Mechanical Engineering Leadership, Vacuum Systems

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 Vacuum Systems mechanical engineering and build the team and capabilities needed to expand the Matter Compiler’s manufacturing processes. Your immediate priority is our physical vapor deposition (PVD) system. The work spans vacuum chambers and pumping, deposition sources, precision motion, thermal management, and automated material handling. You’ll own development from concept through qualification and sustained operation. This is a hands-on leadership role. You’ll set architecture with technical leads, review designs, guide experiments, and resolve integration problems with process, electrical, controls, software, and manufacturing partners.You’ll develop engineers and technical leaders, establish engineering standards, and set priorities for the Vacuum Systems team. An engineering program manager will partner with you on planning, dependencies, and delivery. Problems You’ll Solve • Translate process and device requirements into equipment that meets throughput, repeatability, reliability, and cost targets. • Build and qualify a high-rate PVD system, balancing deposition performance with vacuum, thermal, handling, and maintenance constraints. • Choose what to buy, adapt, or develop in house, using proven designs and focused experiments to shorten development. • Establish performance across representative operating conditions, maintenance cycles, and repeated builds. Build, Own, Drive • Build. Hire missing expertise and develop engineers and leaders who can independently own difficult technical work. • Own. Set technical direction, resolve system interfaces, and hold the team accountable for equipment performance and readiness. • Drive. Prioritize technical risks, allocate people and resources, and make commitments grounded in analysis, experiments, and build progress. How We Work • Fast learning loops. Our in-house labs, machine shop, and build team support early testing. The Hybrid Fab connects equipment decisions to process and device results. • First principles and experience. We combine proven engineering practices with analysis and experiments, testing assumptions as requirements change. • System in the loop. We verify repeatable performance in operation, including recovery after service and faults. • Forecasts informed by evidence. We retire risks early and update plans as measurements change our understanding. What You’ll Need: • Technical leadership developing PVD equipment or substantial PVD modules through integration, commissioning, and qualification, with the system breadth to guide a complete tool. • Strong mechanical and vacuum engineering fundamentals: chamber design, pumping and gas loads, precision motion, thermal management, materials compatibility, and verification. • Experience adapting industry designs and practices to new requirements, with demonstrated improvements in development time or equipment performance. • Direct engineering management experience: hiring, developing independent technical ownership, addressing performance, and delivering across disciplines. Ideally Your Background • Delivery of complex vacuum equipment beyond the initial prototype into qualified operation and subsequent builds. • Hands-on architecture, design review, testing, and root-cause analysis, including work with suppliers and service teams. • Experience building the integration capabilities, engineering standards, and review practices needed by a growing equipment organization. • Experience setting direction, developing leaders, and making resource, supplier, or architecture decisions across programs or equipment generations. • B.S. in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline, or equivalent experience. The compensation for this position also includes equity and benefits. Salary Range $200,000—$260,000 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.