AI Research Scientist, Physics & Materials

Substrate Inc.; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 275,000; Full time

Job summary

Substrate Inc. in San Francisco seeks a Research Scientist, AI to accelerate R&D by applying machine learning to scientific simulations and modeling.

You will develop AI‑augmented tools, build internal AI infrastructure, and empower researchers to leverage AI across projects, helping push the boundaries of semiconductor science. The role requires 5+ years in physical sciences or engineering, 2–3+ years applying ML to technical problems, and strong Python skills with PyTorch/TensorFlow/JAX.

Qualifications

• 5+ years professional or academic research experience in physical sciences, engineering, or related field.
• 2-3+ years hands-on experience applying machine learning to scientific or technical problems.
• Strong programming skills in Python and ML frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow, JAX, or similar).
• Deep understanding of scientific computing, numerical methods, and computational modeling.
• Proven ability to translate scientific problems into machine learning approaches.
• Experience building tools, infrastructure, or capabilities used by technical teams.

Responsibilities

• Integrate machine learning techniques to accelerate scientific simulations, modeling, and computational workflows.
• Develop AI-augmented tools for materials science, device physics, or accelerator physics applications.
• Build internal AI infrastructure and capabilities to enable research teams across the organization.
• Train and mentor scientists and engineers on integrating AI/ML into their research workflows.
• Implement surrogate models, physics-informed neural networks, or generative approaches for scientific problems.
• Develop data pipelines and frameworks for scientific machine learning across distributed teams.
• Collaborate with computational physicists and experimentalists to identify high‑impact AI applications.
• Set AI best practices and establish standards for ML‑augmented R&D.

Skills

Python

ML in Research

Numerical methods

Scientific computing

ML frameworks

Mentoring

Education

PhD in Physics/Engineering/CS

Tools

PyTorch

TensorFlow

JAX

Distributed computing

Job description

Substrate Inc. in San Francisco seeks a Research Scientist, AI to accelerate R&D by applying machine learning to scientific simulations and modeling.

You will develop AI‑augmented tools, build internal AI infrastructure, and empower researchers to leverage AI across projects, helping push the boundaries of semiconductor science. The role requires 5+ years in physical sciences or engineering, 2–3+ years applying ML to technical problems, and strong Python skills with PyTorch/TensorFlow/JAX.