Periodic Labs Logo

Periodic Labs

Forward Deployed Engineer, Physics & Simulation

Reposted 26 Days Ago
Be an Early Applicant
In-Office
Menlo Park, CA, USA
180K-250K Annually
Mid level
In-Office
Menlo Park, CA, USA
180K-250K Annually
Mid level
As a Forward Deployed Engineer, you will manage customer simulation workflows, implement physics-based simulations, collaborate with engineering teams, and integrate findings into real-world applications while traveling to customer locations.
The summary above was generated by AI
About Periodic Labs

We’re an AI and physical sciences company building state-of-the-art models to accelerate breakthroughs across materials, energy, and beyond. Backed by world-class investors and growing rapidly, we operate at the pace the frontier requires. Our team brings deep expertise, genuine ownership, and an insatiable drive to push the boundaries of what’s scientifically possible.

About the Role

We’re using AI-driven simulation to solve hard physical process optimization problems in advanced manufacturing. As a forward deployed engineer focused on physics and simulation, you will be the technical backbone of our most demanding customer engagements – spending significant time on-site, embedding directly with customer teams, and owning simulation workflows end-to-end.

You’ll work with our modeling and ML teams to build and calibrate physics-based simulations, turn customer process knowledge into computational models, and drive recipe optimization with direct feedback loops to production. This is a hands-on, high-ownership role at the frontier of AI for physical science.

This role requires travel to and extended time on-site in Taiwan.

What You’ll Do
  • Own the simulation workflow end-to-end for customer engagements, from model setup and calibration through optimization and results interpretation

  • Run, debug and modify physics-based simulations of complex physical processes in diverse domains, such as microfluidics, charge transport and structural deformation

  • Work on-site with customer engineering teams on-site to understand process constraints, interpret simulation results into real process improvements

  • Write tools, skills and agents to reliably drive end-to-end LLM-based simulation workflows, including experimental validation, parameter fitting and recipe optimization

  • Build and extend simulation tooling in Python – job submission, parameter sweeps, output parsing, integration

  • Feed domain insights back to the research and product teams, shaping the next version our platform

You Will Thrive in This Role If You Have
  • A strong foundation in numerical simulation of continuum systems – fluid dynamics, heat transfer, structural mechanics, electromagnetics, or similar – gained through graduate research, industry, or both

  • Hands-on experience solving partial differential equations numerically, including mesh generation, solver tuning, and debugging numerical instabilities

  • Solid Python skills for scripting and scientific computing (NumPy, SciPy, or similar)

  • A process engineer’s instinct: you treat simulations as tools for answering real process questions, not just jobs to run

  • Strong communication skills and genuine comfort working directly with customer engineers

  • Willingness to spend extended periods on-site in Taiwan

  • A self-starter mindset: you can take a technical problem from definition to deployed result without much hand-holding

Especially Strong Candidates May Also Have
  • CFD background, including tools like OpenFOAM, ANSYS Fluent, Star-CCM+, or custom solvers

  • Grad-level research experience building simulation software in domains like mechanical or chemical engineering, weather modeling, astrophysics, or materials processing

  • Familiar with semiconductor manufacturing processes

  • Familiarity with physics-informed ML, surrogate modeling, or neural operators applied to simulation acceleration

  • Experience integrating simulation tools into larger software platforms or automated optimization pipelines

  • Mandarin proficiency for on-site collaboration in Taiwan

  • Lab or experimental background, with an appreciation for how simulation connects to physical data

Mechanics

Minimum education: Bachelor’s degree or similar experience

Location: Menlo Park, CA (Soon: San Francisco, too) + frequent travel to Taiwan

Compensation: $200,000-$275,000 + equity

Visa sponsorship: Yes, we sponsor visas.

Similar Jobs

2 Hours Ago
Remote or Hybrid
United States
60K-81K Annually
Mid level
60K-81K Annually
Mid level
Cloud • Fintech • Software • Business Intelligence • Consulting • Financial Services
Partner with skilled nursing and long-term care clients to assess and improve revenue cycle operations—admissions, payer authorization, MDS/PDPM reimbursement, billing, collections, and denials. Lead client engagements, recommend process and system improvements using EHR and billing data, manage project execution, deliver training, and support change management to optimize reimbursement and financial performance.
Top Skills: Billing SystemsElectronic Health Record (Ehr)Revenue Cycle Management Systems
2 Hours Ago
Remote or Hybrid
United States
107K-144K Annually
Mid level
107K-144K Annually
Mid level
Cloud • Fintech • Software • Business Intelligence • Consulting • Financial Services
Own and prioritize the Workday/ERP product backlog, translate business needs into epics and user stories, partner with Finance and business leaders, support Agile delivery and releases, manage integrations and reporting, ensure compliance and security, and drive continuous improvement and adoption across Workday modules.
Top Skills: AgileWorkday FinancialsWorkday IntegrationsWorkday PsaWorkday Release ManagementWorkday Reporting
15-22 Hourly
Junior
eCommerce • Fashion • Retail • Sales • Wearables • Design
Supports store sales operations by welcoming customers, operating POS and cash wrap, recommending products, processing shipments, replenishing inventory, maintaining stockroom organization, executing visual merchandising updates, and following loss-prevention and housekeeping standards. Requires flexible availability, strong customer service, fashion awareness, attention to detail, and the ability to lift up to 50 pounds occasionally.
Top Skills: InternetIpadLaptopMobile PosPosSocial MediaWalkie-Talkie

What you need to know about the San Francisco Tech Scene

San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area attracts more startup funding than any other region in the world. Home to Stanford University and UC Berkeley, leading VC firms and several of the world’s most valuable companies, the Bay Area is the place to go for anyone looking to make it big in the tech industry. That said, San Francisco has a lot to offer beyond technology thanks to a thriving art and music scene, excellent food and a short drive to several of the country’s most beautiful recreational areas.

Key Facts About San Francisco Tech

  • Number of Tech Workers: 365,500; 13.9% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
  • Major Tech Employers: Google, Apple, Salesforce, Meta
  • Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, fintech, consumer technology, software
  • Funding Landscape: $50.5 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
  • Notable Investors: Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Bessemer Venture Partners, Greylock Partners, Khosla Ventures, Kleiner Perkins
  • Research Centers and Universities: Stanford University; University of California, Berkeley; University of San Francisco; Santa Clara University; Ames Research Center; Center for AI Safety; California Institute for Regenerative Medicine

Sign up now Access later

Create Free Account

Please log in or sign up to report this job.

Create Free Account