New College Grad Physicist/Scientist (PhD - Santa Clara, CA_
$138,000 - $190,000 USD yearly
Originally posted 18 September 2026 by the employer.
About the role
This role involves scientific research and technology development in photonics, optics, optical metrology, and electromagnetic systems. The position applies physics-based principles, modeling, simulation, and experimental methods to develop innovative optical solutions.
What you'll do
- 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 experimental and measurement data to identify performance limitations 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.
What you'll need
- Ph.D. in Physics, Applied Physics, Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Photonics, or a related field.
- Strong background in optics, electromagnetics, or photonics.
- Experience with optical design and simulation tools (e.g., Zemax, Lumerical, COMSOL, FDTD/FEM platforms).
- Proficiency in scientific programming and data analysis.
- Demonstrated ability to translate scientific concepts into practical engineering solutions.
Skills: photonics, optics, optical metrology, electromagnetic systems, optical design and simulation
This role has been open 24 days — well below the 54-day median for Semiconductor Equipment Engineering roles.
Semiconductor Equipment Engineering · Optical Laser Systems
|
Open roles in category
42
|
Median days open
54 d
|
Median salary
$158k
|
See the full market breakdown ▾Category comparison, skills in demand, and who else is hiring
| Metric | Applied Materials | All employers we track in this specialty (42 roles · 10 employers) |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles in this specialty | 7 | 42 |
| Open roles in the wider Process, Fab & Equipment family | 1105 | 9854 · 109 employers |
| Median days open | 24 d | 54 d (−30 d vs this employer) |
| Median salary (USD postings) | — | $158k |
Skills observed across this category: photonics, optics, optical metrology, electromagnetic systems, optical design and simulation
Who's hiring in this category
- KLA Corporation · 14 open roles · median 124 d
- ASML · 9 open roles · median 10 d
- Applied Materials (this employer) · 7 open roles · median 24 d
- MKS Instruments · 6 open roles · median 105 d
- Aeva Technologies · 1 open role · median 69 d
- Camtek · 1 open role · median 112 d
How we counted: 42 open Semiconductor Equipment Engineering (Optical Laser Systems) roles from 10 employers tracked in the SemiconductorJobs index, counted 13 Oct 2026. Specialty figures count only roles carrying this exact specialty label, so an employer's related work in neighbouring specialties is not included there — it is counted in the wider Process, Fab & Equipment family row. Figures refresh nightly.