AR/VR Interaction Designer

Who We Are

Applied Materials is a global leader in materials engineering solutions used to produce virtually every new chip and advanced display in the world. We design, build and service cutting-edge equipment that helps our customers manufacture display and semiconductor chips – the brains of devices we use every day. As the foundation of the global electronics industry, Applied enables the exciting technologies that literally connect our world – like AI and IoT. If you want to push the boundaries of materials science and engineering to create next generation technology, join us to deliver material innovation that changes the world. 

What We Offer

Salary:

$132,000.00 - $181,500.00

Location:

Austin,TX

You’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. 

As a Software Engineer at Applied Materials, you’ll dive deep into ground-breaking technologies—like machine learning and AI—to craft novel software solutions that solve our customers’ high-value problems. Our Software Engineers are responsible for designing, prototyping, developing, and debugging software solutions for semiconductor equipment components and devices to ensure quality and functionality. You'll develop software documentation and test procedures, troubleshoot software problems, and communicate with internal customers to understand project requirements. As part of our team, you'll contribute your expertise in intricate systems, deciphering code, and anticipating software behaviors to ensure Applied remains the leader in the semiconductor and display sectors.

Job Overview

The AR/VR Interaction Designer will craft intuitive, immersive experiences that help users navigate, learn, and perform tasks in augmented and virtual reality. This role emphasizes interaction design, spatial layout, user workflow logic, and prototyping. The ideal candidate understands how to design for spatial computing, structure 3D environments for clarity and usability, and collaborate with developers and SMEs to bring interactions to life.

This is a great role for someone who thinks like a systems designer + interaction engineer, who can shape how users move, act, and understand complex information in 3D space.

Work Location: Austin, full-time on-site

Key Responsibilities

Spatial UX & Interaction Design

• Design user interactions, flows, and behaviors for AR/VR applications, focusing on clarity, ergonomics, and real‑world usability.

• Create spatial layouts that organize 3D environments logically and support task completion—without needing to build complex models from scratch.

• Define interaction patterns (gaze, gesture, controller, hand‑tracking) and specify how users engage with objects, information, and guidance cues.

Prototyping & Experience Architecture

• Develop low‑ to mid‑fidelity prototypes in Unity/Unreal or XR prototyping tools to validate interactions quickly.

• Partner with developers to implement interactive behaviors, refine UX patterns, and test feasibility.

• Iterate rapidly based on feedback from users, SMEs, and engineering partners.

Collaboration with SMEs & Developers

• Work alongside engineers, instructional designers, and AR/VR developers to translate procedures, workflows, and technical tasks into intuitive immersive experiences.

• Provide interaction guidelines, annotated mockups, and behavior specifications for developers.

• Communicate design intent clearly and advocate for user‑centric spatial solutions.

Asset Integration & Environment Structuring

• Import and arrange existing CAD models and 3D assets into functional, navigable AR/VR scenes.

• Identify asset needs and coordinate with 3D artists when higher-fidelity or optimized models are required—without being responsible for full asset creation.

• Optimize environment layout (scale, affordances, lighting, navigation flow) for usability and performance.

Documentation & Design Guidelines

• Create UX specifications, interaction schematics, layout standards, and behavioral logic documentation.

• Contribute to a cohesive design language for AR/VR experiences that can be reused across training, engineering, and operational use cases.

User Acceptance Testing

• Determine and apply the most effective user research methodologies to uncover pain points and inform design decisions

• Conduct usability testing and gather feedback from end-users to ensure designs solve real-world problems effectively.

Required Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in AR/VR, interaction design, product design, or spatial UX.

• Strong understanding of spatial computing principles, ergonomics, and user workflows in 3D environments.

• Experience with Unity or Unreal for prototyping interactions.

• Ability to storyboard interactions, communicate system logic, and design clear user pathways.

• Comfort working with CAD or 3D assets for layout and interaction purposes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing AR/VR training, industrial workflows, or complex procedural experiences in Unity

• Understanding of real‑time performance constraints and AR/VR device capabilities.

• Background working with instructional designers, technical SMEs, or engineering workflows.

• Familiarity with UX research in immersive environments.

Additional Information

Time Type:

Full time

Employee Type:

Assignee / Regular

Travel:

Yes, 10% of the Time

Relocation Eligible:

Yes

The 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 [email protected], 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.