveraging AI to solve complex scientific problems and contribute to transformative advancements in materials engineering.

Qualifications

MS or Ph.D. degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, or a related field.

Strong background in machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, and generative AI, with a focus on scientific or technical domains.

Hands-on experience with large language model pretraining, supervised fine-tuning (SFT), post-training alignment techniques such as Reinforcement Learning with Human Feedback (RLHF), and rigorous model evaluation.

Proficiency in Python and deep learning frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow.

Experience working with structured and unstructured scientific data, including literature, experimental results, and simulation outputs, and developing domain-specific models.

Excellent communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across disciplines and present complex ideas clearly and effectively.

Responsibilities

Develop, pretrain, fine-tune, and align large language models and generative models tailored for scientific and materials science data, literature, and workflows.

Innovate post-training methods, alignment strategies, and evaluation protocols to ensure models are robust, accurate, and trustworthy for scientific applications.

Design and implement generative approaches to accelerate materials discovery, hypothesis generation, and hardware design processes.

Collaborate with scientists, engineers, and cross-functional teams to identify impactful applications of generative AI in materials science.

Build and curate scientific datasets, benchmarks, and evaluation protocols for model validation and continuous improvement.

Stay current with advances in AI, machine learning, and materials science, publishing original research in top venues to contribute to the scientific community.

Mentor junior team members and foster a collaborative, inclusive research environment that encourages innovation and knowledge sharing.

Benefits

Competitive salary range of $131,000 to $180,000 annually.

Supportive work culture that promotes learning, development, and career growth.

Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, and wellness programs.

Opportunities for participation in bonus and stock award programs.

Relocation assistance for eligible candidates.

Flexible work arrangements and a focus on work-life balance.

Access to cutting-edge tools and resources to support innovative research and development.

Equal Opportunity

Applied Materials is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment that values diversity and promotes equal opportunity for all employees.