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AR Waveguide Design Engineer

Job ID
R2618066
Date posted
04/18/2026
Location
Santa Clara, CA
Category
Engineering

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

Salary:

$138,000.00 - $190,000.00

Location:

Santa Clara,CA

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

Within the Office of the CTO, the Photonics Platforms Business is a pioneer in the manufacturing and commercialization of integrated nano-photonic devices for applications in imaging, sensing and displays.   We are harnessing the power of Applied Material’s world-leading material science and nano-fabrication capabilities to enable the next generation of photonic devices.

We are seeking a full-time Waveguide Design Engineer with experience in nanophotonic modelling, design, and fabrication, to develop the next generation AR products with unrivalled performance.

This position requires an MS or PhD in photonics, optics, physics, or related field. Candidates must have a strong background in nanophotonic design, hands-on lab experience, and expertise with optical materials and fabrication methods. Previous experience working on product development and familiarity with optimization techniques is advantageous.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Utilize a comprehensive suite of custom waveguide design tools to identify new directions of hardware development
  • Collaborate with fabrication teams to most effectively optimize designs for realistic production
  • Develop new tools for enhancing photonic modelling and design capabilities
  • Collaborate with customer teams to co-optimize waveguides with projection optics and frames

Key Qualifications

  • MS or PhD in photonics, optics, physics, or related field
  • Proficiency in MATLAB and C++
  • Experience with optical simulations (RCWA, FDTD, FEM, etc)
  • 3+ years in nanophotonic design (particularly nanophotonics and diffractive optics)
  • 3+ years experience in an optical lab environment (hands-on experience creating benchtop optical systems)
  • Familiar with optical metrology methods and metrics
  • Familiar with optical materials (glasses, crystals, thin films, adhesives, etc)
  • Familiar with waveguide manufacturing processes (Deposition methods, Dry Etch, Wet Etch, NIL, Photolithography, Dicing, Edge Blackening)
  • Familiar with physical metrology methods (SEM, TEM, Elemental Analysis, CDSEM, AFM, etc)

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience with non-convex optimization methods
  • Experience with parallel computing

Additional Information

Time Type:

Full time

Employee Type:

Assignee / Regular

Travel:

Yes, 10% of the Time

Relocation Eligible:

Yes

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.