We have an opportunity for a computational plasma physicist to help design the next generation of plasma processing equipment. The position requires in-depth knowledge and experience in computational plasma physics, electromagnetics (EM), computational methods, plasma chemistry or related areas. Additional knowledge of plasma materials processing is valuable but not essential. Uses best practices and technical knowledge to improve the products for semiconductor manufacturing. Solves complex problems. Acts as a resource for colleagues with less experience.
**Key Responsibilities**
+ Perform plasma and/or electromagnetics (EM) modeling of plasma chambers to provide better understanding of plasma/EM behavior during concept & feasibility, design and development of the semiconductor processing equipment.
+ Develop, modify and test internal plasma, EM, and related codes as needed.
+ Perform engineering analysis. Recommend design modifications to improve plasma/EM behavior to address technical/business needs.
+ Apply internal and/or external codes to address plasma/EM related problems as needed.
+ Work in a team environment. Present modeling results and recommendations to product development team.
+ Provide technical expertise in plasma and/or EM as a valuable resource.
**Functional Knowledge**
+ Demonstrates conceptual and practical expertise in computational plasma physics, electromagnetics (EM), computational methods, plasma chemistry or related areas. Knowledge of plasma materials processing is a plus.
**Problem Solving**
+ Solves complex plasma/EM problems; judiciously interprets results; provides recommendation based on analysis.
**Impact**
+ Impacts modeling team, product development team, customers, and other related teams; works within broad guidelines and policies.
**Interpersonal Skills**
+ Explains difficult information; works in a team environment.
**Education** : Masters or PhD
0 3 Years of relevant experience
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.
\#LI
**Qualifications**
**Education:**
Bachelor's Degree
**Skills**
**Certifications:**
**Languages:**
**Years of Experience:**
4 - 7 Years
**Work Experience:**
**Additional Information**
**Travel:**
**Relocation Eligible:**
Yes
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.
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How to hire a computational physicist
Computational physicist hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring computational physicists in the United States:
- In the United States, the median cost per hire a computational physicist is $1,633.
- It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
- Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
- On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new computational physicist to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.
How to hire a computational physicist, step by step
To hire a computational physicist, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a computational physicist:
Here's a step-by-step computational physicist hiring guide:
- Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
- Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
- Step 3: Make a budget
- Step 4: Write a computational physicist job description
- Step 5: Post your job
- Step 6: Interview candidates
- Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new computational physicist
- Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
What does a computational physicist do?
Computational physicists are professionals who implement numerical analysis and physics functionals in solving problems. The physicists apply knowledge from different disciplines like mathematics, computer science, and statistics for a theory test. They prepare and issue management, technical, and administrative policies for the safety program of directorate radiation. Their job includes the scientific validation of atmospheric dispersion equations. Also, they conduct collection site simulations such as thermal transfer, effluent release, and radiometry.
Post a computational physicist job for free, promote it for a fee
Identify your hiring needs
Before you start hiring a computational physicist, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.
Determine employee vs contractor statusIs the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a computational physicist to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a computational physicist that fits the bill.
This list presents computational physicist salaries for various positions.
Type of Computational Physicist Description Hourly rate Computational Physicist Physicists and astronomers study the ways in which various forms of matter and energy interact. Theoretical physicists and astronomers may study the nature of time or the origin of the universe... Show more $13-63 Research Physicist A research physicist's job is to conduct research into physical phenomena, develop theories based on observation and experiments, and devise methods to apply physical laws and theories. Their duties and responsibilities include describing observations, developing simulations, and advising authorities on procedures to be followed. $24-51 Physicist Physicists explain the effect of structures, phenomena, and forces on the natural world. Physicists determine and explore the primary principles governing the behavior and structure of matter... Show more $32-86 Create an ideal candidate profile
Common skills:- C++
- Technical Support
- DOE
- MATLAB
- RF
- Model Validation
- Computational Models
- Computational Algorithms
Responsibilities:- Develop training PowerPoint materials to teach core elements to soldiers using web-base and SharePoint applications.perform site assistance visits to subordinates.
- Service on review panels for projects at DARPA and NSF.
Make a budget
Including a salary range in the computational physicist job description is a good way to get more applicants. A computational physicist salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.
For example, the average salary for a computational physicist in Kansas may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level computational physicist. Additionally, a computational physicist with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.
Average computational physicist salary
$61,519yearly
$29.58 hourly rateEntry-level computational physicist salary$28,000 yearly salaryUpdated January 19, 2026Average computational physicist salary by state
Rank State Avg. salary Hourly rate 1 Maryland $87,220 $42 2 Massachusetts $76,851 $37 3 California $74,936 $36 4 New Mexico $70,878 $34 5 Wisconsin $63,438 $31 6 Tennessee $58,628 $28 7 Washington $55,822 $27 8 North Carolina $54,506 $26 9 Virginia $54,239 $26 10 Idaho $39,477 $19 Average computational physicist salary by company
Rank Company Average salary Hourly rate Job openings 1 Applied Materials $129,422 $62.22 2 Keysight Technologies $116,204 $55.87 3 Booz Allen Hamilton $114,184 $54.90 13 4 Philips Medical Systems $106,483 $51.19 5 Sandia National Labs $104,586 $50.28 6 Battelle $99,874 $48.02 7 Los Alamos National Laboratory $97,363 $46.81 1 8 Oak Ridge National Laboratory $96,215 $46.26 9 Boeing $79,956 $38.44 10 PsiQuantum $59,934 $28.81 11 Raytheon Technologies $58,853 $28.29 Writing a computational physicist job description
A computational physicist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a computational physicist job description:
Computational physicist job description example
Post your job
To find computational physicists for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:
- Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
- Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any computational physicists they would recommend.
- Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level computational physicists with the right educational background.
- Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.
- Post your computational physicist job on Zippia to find and recruit computational physicist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
- Use field-specific websites.
- Post a job on free websites.
Interview candidates
To successfully recruit computational physicists, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.
It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.
The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.
Send a job offer and onboard your new computational physicist
Once you've selected the best computational physicist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.
You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.
Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new computational physicist. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.
Go through the hiring process checklist
- Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
- Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
- Define job responsibilities and requirements
- Establish budget and timeline
- Determine hiring decision makers for the role
- Write job description
- Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
- Promote the job internally
- Process applications through applicant tracking system
- Review resumes and cover letters
- Shortlist candidates for screening
- Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
- Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
- Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
- Conduct background checks on top candidates
- Check references of top candidates
- Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
- Extend offer to top candidate(s)
- Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
- Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
- Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
- Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a computational physicist?
Recruiting computational physicists involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.
You can expect to pay around $61,519 per year for a computational physicist, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for computational physicists in the US typically range between $13 and $63 an hour.
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Updated January 19, 2026