---
title: 'Senior Laser Process Engineer at Atomic Machines'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-laser-process-engineer-atomic-machines-emeryville-76wvd6d0abpv'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-16'
---

# Senior Laser Process Engineer at Atomic Machines

- **Company:** Atomic Machines
- **Location:** Emeryville, CA
- **Compensation:** $220k–$240k
- **Posted:** 2026-10-09
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-16
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/atomicmachines/jobs/4444519009

## 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. This full-time position is based in Emeryville within the Process Engineering organization.

About The Role:

We are seeking a senior engineer to help shape the future of our laser-based manufacturing processes from development to scaled production. This role operates at the nexus of process, device design, AI, software and hardware - bridging advanced micromachining, materials physics, and optical systems. You will drive forward laser process development to deliver rapid and effective results across cutting, milling, selective ablation, and welding processes using a suite of in-house-built pulsed-laser machines. You will champion innovative metrology and in-situ sensing to analyze laser-material interactions and feed AI-enabled process optimization. You'll also solve complex toolpath problems using commercial and custom CAD/CAM software.

Just as important as your technical depth is how you work: you identify the gaps and problems and run toward them, you build scalable systems as you go rather than executing a known playbook, and you take strong ownership from development through hand-off to production. The ideal candidate is capable of carrying a processing technology through its entire life cycle - from first principles, to experimentation and prototyping, to a robust, qualified process running at scale on our digital, autonomous manufacturing platform

What You’ll Do:

- Develop, optimize, and scale pulsed-laser manufacturing processes, including cutting, milling, selective ablation, and welding.
- Design and analyze experiments to understand laser-material interactions across metals, ceramics, and polymers - clearly defining goals, hypotheses, inputs, and outputs - and document and standardize processes to ensure reproducibility.
- Manage calibration and verification systems across many machines, build and execute qualification/validation protocols, establish process monitoring and control, and train and hand off to production personnel.
- Troubleshoot equipment, materials, and process issues, driving disciplined root-cause analysis to durable resolution.
- Develop and refine tool paths and machine programs using CAD/CAM and G-code to maximize precision and efficiency.
- Work with laser system design engineers to translate process learnings into system usability, performance, and features.
- Partner with Design, AI, Hardware/Software, and Manufacturing teams while mentoring engineers and technicians to champion best practices and process quality.
- Ensure safe operation of high-power laser systems, adhering to industry standards and internal safety protocols.

What You’ll Need:

- A master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Applied Physics, Materials Science, or a related field, and 6-10 years of relevant industry experience.
- Strong foundational knowledge of laser-material interaction and the physics of heating, melting, and ablation, along with heat transfer and thermomechanical phenomena.
- Hands-on experience with laser processing and parameter development (pulsed-laser experience ideal but not required); knowledge of laser and optical system design and performance.
- Experience scaling processes and handing off to production.
- Proficiency in DOE and statistical analysis.
- Experience with Python and ability to leverage AI tools for programming.
- Experience with metrology tools such as optical imaging and profilometry, CMM, SEM/EDS/EBSD, XRF, and X-ray CT.
- Excellent verbal and written communication with diverse stakeholders.
- Strong ownership and accountability; adaptable to changing priorities and comfortable managing many concurrent tasks.
- A collaborative attitude and team-focused mindset.

The compensation for this position also includes equity and benefits.

Salary Range $220,000—$240,000 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)

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