Forward Deployed Engineer (AI Physics)

TL;DR

Forward Deployed Engineer (AI Physics): Building and optimizing physics-based simulations for advanced manufacturing to accelerate material and energy breakthroughs with an accent on end-to-end simulation workflows and customer integration. Focus on coupling numerical simulations with ML/RL for automated recipe optimization and solving complex physical process problems.

Location: On-site in Menlo Park or San Francisco, CA. Willingness to travel and spend extended time on-site in Taiwan is required.

Salary: $180,000–$250,000

Company

An AI and physical sciences company building state-of-the-art models to accelerate breakthroughs across materials, energy, and advanced manufacturing.

What you will do

• Own the end-to-end simulation workflow for customer engagements, from model setup to iterative recipe optimization.
• Build and debug physics-based simulations of complex processes, including multiphase flow and capillary dynamics.
• Collaborate with customer engineering teams on-site to translate simulation outputs into actionable process improvements.
• Partner with internal ML and RL teams to couple simulation outputs with LLM-driven recipe generation.
• Develop and extend simulation tooling in Python for job submission, parameter sweeps, and platform integration.
• Provide domain insights back to research and product teams to shape the next generation of the AI platform.

Requirements

• Strong foundations in numerical simulation of physical systems (fluid dynamics, heat transfer, etc.).
• Hands-on experience with PDE solvers, mesh generation, and debugging numerical instabilities.
• Proficiency in Python for scientific computing (NumPy, SciPy).
• Willingness to spend extended periods on-site with customers, including in Taiwan.
• Strong communication skills for translating computational models into manufacturing realities.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Nice to have

• Background in CFD with tools like OpenFOAM, ANSYS Fluent, or Star-CCM+.
• Experience in semiconductor or advanced packaging processes (underfill, flip-chip, etc.).
• Familiarity with physics-informed ML, surrogate modeling, or neural operators.
• Proficiency in Mandarin for collaboration in Taiwan.
• Experience in a lab or experimental environment.

Culture & Benefits

• Visa sponsorship available with full legal support.
• High-ownership role working at the frontier of AI for physical science.
• Opportunity to build a world-class team solving some of the hardest physical optimization problems.