2026 Summer Physicist/Scientist Intern - PhD (Santa Clara, CA)

Who We Are

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. 

What We Offer

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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. 

2026 Summer Intern PhD Physicist/Scientist Computational Modeling/ML

Applied Materials is the leader in materials engineering solutions used to produce virtually every new chip and advanced display in the world. Our expertise in modifying materials at atomic levels and on an industrial scale helps our customers – who make smartphones, supercomputers, virtual reality headsets, autonomous vehicles and more – transform their ideas into reality. Our innovations Make Possible® a Better Future.

Applied Materials’ Computational Products and Solutions (CPS) group is seeking a highly motivated intern to join our team in Summer 2026. Our team develops state‑of‑the‑art multi‑physics models of Applied Materials process chambers and collaborates closely with internal product development teams to optimize designs for next‑generation semiconductor applications. We also develop and maintain ACE+, our commercial multi‑physics simulation platform used by leading technology companies worldwide.

As an intern in the Computational Products & Solutions group, you will contribute to the development and optimization of simulations and modeling tools supporting next‑generation semiconductor applications. The position will entail the following:

• Multiphysics simulation and modeling of Applied Materials chambers
• Workflow automation
• Develop pipelines for training machine learning surrogate models
• Perform testing and optimization of modeling software modules

Requirements

• Student must be pursuing a PhD degree program in Aerospace, Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical Engineering or a related field
• Student must be in good academic standing at their university, with a preferred GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale
• Programming experience (C/C++/Matlab/Python/Fortran etc)
• Experience with physics simulation software for fluids, plasma, or electromagnetic applications
• Ability to rapidly understand new physics and simulation frameworks
• Experience with plasma semiconductor processing technology preferred
• Experience with machine learning models and large data sets preferred

Applied Materials is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All 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. 

Additional Information

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The salary offered to a selected candidate will be based on multiple factors including location, hire grade, job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and with consideration of internal equity of our current team members. In addition to a comprehensive benefits package, candidates may be eligible for other forms of compensation such as participation in a bonus and a stock award program, as applicable.

For all sales roles, the posted salary range is the Target Total Cash (TTC) range for the role, which is the sum of base salary and target bonus amount at 100% goal achievement.

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.

In addition, Applied endeavors to make our careers site accessible to all users. If you would like to contact us regarding accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact us via e-mail at Accommodations_Program@amat.com, or by calling our HR Direct Help Line at 877-612-7547, option 1, and following the prompts to speak to an HR Advisor. This contact is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.