---
title: 'Director of Mechanical Engineering at Atomic Machines'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/director-of-mechanical-engineering-atomic-machines-emeryville-or-santa-clara-5f90qra1epqt'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-16'
---

# Director of Mechanical Engineering at Atomic Machines

- **Company:** Atomic Machines
- **Location:** Emeryville OR Santa Clara, CA
- **Compensation:** $200k–$260k
- **Posted:** 2026-10-07
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-16
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/atomicmachines/jobs/4437423009

## Job description

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.

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.

## About Atomic Machines

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Atomic Machines is building a new robotic micro-manufacturing platform to create a class of micro-electromechanical (MEMS) devices unattainable with traditional semiconductor-based fabrication.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series B)
- **Headquarters**: Berkeley, California, USA (with additional offices in Emeryville and Santa Clara, CA) [pitchbook.com](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/461907-37)
- **Founded**: 2019 [pitchbook.com](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/461907-37)
- **Founders**: Not publicly available

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Advanced Manufacturing, Nanotechnology, Robotics, MEMS (Micro-Electromechanical Systems), Machinery (B2B), Semiconductors [pitchbook.com](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/461907-37)
- **Target customers**: B2B — technology innovators and manufacturers in the AI data center world and broader tech industry requiring rapid prototyping and large-scale production of micro-devices [atomicmachines.com](https://www.atomicmachines.com/)
- **Mission or purpose statement**: "Redefining humanity’s relationship with matter" — building the machines that make everything, taking digital manufacturing to the extreme [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/atomic-machines)

## Products & Services
- **MEMS 2.0 Platform**: A proprietary robotic manufacturing technology stack that breaks traditional paradigms of silicon-fab-based MEMS fabrication, enabling new classes of microdevices with radically shorter development lifecycles [atomicmachines.com](https://www.atomicmachines.com/)
- **First Commercial Device**: A product addressing a critical need in the rapidly evolving AI data center world, currently being commercialized [atomicmachines.com](https://www.atomicmachines.com/join)
- **Microelectromechanical Systems Power Relay**: Patented technology (multiple patents filed globally) for power relay applications [pitchbook.com](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/461907-37)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed (private company)
- **Key Metric**: Total funding raised — **$144M** across two rounds (Series A in Nov 2022, Series B in Feb 2025) [pitchbook.com](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/461907-37)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Sozo Ventures, XTX Ventures, Deep Ventures, and individual angel investors (10 total investors) [pitchbook.com](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/461907-37)
- **Growth Signals**: Strong product/market fit with a clear go-to-market path; headcount of 134 employees (as of 2026) growing rapidly; well-funded with $75M Series B raised in Feb 2025; active patent portfolio [pitchbook.com](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/461907-37) [atomicmachines.com](https://www.atomicmachines.com/join)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Proprietary Technology Stack**: A completely new micro-manufacturing approach that is not based on traditional semiconductor/MEMS fabrication — a fundamental innovation rather than an incremental improvement [atomicmachines.com](https://www.atomicmachines.com/)
- **Extreme Digital Manufacturing**: Enables "unimaginably short product development lifecycles" and rapid prototyping with compelling economics [atomicmachines.com](https://www.atomicmachines.com/join)
- **First-Mover Advantage in MEMS 2.0**: Breaking traditional manufacturing paradigms for a new class of microdevices
- **Patented IP**: Multiple active and pending patents for microelectromechanical systems power relay technology [pitchbook.com](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/461907-37)

## Strategic Focus
- **Commercialization**: Scaling the first device targeting the AI data center market [atomicmachines.com](https://www.atomicmachines.com/join)
- **Platform Expansion**: Building the full "matter compiler" — the machines that make everything — from rapid prototyping to large-scale production [atomicmachines.com](https://www.atomicmachines.com/)
- **Talent Aggregation**: Actively hiring across multiple disciplines (AI, software, hardware, manufacturing, IT security, finance) to build a world-class multi-disciplinary team [greenhouse.io](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/atomicmachines)

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-Driven Work**: A rare opportunity to work on a "world-changing mission" to democratize the power to make physical things — from bits to atoms [atomicmachines.com](https://www.atomicmachines.com/join)
- **Apolitical Maker Culture**: The company explicitly states it is building "an apolitical maker culture of continuous invention, operational excellence and idea meritocracy" with information transparency [atomicmachines.com](https://www.atomicmachines.com/join)
- **Significant Equity**: Employees receive significant equity compensation and are treated as true company owners who benefit financially from overall success [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/atomic-machines)
- **Multi-Disciplinary Environment**: Work alongside incredibly talented engineers, scientists, and builders across robotics, MEMS, software, AI, and manufacturing [atomicmachines.com](https://www.atomicmachines.com/join)
- **Work Policy**: In-Office — employees work from physical offices in Emeryville, Santa Clara, or Berkeley, CA [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/atomic-machines) [greenhouse.io](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/atomicmachines)
- **Growth Opportunity**: Join as an early-stage company (founded 2019, still stealth) with strong funding and clear product/market fit — opportunity to help define the company from its early days [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/atomic-machines)

## Sources
1. [atomicmachines.com](https://www.atomicmachines.com/)
2. [atomicmachines.com/join](https://www.atomicmachines.com/join)
3. [greenhouse.io](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/atomicmachines)
4. [pitchbook.com](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/461907-37)
5. [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/atomic-machines)

## Other roles at Atomic Machines

- [Executive Assistant](https://feeny.ai/job/executive-assistant-atomic-machines-emeryville-e1a6gtkfbnvs) — Emeryville, CA
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- [Mechanical Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-engineer-atomic-machines-emeryville-or-santa-clara-7219y23nk393) — Emeryville OR Santa Clara, CA
- [Manufacturing Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/manufacturing-engineer-atomic-machines-emeryville-qj3409x7p9nv) — Emeryville, CA
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- [Future Atomizer](https://feeny.ai/job/future-atomizer-atomic-machines-emeryville-or-santa-clara-jb3pggs79ktt) — Emeryville OR Santa Clara, CA
- [Manufacturing Assembler, Contract (2:15pm-10:45pm)](https://feeny.ai/job/manufacturing-assembler-contract-2-15pm-10-45pm-atomic-machines-emeryville-m6ctq73rmbdv) — Emeryville, CA
- [Manufacturing Assembler, Contract (6:00am-2:30pm)](https://feeny.ai/job/manufacturing-assembler-contract-6-00am-2-30pm-atomic-machines-emeryville-dzrg950x6tb5) — Emeryville, CA