1

Atomistic Simulations Jobs in Seattle, WA (NOW HIRING)

Atomistic Simulations information

See Seattle, WA salary details

$44.4K

$140.4K

$216.8K

How much do atomistic simulations jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 29, 2026, the average yearly pay for atomistic simulations in Seattle, WA is $140,432.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $104,700.00 and $166,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are atomistic simulations?

Atomistic simulations are computational methods used to model and study the behavior of materials and molecules at the atomic scale. By simulating the interactions between individual atoms, these techniques help scientists understand material properties, chemical reactions, and biological processes. Common approaches include molecular dynamics (MD) and Monte Carlo simulations, which predict how atoms move and interact over time. Atomistic simulations are widely used in chemistry, physics, materials science, and biology to complement experimental research and design new materials.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an atomistic simulation scientist, and why are they important?

To excel as an Atomistic Simulation Scientist, you need a strong background in physics, chemistry, or materials science, often supported by a relevant advanced degree and experience in computational modeling. Familiarity with simulation software such as LAMMPS, VASP, or GROMACS, as well as programming languages like Python or Fortran, is essential. Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication skills help you interpret results and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams. These competencies are crucial for designing accurate simulations, deriving meaningful insights, and advancing research or product development.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals working in atomistic simulations, and how can they be addressed?

Professionals in atomistic simulations often encounter challenges such as managing large datasets, ensuring the accuracy of computational models, and optimizing simulation performance. Collaborating closely with interdisciplinary teams—including experimentalists, computational scientists, and software engineers—helps overcome these barriers. Staying updated with the latest software tools and high-performance computing resources is also essential for efficient workflow. Regularly validating simulation results against experimental data enhances credibility and reliability in findings.

What is the difference between Atomistic Simulations vs Computational Chemist?

AspectAtomistic SimulationsComputational Chemist
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Chemistry, Physics, or related fields; knowledge of simulation softwareBachelor's or Master's in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related; strong computational skills
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, academic institutions, industry R&DResearch labs, pharmaceutical companies, academia
Industry UsageMaterial science, nanotechnology, molecular modelingDrug discovery, material design, chemical analysis

Atomistic Simulations involve modeling materials or molecules at the atomic level using computational methods. Computational Chemists apply these techniques to solve chemical problems, often utilizing atomistic simulations as part of their work. While both roles require similar educational backgrounds and work environments, atomistic simulations focus specifically on the simulation techniques, whereas computational chemists may also include data analysis and experimental design.

What are popular job titles related to Atomistic Simulations jobs in Seattle, WA?

For Atomistic Simulations jobs in Seattle, WA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Atomistic Simulations jobs in Seattle, WA look for?

The top searched job categories for Atomistic Simulations jobs in Seattle, WA are:

Infographic showing various Atomistic Simulations job openings in Seattle, WA as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $140,432 per year, or $67.5 per hour.

AI Research Scientist -- Agentic AI for Materials Discovery

Redmond, WA


Meta
Internet and IT • 10K+ employees

7.8

Company rating: 7.8 out of 10

Based on 45 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

139th of 246 rated software companies

People enjoy working here

Good employer

Recommended by students


$184K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 11 hours ago


Job description

This role sits within Meta's Reality Labs Research, in the Material and Systems Innovation team, which develops advanced materials for two of Meta's most ambitious hardware frontiers: lightweight, all-day wearable AR glasses and next-generation sensing and actuating materials for robotics. The AI Specialist will design and build LLM-orchestrated multi-agent systems that autonomously drive materials discovery pipelines — from computational screening and simulation through synthesis and characterization — across both domains. By closing this loop with agentic AI, we aim to compress discovery timelines from years to weeks, directly accelerating Meta's ability to ship breakthrough AR/VR and robotics hardware. This position bridges two of Meta's highest-priority investment areas — frontier AI and the physical systems underpinning the metaverse and embodied intelligence — and will contribute both production systems and published research at top-tier venues.
AI Research Scientist — Agentic AI for Materials Discovery Responsibilities:
  • Design, implement, and optimize LLM-orchestrated multi-agent systems for autonomous materials discovery pipelines
  • Build specialized AI sub-agents that operate within a closed-loop discovery framework
  • Integrate agentic AI workflows with computational chemistry tools (DFT, MD, Monte Carlo) and HPC infrastructure
  • Develop and fine-tune retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems over scientific literature corpora for real-time knowledge synthesis
  • Collaborate with materials scientists, computational chemists, and ML researchers to translate domain workflows into autonomous agent architectures
  • Evaluate and benchmark agent performance on materials discovery tasks — measuring accuracy, throughput, and synthetic viability of generated candidates
  • Contribute to open-source tooling and publish research at top-tier venues (NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, or domain journals)

Minimum Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, relevant technical field, or equivalent practical experience
  • PhD in AI, Computer Science, Computational Chemistry, Materials Science, or related field
  • 2+ years of experience with large language models, prompt engineering, or agentic AI frameworks (e.g., React, tool-use agents, multi-agent orchestration)
  • Demonstrated programming skills in Python and experience with ML frameworks (PyTorch, JAX, or similar)
  • Demonstrated experience in building end-to-end AI systems that integrate external tools and APIs
  • Familiarity with at least one domain: computational chemistry, molecular simulation, or materials informatics

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Experience building multi-agent or LLM-orchestrated systems for scientific applications
  • Familiarity with atomistic simulation tools (VASP, Gaussian, LAMMPS, ASE) or cheminformatics libraries
  • Publications at peer-reviewed ML or domain conferences
  • Experience with retrieval-augmented generation, knowledge graphs, or scientific literature mining
  • Understanding of crystal structure prediction, molecular dynamics, or quantum chemistry workflows
  • Experience with HPC job orchestration

About Meta:
Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology. People who choose to build their careers by building with us at Meta help shape a future that will take us beyond what digital connection makes possible today—beyond the constraints of screens, the limits of distance, and even the rules of physics.
Meta is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Meta participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations, as required by law. Please note that Meta may leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies in connection with applications for employment.
Meta is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let us know at accommodations-ext@meta.com.
$184,000/year to $257,000/year + bonus + equity + benefits
Individual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Compensation details listed in this posting reflect the base hourly rate, monthly rate, or annual salary only, and do not include bonus, equity or sales incentives, if applicable. In addition to base compensation, Meta offers benefits. Learn more about benefits at Meta.


What Meta employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom