Mechanical Engineering Lead

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 (MC) 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: You’ll lead mechanical engineering for a manufacturing Node or a group of related subsystems within Mechanisms and Fluid Systems. The machines you develop will expand the Matter Compiler’s capabilities and determine which devices we can manufacture, at what throughput and cost. The work spans precision motion, workholding, precision fluid handling, thermal control, and multi-physics processes. Reporting to our Director of Engineering, you’ll own the mechanical architecture and engineering delivery of your Node or subsystems. You’ll manage one to four engineers while personally owning critical design and verification work. You’ll be in design reviews, the lab, and the machine shop, digging into the physics, setting the architecture with your peers, and solving hard problems alongside your team. You’ll set clear priorities, give direct feedback, and develop engineers who can take increasing ownership of design and execution. Our engineering leaders are deeply technical, accomplished engineers themselves, and involved in the details. Your team will develop, test, and deploy Nodes in our Hybrid Fab, accelerated by in-house labs and a machine shop. You’ll work with engineers ranging from multi-decade principals to brilliant early to mid-career talent. You’ll build alongside technical partners across device, process, AI, electrical, controls, software, and manufacturing engineering. Problems You'll Solve: Deliver systems with performance capabilities at micron-to-submicron precision, enabling high-volume, high-mix combinatorial manufacturing capability. Develop systems capable of executing novel manufacturing processes to meet cutting-edge product requirements. Chart the roadmap from prototypes through qualification, repeatable machine builds and sustained operation supporting high-volume device production. Build, Own, Drive Build. You help set the bar, participate in interviews, and help grow the team to support our corporate needs and vision. You’ll learn to coach engineers, give feedback, and develop them into stronger contributors and future leads. Own. You hold responsibility for your team’s outcomes. You oversee Node performance, throughput, reliability, and cost through direct architectural definition and technical leadership. You uphold engineering standards and drive root-cause problem solving using frameworks like DMAIC. Drive. You set priorities for your team and own delivery of your programs in partnership with your Director. You empower your engineers, lead by example through tough technical problems, and apply phase-gate processes to ensure production readiness. How We Work Fast learning loops. In-house robotics labs and our shop and build team let you validate machine designs early and iterate within weeks. Our Hybrid Fab supports device and process validation using your equipment. First principles over opinions. We decide through analysis, experiments, and open technocratic debate. System in the loop. Your machines produce devices for customers, so your work gets tested by physics and by the market. Forecasts grounded in evidence. We update plans and delivery forecasts as analysis, experiments, and machine builds reveal new information. What You’ll Need: Experience designing and delivering complex mechanical equipment in one or more of the following areas: Precision mechanisms and robotic systems from concept to production release. Optical or optomechanical systems design and manufacturing. High-vacuum systems, deposition equipment, or vacuum material handling. Fluid handling, dispensing, or electrochemical processing systems. Ideally Your Background 8+ years developing complex integrated systems, including 3+ years leading technical work. Prior people-management experience is not required. You’ve led through your technical work by mentoring engineers, leading projects, or running design reviews. A record of mentoring engineers and helping them grow, and a genuine interest in hiring and developing people. Deep expertise in precision engineering, machine design, systems development, and the fundamentals to back it up. A record of delivering complete equipment from concept through qualification, documentation, repeatable builds, and sustained operation in production. Experience turning ambiguous requirements and new process physics into working machines with customer stakeholders and process engineers. Technical leadership: guiding technical direction, improving engineering tools and processes, and mentoring other engineers. B.S. in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline, or equivalent experience. The compensation for this position also includes equity and benefits. Salary Range $230,000 — $280,000 USD Atomic Machines is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity and does not discriminate based on characteristics protected by applicable law. We are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including for individuals with disabilities. To request an accommodation, contact rc@atomicmachines.com . To help our recruiting team manage application volume and respond to candidates more efficiently, Atomic Machines may use AI-assisted tools.