Senior Computational Scientist / Software Engineer - Feature Scale Process Simulation

Lam Research; Waltham (MA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Lam Research in the Greater Boston area seeks an experienced Computational Software Engineer to advance physics-based semiconductor process simulation technologies. You will prototype and productionize feature-scale software for plasma etch and deposition, collaborating with process experts and software teams.

You will work at the intersection of software engineering, computational physics, and semiconductor processing.

Qualifications

• PhD or MSc in Physics, Computational Science, Applied Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Computer Science, or related technical discipline.
• Experience developing feature-scale, topography, or process simulation tools for plasma etch and deposition.
• Strong C++ and Python software development experience.
• Experience developing numerical simulation or scientific computing software.
• Understanding of Monte Carlo, numerical optimization, finite difference/finite element methods, particle transport, geometry evolution, and multiphysics modeling.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain computational software for feature-scale semiconductor process simulation.
• Develop and enhance physics-based models describing plasma-surface interactions and related chemistry and transport.
• Translate physical theories and models into robust production-quality software.
• Collaborate with scientists and engineers to improve model fidelity and predictive capability.
• Develop numerical algorithms for geometry evolution, particle transport, and multiphysics phenomena.
• Optimize simulation performance for multicore CPUs and GPUs.
• Validate model predictions against experimental data.
• Contribute to software architecture, testing frameworks, and engineering best practices.
• Explore machine learning, surrogate modeling, and digital twin approaches to accelerate workflows.
• Publish results and contribute to patents and conferences.

Skills

C++

Python

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Cross-domain collaboration

Education

PhD or MSc in a technical field

Job description

About The Role

We are seeking an experienced Computational Software Engineer to help develop the next generation of physics-based semiconductor process simulation technologies. This position is based in Lam Research's Greater Boston area engineering office, where you will work alongside software developers, computational scientists, and semiconductor process experts developing advanced modeling solutions for next-generation semiconductor manufacturing.

This role focuses on the development of advanced feature-scale simulation software that predicts the evolution of nanoscale semiconductor structures during plasma etch, deposition, and other manufacturing processes.

You will work at the intersection of software engineering, computational physics, and semiconductor process technology. The successful candidate will contribute both to the scientific modeling of plasma-surface interactions and to the design and implementation of high-performance simulation software used by researchers, process engineers, and product development teams.

This position requires a unique combination of strong software development skills and a deep understanding of the physical processes that drive feature evolution during semiconductor manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain computational software for feature-scale semiconductor process simulation.
• Develop and enhance physics-based models describing plasma-surface interactions, surface chemistry, material transport, and profile evolution.
• Translate physical theories, experimental observations, and mathematical models into robust, production-quality software.
• Collaborate with plasma physicists, process engineers, computational scientists, and product teams to improve model fidelity and predictive capability.
• Develop numerical algorithms for geometry evolution, particle transport, surface reaction kinetics, and related multiphysics phenomena.
• Optimize simulation performance for modern computing architectures, including multicore CPUs and GPU-based systems.
• Validate model predictions against experimental and metrology data.
• Contribute to software architecture, testing frameworks, code reviews, and engineering best practices.
• Investigate emerging approaches including machine learning, surrogate modeling, and digital twin technologies to accelerate simulation workflows.
• Publish technical results and contribute to patents, conference presentations, and scientific publications when appropriate.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. or M.S. in Physics, Computational Science, Applied Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Computer Science, or related technical discipline.
• Familiarity developing feature-scale, topography, or process simulation tools for plasma etch and deposition
• Strong software development experience in C++ and Python
• Experience developing numerical simulation or scientific computing software.
• Understanding of computational methods such as:
• Monte Carlo techniques
• Numerical optimization
• Finite difference or finite element methods
• Particle transport simulations
• Geometry evolution algorithms
• Multiphysics modeling
• Ability to work effectively across both physics and software domains.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of plasma physics and plasma-surface interactions.
• Experience with reaction kinetics, surface chemistry, or gas-phase chemistry modeling.
• Experience with high-performance computing, parallel algorithms, GPU programming, or distributed computing.
• Familiarity with computational geometry, level-set methods, ray tracing, ballistic transport models, or kinetic Monte Carlo methods.
• Experience working with experimental data for model calibration and validation.
• Record of technical publications, patents, or open-source contributions.

What Makes This Role Unique

This role goes beyond traditional software engineering. You will be responsible for developing software that captures the underlying physics of nanoscale manufacturing processes. Success requires the ability to understand phenomena such as particle transport, surface reactions, energy distributions, and profile evolution, and to convert those concepts into scalable software solutions that can predict real-world process outcomes.

You will help shape the digital twin technologies and simulation platforms that enable the semiconductor industry to develop next-generation devices more quickly and efficiently.

Our Commitment

We believe it is important for every person to feel valued, included, and empowered to achieve their full potential. By bringing unique individuals and viewpoints together, we achieve extraordinary results. Lam Research ("Lam" or the "Company") is an equal opportunity employer. Lam is committed to and reaffirms support of equal opportunity in employment and non-discrimination in employment policies, practices and procedures on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, or military and veteran status or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. It is the Company's intention to comply with all applicable laws and regulations. Company policy prohibits unlawful discrimination against applicants or employees. Lam offers a variety of work location models based on the needs of each role. Our hybrid roles combine the benefits of on-site collaboration with colleagues

Our Perks And Benefits

At Lam, our people make amazing things possible. That’s why we invest in you throughout the phases of your life with a comprehensive set of outstanding benefits.