Forward Deployed Engineer, Physics & Simulation

About this role

Periodic Labs seeks a Forward Deployed Engineer to embed with customers and own physics-based simulation workflows for advanced manufacturing optimization. You'll build and calibrate complex simulations, collaborate directly with manufacturing teams on-site (primarily in Taiwan), and integrate simulation outputs with AI-driven process optimization.

What you'll do

• Own end-to-end simulation workflows including model setup, calibration, and iterative recipe optimization for customer engagements
• Build and debug physics-based simulations of multiphase flow, capillary dynamics, viscosity evolution, and curing behavior
• Work on-site with customer engineering teams to understand process constraints and translate simulation findings into actionable improvements
• Develop Python scripting and tooling for job submission, parameter sweeps, output parsing, and platform integration
• Collaborate with internal ML and RL teams to couple simulation with LLM-driven recipe generation and automated optimization
• Iterate on model fidelity, meshing strategies, and solver configurations to balance accuracy with computational constraints

What they're looking for

• Numerical simulation of physical systems (fluid dynamics, heat transfer, structural mechanics, or electromagnetics)
• Mesh generation, solver tuning, and debugging numerical instabilities
• Python for scientific computing (NumPy, SciPy)
• CFD tools (OpenFOAM, ANSYS Fluent, Star-CCM+, or custom solvers)
• Process engineering and physics-first problem-solving mindset
• Strong communication and customer collaboration
• Self-directed ownership of technical projects from definition to deployment
• Mandarin language proficiency (preferred)