Director, Mechanical Engineering

Atomic Machines is building the Matter Compiler™, the first in a new class of AI-native, all-digital manufacturing systems that build working machines directly from code. The Matter Compiler™ is aimed at micro-machines: motors and gears the size of a grain of sand, robots small enough to work inside the body, cooling built directly into the chips that run AI, and the many devices like them that have been waiting on a way to build them.

Its first product is PrimeSwitch™, an electromechanical power relay the size of a button battery that carries 150 amps continuous current and opens in 50 microseconds, about a thousand times faster than a conventional contactor. Founded by Jeff Holden — serial entrepreneur, ex-Amazon SVP and Uber’s first Chief Product Officer — the company has raised $250 million to date.

Atomic Machines is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, with offices in Emeryville and Santa Clara.

About The Role:

We’re hiring a Director of Mechanical Engineering to lead teams developing our digital manufacturing Nodes: automated machines that each implement a physical manufacturing process. You’ll own technical direction, team development, and delivery from initial prototypes through qualification and commercial readiness.

Our engineering leaders are deeply technical, accomplished engineers themselves, and involved in the details. Your teams will develop, test, and deploy Nodes in our Hybrid Fab, accelerated by in-house labs and a machine shop.

What You’ll Do:

• Lead teams developing automated manufacturing Nodes, from early concepts and prototypes through qualification and production.
• Own the mechanical architecture and engineering tradeoffs that determine each Node’s precision, throughput, reliability, and cost.
• Work with device and process engineers to turn process physics and new device requirements into practical machine designs and manufacturing capabilities.
• Use our in-house labs, machine shop, and Hybrid Fab to test ideas quickly and learn from operating machines. Guide technical decisions through first-principles analysis, experiments, and open debate.
• Hire exceptional engineers and develop technical leaders who can run their teams independently and contribute deeply to difficult engineering problems.
• Set technical priorities, staffing plans, and schedules, and own delivery across multiple Nodes.

What You’ll Need:

10+ years developing complex mechanical systems, including 5+ years managing engineering teams.

Experience leading multiple teams or development efforts through senior engineers, technical leads, or managers.

Exceptional command of engineering fundamentals and deep expertise in precision engineering or machine design.

Strong systems engineering and architecture skills, with a record of delivering complete systems from concept through integration, qualification, and production.

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline, or equivalent experience.

Bonus Points For:

Designed and developed complete robotic systems from concept to production.

Experience with high-vacuum systems, deposition equipment, or vacuum material handling.

Experience with fluid handling, dispensing, or electrochemical processing systems.

The compensation for this position also includes equity and benefits.