Applications Engineering, Staff Engineer

We Are

Synopsys is the leader in engineering solutions from silicon to systems, enabling customers to rapidly innovate AI-powered products. We deliver industry-leading silicon design, IP, simulation and analysis solutions, and design services. We partner closely with our customers across a wide range of industries to maximize their R&D capability and productivity, powering innovation today that ignites the ingenuity of tomorrow.

This position can be anywere remote in the US

You Are

You have spent years working with density functional theory, molecular dynamics, or quantum transport calculations, and you know the difference between a simulation that looks good in a paper and one that actually answers the question a materials engineer needs answered on a Tuesday morning.

You have debugged convergence issues at 2 a.m., written Python scripts to wrangle output files that were never meant to be parsed, and explained to a colleague why their bandgap calculation failed without making them feel like they should have known better.

You are comfortable moving between the physics of what a model is doing and the practical reality of how someone in aerospace or semiconductors will actually use it. When a customer says their workflow is not working, you do not just point them to documentation. You dig in, reproduce the issue, and either fix it or escalate it with enough context that the product team can act.

You care about making complex tools accessible. Building a reusable example or writing a clear tutorial is not busywork to you, it is how you multiply your impact. You have worked across time zones, you follow through, and you know when to ask for help before a small problem becomes a big one.

What You'll Be Doing

• Provide scientific and technical support to customers using QuantumATK for atomistic materials modeling across semiconductors, aerospace, defense, automotive, and energy industries
• Troubleshoot customer workflows involving DFT, molecular dynamics, quantum transport, and related methods, reproducing issues and delivering clear, actionable solutions
• Develop application examples, best-practice guides, and reusable Python-based workflows that help customers get results faster
• Partner with product engineering teams to translate customer feedback, use cases, and technical blockers into roadmap priorities and feature requirements
• Deliver technical enablement through webinars, training sessions, and direct customer engagements
• Work closely with sales and field teams to support evaluation projects, proof-of-concept work, and technical discussions with prospective customers
• Stay current with industry trends and emerging use cases in materials modeling, particularly in aerospace, defense, and semiconductor applications
  
  

The Impact You Will Have

• Accelerate customer time to results by building workflows and examples that solve real problems in advanced materials research and product development
• Shape the QuantumATK product roadmap by bringing customer voice and technical reality into feature discussions and prioritization decisions
• Expand adoption of atomistic modeling in industries where simulation-driven materials design is becoming mission-critical
• Reduce support escalation cycles by creating documentation and examples that preempt common issues and enable customer self-service
• Strengthen customer retention and satisfaction by being the technical partner who understands both the science and the business context
• Enable new use cases in extreme environments, coatings, quantum computing, and defense applications by translating cutting-edge research into practical workflows
• Build a knowledge base and training ecosystem that scales your expertise across a growing global customer base
  
  

What You'll Need

• PhD or Master's degree in physics, chemistry, materials science, or a closely related field with a strong foundation in solid-state physics or quantum chemistry
• Hands-on experience with atomic-scale materials modeling and simulation methods such as DFT, molecular dynamics, or quantum transport
• Proficiency in Python for scripting, data analysis, and workflow automation in scientific computing contexts
• Track record of creating reusable examples, tutorials, or scientific software workflows that others have successfully used
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to both expert and non-expert audiences
• Experience with training and using machine-learned potentials and AI for materials science is also a strong plus
• US citizenship is required for this role
• Experience with QuantumATK, VASP, Quantum ESPRESSO, LAMMPS, or similar atomistic simulation platforms is a strong plus
  
  

Who You Are

• You take ownership of customer issues from first contact to resolution, and you escalate early with context when you hit a wall
• You can switch from debugging a convergence failure in a phonon calculation to explaining the business value of that calculation to a program manager without losing the thread
• You bring a constructive, problem-solving mindset to ambiguous situations where the right answer is not obvious and the documentation does not cover the edge case
• You are comfortable working across time zones with customers and colleagues in Europe, Asia, and the Americas, and you manage your time to stay responsive without burning out
• You have worked directly with industrial customers, research partners, or cross-functional teams in a technical role, and you understand how to balance scientific rigor with practical delivery timelines
• You stay curious about new methods, new applications, and new industries where atomistic modeling is starting to matter, especially in aerospace, defense, and emerging quantum technologies
  
  

The Team You'll Be Part Of

You will join a global team of customer-facing materials science experts that drives customer success with atomistic modeling and industry-relevant applications. The QuantumATK team works at the intersection of cutting-edge computational physics and real-world materials challenges across semiconductors, aerospace, defense, automotive, and energy sectors. You will collaborate closely with product engineering, sales, and field teams to ensure customers get value from the platform and that their feedback shapes what we build next.

Rewards and Benefits

We offer a comprehensive range of health, wellness, and financial benefits to cater to your needs. Our total rewards include both monetary and non-monetary offerings. Your recruiter will provide more details about the salary range and benefits during the hiring process.