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Material Science Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Purosil LLC

Polymer Materials Scientist

Corona, CA · On-site

The ideal candidate will have R&D level proficiency in polymer chemistry (ideally silicone and/or organic rubbers), material science, and applied materials science/mechanical engineering. You Should ...

PTI Technologies

Material Scientist

Oxnard, CA · On-site

$111K - $186K/yr

... Engineering, Material Science, Physics, Biology, or Chemistry is essential, along with 5 to 10 years of experience in aerospace design and manufacturing. Proven expertise as a technical lead is ...

PTI Technologies

Material Scientist

Oxnard, CA · On-site

$111K - $186K/yr

... Engineering, Material Science, Physics, Biology, or Chemistry is essential, along with 5 to 10 years of experience in aerospace design and manufacturing. Proven expertise as a technical lead is ...

PTI Technologies

Material Scientist

Oxnard, CA · On-site

... Engineering, Material Science, Physics, Biology, or Chemistry is essential, along with 5 to 10 years of experience in aerospace design and manufacturing. Proven expertise as a technical lead is ...

Allogene Therapeutics

MSAT Data Science Engineer

Newark, CA · On-site

$120K - $140K/yr

... starting materials • Able to apply and develop advanced technologies, scientific principles ... Engineering, Process Development and IT to ensure cross-functional alignment • Closely partner ...

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All JobsMaterial Science Engineer JobsMaterial Science Engineer Jobs in California

Material Science Engineer information

See California salary details

$37.5K

$99.4K

$155.9K

How much do material science engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 24, 2026, the average yearly pay for material science engineer in California is $99,419.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $79,000.00 and $115,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Material Science Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Material Science Engineer, you need a solid background in materials engineering, chemistry, and physics, usually supported by a degree in materials science or a related field. Familiarity with laboratory analysis tools, materials characterization instruments (like SEM, XRD), and simulation software (such as MATLAB or ANSYS) is commonly required. Problem-solving, analytical thinking, and effective collaboration are crucial soft skills for innovating and working on multidisciplinary projects. These competencies ensure the development of advanced materials and solutions that meet industry standards and drive technological progress.

What is the difference between Material Science Engineer vs Materials Engineer?

AspectMaterial Science EngineerMaterials Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Materials Science, Engineering, or related fieldBachelor's or Master's in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, or related field
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, manufacturing facilities, R&D departmentsManufacturing plants, R&D labs, quality control
Industry UsageResearch, development, testing of new materialsMaterial selection, processing, and quality assurance

Both roles focus on materials, but Material Science Engineers primarily engage in research and development of new materials, while Materials Engineers often work on applying and processing materials in manufacturing. The roles overlap in credentials and work environments, but their core responsibilities differ slightly.

What are the most common challenges Material Science Engineers face when working on cross-functional project teams?

Material Science Engineers often collaborate with professionals from mechanical, electrical, and manufacturing disciplines, which can present challenges in aligning technical requirements and timelines. Communication gaps may arise due to differences in technical language or priorities, making it essential to clearly convey material properties and limitations. Successfully navigating these challenges typically involves proactive collaboration, flexibility, and a willingness to learn about related fields to ensure project goals are met and innovative solutions are developed.

What engineers make $500,000?

Senior engineers in specialized fields such as petroleum, aerospace, or software engineering can earn $500,000 or more annually, often through a combination of base salary, bonuses, and stock options. Achieving this level typically requires extensive experience, advanced skills, and working in high-demand industries or leadership roles.

What engineers make $200,000 a year?

Senior engineers in specialized fields such as petroleum, aerospace, or software engineering often earn $200,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, advanced skills, and leadership roles. High-paying engineering positions typically require advanced degrees, certifications, and expertise in high-demand areas or management responsibilities.

What is the highest salary for a material engineer?

The highest salaries for materials science engineers can exceed $130,000 annually, especially for those with extensive experience, advanced degrees, or working in specialized industries such as aerospace or semiconductor manufacturing. Senior engineers with leadership roles or specialized skills in materials characterization and testing tend to earn the top salaries.

What are Material Science Engineers?

Material Science Engineers are professionals who study, develop, and test materials used to create a wide range of products, from electronics to medical devices to construction materials. They apply principles of chemistry, physics, and engineering to understand how materials behave and how they can be improved or adapted for specific uses. Their work often involves researching new materials, analyzing their properties, and collaborating with other engineers or scientists to solve complex problems. Material Science Engineers play a crucial role in advancing technology and making products safer, stronger, and more efficient.

What do material science engineers do?

Material science engineers research and develop new materials and improve existing ones for various applications, such as electronics, aerospace, and healthcare. They analyze material properties, use tools like microscopes and testing equipment, and often work in laboratories or manufacturing environments to ensure materials meet performance and safety standards.
What are popular job titles related to Material Science Engineer jobs in California? For Material Science Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Material Science Engineer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Material Science Engineer jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Material Science Engineer jobs? Cities in California with the most Material Science Engineer job openings:
Material Science Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Material Science Engineer job openings in California as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 93% Full Time, 4% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $99,419 per year, or $47.8 per hour.

Material Science Research Engineer, DeepMind

DeepMind

Mountain View, CA • On-site

Full-time

Posted 8 days ago

Job description

Minimum qualifications:
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
  • 2 years of experience applying software engineering principles in a scientific research environment.
  • Experience working with linear algebra, calculus and statistics.
  • Experience performing data exploration or data analysis across datasets.
  • Experience with JAX, PyTorch, or TensorFlow.

Preferred qualifications:
  • Master's degree or PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Science, Mathematics, or equivalent practical experience.
  • Specific domain expertise in areas like inorganic chemistry, solid-state physics, or materials synthesis.
  • Experience applying modern deep learning architectures (e.g., transformers, diffusion models) to chemistry or materials science issues (e.g., ML force fields).
  • Experience running large-scale scientific simulations (e.g., molecular dynamics, computational chemistry simulations, etc.) on Cloud or HPC clusters.
  • Experience developing custom LLM agents or tool-using systems.
  • Experience with concurrent and distributed software algorithms and architectures.

About the job
At Google, research-focused Software Engineers are embedded throughout the company, allowing them to setup large-scale tests and deploy promising ideas quickly and broadly. Ideas may come from internal projects as well as from collaborations with research programs at partner universities and technical institutes all over the world.
From creating experiments and prototyping implementations to designing new architectures, engineers work on real-world problems including artificial intelligence, data mining, natural language processing, hardware and software performance analysis, improving compilers for mobile platforms, as well as core search and much more. But you stay connected to your research roots as an active contributor to the wider research community by partnering with universities and publishing papers.
Artificial intelligence will be one of humanity's most transformative inventions. At Google DeepMind, we are a pioneering AI lab with exceptional interdisciplinary teams focused on advancing AI development to solve complex global challenges and accelerate high-quality product innovation for billions of users. We use our technologies for widespread public benefit and scientific discovery, ensuring safety and ethics are always our highest priority.
We are pushing the boundaries across multiple domains. Our global teams offer diverse learning opportunities and varied career pathways for those driven to achieve exceptional results through collective effort.
Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.
US: $147000 - $211000 (USD) 15% bonus target equity benefits
Learn more about benefits at Google .
Responsibilities
  • Plan and perform rapid prototyping of machine learning techniques applied to problems in science.
  • Undertake exploratory analysis to inform experimentation and research directions.
  • Make improvements to model architectures and training procedures of machine learning models.
  • Implement tools, libraries, and frameworks to speed up and enable new research.
  • Report and present software developments, experimental results, and data analysis clearly and efficiently.

Information collected and processed as part of your Google Careers profile, and any job applications you choose to submit is subject to Google's Applicant and Candidate Privacy Policy .
Google is proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. We are committed to building a workforce that is representative of the users we serve, creating a culture of belonging, and providing an equal employment opportunity regardless of race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding), expecting or parents-to-be, criminal histories consistent with legal requirements, or any other basis protected by law. See also Google's EEO Policy , Know your rights: workplace discrimination is illegal , Belonging at Google , and How we hire .
If you have a need that requires accommodation, please let us know by completing our Accommodations for Applicants form .
Google is a global company and, in order to facilitate efficient collaboration and communication globally, English proficiency is a requirement for all roles unless stated otherwise in the job posting.
To all recruitment agencies: Google does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias, Google employees, or any other organization location. Google is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.
Equity is granted exclusively and discretionarily by Alphabet Inc. on the basis of an agreement concluded between you and Alphabet Inc. Alphabet Inc. is your sole contractual partner with respect to equity grants. GSU grants are not guaranteed, are discretionary, are subject to approval by the Alphabet Inc. board of directors or its delegate, the terms of the relevant Alphabet Inc. stock plan, and your grant agreement. They have no impact on statutory payments. Current or past grants do not confer an acquired right.

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