AI/ML Researcher Jobs in California
AI/ML Researcher jobs in California concentrate heavily in the technology, life sciences, and autonomous systems sectors, with the state representing one of the most active markets in the world for this role at every level from early-career scientist to principal investigator. The largest hiring activity is in the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, and Los Angeles, where companies like Google, Meta, and Qualcomm maintain deep research operations. The most in-demand specializations include large language model research, computer vision, and reinforcement learning. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
Find AI/ML Researcher JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 62+ AI/ML Researcher jobs
Who We Are
Applied Materials is the global leader in materials science and engineering solutions that are at the foundation of virtually every new semiconductor chip and advanced display in the world. The equipment that we create and service is essential to advancing AI and accelerating the commercialization of next-generation semiconductor chips. Join us and push the boundaries of materials science and engineering in a company at the foundation of the electronics industry. The work we do together advances the world’s technology.
What We Offer
Salary:
$170,000.00 - $234,000.00Location:
Santa Clara,CAYou’ll benefit from a supportive work culture that encourages you to learn, develop, and grow your career as you take on challenges and drive innovative solutions for our customers. We empower our team to push the boundaries of what is possible—while learning every day in a supportive leading global company. Visit our Careers website to learn more.
At Applied Materials, we care about the health and wellbeing of our employees. We’re committed to providing programs and support that encourage personal and professional growth and care for you at work, at home, or wherever you may go. Learn more about our benefits .
Key Responsibilities:
Applied Materials’ Joint Operations Leadership (JOLT) Data Science team is seeking a Data Scientist to join our growing organization. JOLT plays a critical role in rebuilding customer trust, creating an agile and resilient supply chain, reshaping supplier relationships, driving operational excellence, and maximizing profitability through advanced analytics, AI, and machine learning.
This role offers the opportunity to work on high‑impact, cross‑functional initiatives and to develop end‑to‑end AI solutions—from problem formulation to production deployment.:
Works in project teams developing difficult analytical models, algorithms and automated processes, research and develop machine learning models from inception to deployment.
Work on GenAI and LLM projects, including fine-tuning models, creating embedding-based search systems, and developing AI-driven prototypes to enhance business operations.
Directing architects to design and solution GenAI architectures for stakeholders, specifically for plugin-based solutions and custom GenAI application builds.
Use data mining and machine learning algorithms to provide insights into historical and real-time data for projects such as material forecast, demand forecast, pattern recognition, etc.
Interfaces with stakeholders for requirements analysis and special requests and schedules; derives insights and works with business units to determine actions and KPI for those actions.
Identify opportunities for forecast accuracy improvement and provide business insights and additional perspectives to Service Supply Chain leadership
Collaborate with Material Planning, Field Operations, Inventory Management, NPI, Production Demand Planning, Reliability Engineering, Service Campaigns Teams to gather data and bring information on key business drivers that impact the future demand on Service Parts and Accessories
Requirements
Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in a quantitative field (e.g., Statistics, Computer Science, Economics, Operations Research).
3-5 years of industry experience in applied machine learning or related AI work.
Hands-on experience building GenAI-focused applications (e.g., agents, reasoning workflows, or RAG) and a solid understanding of how large language models are architected and operated.
Can work collaboratively with cross-functional teams.
Hands-on experience with:
Building GenAI-focused application and applying LLMs and agentic AI (e.g., agents, reasoning workflows, or RAG)
Have personally implemented models in common Deep Learning frameworks such as PyTorch, Jax or TensorFlow.
MLOps, including model deployment, versioning and performance monitoring in production environments
Proficiency in Python, SQL, and tools such as scikit-learn, and forecasting libraries.
Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities, Machine Learning Concepts
Strong communication and storytelling skills - able to simplify complexity and influence executive stakeholders.
Interpersonal Skills
- Communicates difficult concepts and negotiates with others to adopt a different point of view
Location
Santa Clara, CA; on-site full-time
Additional Information
Time Type:
Full timeEmployee Type:
Assignee / RegularTravel:
Yes, 10% of the TimeRelocation Eligible:
YesThe salary offered to a selected candidate will be based on multiple factors including location, hire grade, job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and with consideration of internal equity of our current team members. In addition to a comprehensive benefits package, candidates may be eligible for other forms of compensation such as participation in a bonus and a stock award program, as applicable.
For all sales roles, the posted salary range is the Target Total Cash (TTC) range for the role, which is the sum of base salary and target bonus amount at 100% goal achievement.
Applied Materials is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law.
In addition, Applied endeavors to make our careers site accessible to all users. If you would like to contact us regarding accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact us via e-mail at Accommodations_Program@amat.com, or by calling our HR Direct Help Line at 877-612-7547, option 1, and following the prompts to speak to an HR Advisor. This contact is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.
Who We Are
Applied Materials is the global leader in materials science and engineering solutions that are at the foundation of virtually every new semiconductor chip and advanced display in the world. The equipment that we create and service is essential to advancing AI and accelerating the commercialization of next-generation semiconductor chips. Join us and push the boundaries of materials science and engineering in a company at the foundation of the electronics industry. The work we do together advances the world’s technology.
What We Offer
Salary:
$170,000.00 - $234,000.00Location:
Santa Clara,CAYou’ll benefit from a supportive work culture that encourages you to learn, develop, and grow your career as you take on challenges and drive innovative solutions for our customers. We empower our team to push the boundaries of what is possible—while learning every day in a supportive leading global company. Visit our Careers website to learn more.
At Applied Materials, we care about the health and wellbeing of our employees. We’re committed to providing programs and support that encourage personal and professional growth and care for you at work, at home, or wherever you may go. Learn more about our benefits .
Key Responsibilities:
Applied Materials’ Joint Operations Leadership (JOLT) Data Science team is seeking a Data Scientist to join our growing organization. JOLT plays a critical role in rebuilding customer trust, creating an agile and resilient supply chain, reshaping supplier relationships, driving operational excellence, and maximizing profitability through advanced analytics, AI, and machine learning.
This role offers the opportunity to work on high‑impact, cross‑functional initiatives and to develop end‑to‑end AI solutions—from problem formulation to production deployment.:
Works in project teams developing difficult analytical models, algorithms and automated processes, research and develop machine learning models from inception to deployment.
Work on GenAI and LLM projects, including fine-tuning models, creating embedding-based search systems, and developing AI-driven prototypes to enhance business operations.
Directing architects to design and solution GenAI architectures for stakeholders, specifically for plugin-based solutions and custom GenAI application builds.
Use data mining and machine learning algorithms to provide insights into historical and real-time data for projects such as material forecast, demand forecast, pattern recognition, etc.
Interfaces with stakeholders for requirements analysis and special requests and schedules; derives insights and works with business units to determine actions and KPI for those actions.
Identify opportunities for forecast accuracy improvement and provide business insights and additional perspectives to Service Supply Chain leadership
Collaborate with Material Planning, Field Operations, Inventory Management, NPI, Production Demand Planning, Reliability Engineering, Service Campaigns Teams to gather data and bring information on key business drivers that impact the future demand on Service Parts and Accessories
Requirements
Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in a quantitative field (e.g., Statistics, Computer Science, Economics, Operations Research).
3-5 years of industry experience in applied machine learning or related AI work.
Hands-on experience building GenAI-focused applications (e.g., agents, reasoning workflows, or RAG) and a solid understanding of how large language models are architected and operated.
Can work collaboratively with cross-functional teams.
Hands-on experience with:
Building GenAI-focused application and applying LLMs and agentic AI (e.g., agents, reasoning workflows, or RAG)
Have personally implemented models in common Deep Learning frameworks such as PyTorch, Jax or TensorFlow.
MLOps, including model deployment, versioning and performance monitoring in production environments
Proficiency in Python, SQL, and tools such as scikit-learn, and forecasting libraries.
Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities, Machine Learning Concepts
Strong communication and storytelling skills - able to simplify complexity and influence executive stakeholders.
Interpersonal Skills
- Communicates difficult concepts and negotiates with others to adopt a different point of view
Location
Santa Clara, CA; on-site full-time
Additional Information
Time Type:
Full timeEmployee Type:
Assignee / RegularTravel:
Yes, 10% of the TimeRelocation Eligible:
YesThe salary offered to a selected candidate will be based on multiple factors including location, hire grade, job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and with consideration of internal equity of our current team members. In addition to a comprehensive benefits package, candidates may be eligible for other forms of compensation such as participation in a bonus and a stock award program, as applicable.
For all sales roles, the posted salary range is the Target Total Cash (TTC) range for the role, which is the sum of base salary and target bonus amount at 100% goal achievement.
Applied Materials is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law.
In addition, Applied endeavors to make our careers site accessible to all users. If you would like to contact us regarding accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact us via e-mail at Accommodations_Program@amat.com, or by calling our HR Direct Help Line at 877-612-7547, option 1, and following the prompts to speak to an HR Advisor. This contact is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.
See All 62 AI/ML Researcher Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find AI/ML Researcher JobsAI/ML Researcher Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
AI/ML Researcher Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Apple14
- General Motors5
- Amazon Web Services5
- Google3
- General Motors (GM)3
Top Industries Hiring
- Electronics & Hardware13
- Banking & Financial Services8
- Automotive5
- Technology & Software4
- Investment & Asset Management2
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in AI/ML researcher jobs across California.
- PhD or Master's degree in computer science, machine learning, or a closely related field
- Strong publication record in peer-reviewed venues such as NeurIPS, ICML, or CVPR
- Proficiency in Python and deep learning frameworks including PyTorch or TensorFlow
- Hands-on experience designing and running large-scale experiments on GPU clusters
- Ability to translate research findings into production-ready models or system improvements
- Familiarity with responsible AI principles and bias evaluation methods in model development
AI/ML Researcher Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a ai/ml researcher in California?
Most California employers require at least a Master's degree, and many research-focused roles expect a PhD in computer science, statistics, or a related field. California has no state-issued license for ai/ml researchers, so the path runs through academic training, a strong publication record, and demonstrated project experience. Completing a PhD program at a California institution or completing industry research internships at Bay Area or San Diego companies is the most common route into a full-time researcher role.
Which companies hire ai/ml researchers in California?
California ai/ml researcher roles are posted by Apple, General Motors, and Amazon Web Services and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. California's concentration of both major tech headquarters and well-funded research labs means openings appear across a wide range of organization types, from hyperscale platforms to specialized AI-first companies.
Which California cities have the most ai/ml researcher jobs?
Cupertino, San Francisco, and Santa Clara account for the largest share of ai/ml researcher openings in California. The San Francisco Bay Area leads because of its density of technology headquarters and independent research labs, Los Angeles is growing quickly through entertainment-tech and autonomous vehicle companies, and San Diego draws demand from defense contractors, genomics firms, and Qualcomm's semiconductor research operations.
Are there remote ai/ml researcher jobs in California?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 62% of ai/ml researcher openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting the desk-based and collaborative-digital nature of much research work. The portions of the role most commonly done remotely include literature review, model training, and writing, while lab-adjacent or hardware-dependent research positions are more likely to require an on-site presence.
How can I get hired as a ai/ml researcher in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a research internship or a PhD-adjacent role such as research engineer or research assistant, which large California employers including Google DeepMind, Meta AI, and applied research divisions at semiconductor companies run as formal programs. Candidates who build an open-source project, contribute to a public dataset, or co-author even one workshop paper gain a measurable edge. Moving laterally from a software engineering or data science role within a company that has an internal research group is another well-worn route into the field.
Where can I find and apply to ai/ml researcher jobs in California?
You can find and apply to ai/ml researcher jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings in one place. Search the listings to find roles that fit your background, experience level, and preferred location, then apply directly to the ones that match.
See All 62 AI/ML Researcher Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find AI/ML Researcher Jobs