Agentic AI Systems Engineer

Applied Materials; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 152,000 - 208,500; Full time

Job summary

Applied Materials is hiring an Agentic AI Systems Engineer in Santa Clara, CA. This role involves designing the infrastructure for GenAI applications, bridging AI and software needs. Candidates must have 7+ years of experience with a strong proficiency in programming languages like Java or Python. The position offers a comprehensive benefits package and a supportive work environment, promoting professional growth.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of industry-relevant experience.
• Experience designing agent runtimes or orchestration layers.
• Strong proficiency in at least one major programming language.

Responsibilities

• Architect, design and implement the agent runtime and orchestration platform.
• Translate AI research into deployable infrastructure.
• Define core abstractions for agents, tools, memory, etc.

Skills

System-level thinking

End-to-end architectures

Programming (Java, Python, C++)

Developer tooling

AI/ML integration

Job description

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: $152,000.00 - $208,500.00

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.

We care about the health and well‑being 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: https://hrportal.ehr.com/applied/.

Position Overview

As a Software Engineer at Applied Materials, you’ll dive deep into ground‑breaking technologies—like machine learning and AI—to craft novel software solutions that solve our customers’ high‑value problems. Our Software Engineers are responsible for designing, prototyping, developing, and debugging software solutions for semiconductor equipment components and devices to ensure quality and functionality. You'll develop software documentation and test procedures, troubleshoot software problems, and communicate with internal customers to understand project requirements. As part of our team you’ll contribute expertise in intricate systems, deciphering code, and anticipating software behaviors to ensure Applied remains the leader in the semiconductor and display sectors.

Role: Agentic AI Systems Engineer

The Agentic AI Systems Engineer is responsible for building the agentic infrastructure that enables the next generation of GenAI applications for Applied Products. The role bridges AI, software infrastructure, and domain engineering to ensure that agentic systems are secure, deterministic, and drive velocity and productivity for our products.

What You Will Build

• Skill Pack Framework – Architect and ship the end‑to‑end skill framework, including authoring, versioning, distribution, and runtime loading across Java, Python, C++, and web‑based codebases. Skills are the core differentiator—encapsulated expertise that travels with the agent.
• Multi‑Agent Runtime – Design and implement a multi‑agent execution environment with persistent background agents, swarm coordination, and cross‑agent context sharing. Enable agents to operate continuously and in parallel, not as one‑shot invocations.
• Agent‑Aware Code Intelligence – Develop deep code understanding systems such as semantic code search, dependency‑aware context modeling, and structural codebase analysis. Move beyond text‑based retrieval toward true program‑level reasoning.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect, design and implement the agent runtime and orchestration platform that enables AI‑assisted development workflows across Applied products.
• Act as a bridge between AI research capabilities and real production software needs, translating emerging agentic patterns into deployable infrastructure.
• Own the end‑to‑end lifecycle of agentic systems; define core abstractions for agents, tools, memory, planning, validation, and execution, ensuring reuse and consistency across teams.
• Partner with teams to develop the MCP platform, unifying code, documentation, and developer lifecycle MCPs into a single dependable context infrastructure.
• Design mechanisms for secure tool access, API allow‑listing, and controlled execution against internal systems.
• Establish evaluation frameworks to track correctness, latency, cost, safety events, and human override frequency. Build instrumentation for logging, metrics, and tracing of agent behavior across sessions and workflows.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineering teams adopting agent‑based workflows.

Required Skills & Experience

• Strong system‑level thinking with the ability to design end‑to‑end architectures spanning agents, tools, memory, governance, and observability.
• Experience designing agent runtimes or orchestration layers (not just using frameworks).
• Solid system design expertise for highly reliable, observable, developer‑facing services and agentic systems.
• Strong proficiency in at least one major programming language (Java, Python, or C++) with hands‑on experience integrating AI/ML models into developer workflows.
• Proven experience building and operating developer tooling or platform infrastructure (SDKs, CLIs, APIs, runtimes) in large‑scale engineering environments.
• 7+ years of industry‑relevant experience.

Nice‑to‑Have

• Experience with advanced agentic patterns (multi‑agent workflows, planner/critic loops).
• Hands‑on exposure to on‑prem LLM deployment and optimization.
• Practical knowledge of RAG and vector search systems for grounding AI outputs.
• Background in security‑first or high‑reliability software environments.

Additional Information

Time Type: Full time

Employee Type: Assignee / Regular

Travel: Yes, 10% of the time

Relocation Eligible: Yes

Salary offered will be based on multiple factors including location, hire grade, job‑related knowledge, skills, experience, and consideration of internal equity. 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.

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 its careers site accessible to all users. If you would like to contact us regarding accessibility of our website or assistance completing the application process, please contact us via e‑mail at [e-mail] or by calling our HR Direct Help Line at 877‑612‑7547, option 1.