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 are seeking a Senior/Staff Test Development Engineer to define and own how Atomic Machines validates entirely new classes of devices. At Atomic Machines, we are building a novel robotic manufacturing platform—the Matter Compiler™—from the ground up. This enables us to explore entirely new materials and processes, making possible a class of devices that cannot be fabricated in conventional fab environments. From a test perspective, this means there is often no existing playbook. You will help develop test strategies for novel devices where requirements are still evolving and existing validation approaches often do not apply. Success requires building first-principles models, identifying error sources, and making tradeoffs between accuracy, throughput, cost, and scalability. You will be expected to lead the definition of test strategy for new devices, not just execute on predefined test plans. As part of the test group, you will work on complex multidisciplinary problems. You will have the opportunity to define novel tests from initial specifications through initial design, design and build custom hardware, and integrate it into a complete system. Test development includes mechanical fixturing, circuit board design, firmware development, integration of existing equipment, and contributing to how test data is collected, validated, and used to inform engineering and manufacturing decisions—defining how data is collected, validated, stored, and interpreted to inform product performance, failure analysis, and manufacturing decisions. You will work closely with colleagues from Device Design, Go-To-Market, and Production to specify, implement, and validate tests. In addition to a strong electrical engineering background, the ideal candidate will bring strong first principles thinking, creativity, and a generalist mindset. There are typically multiple approaches to developing any test, and navigating design/fabrication/results tradeoffs is where someone with a first principles approach will excel. We do not expect candidates to have deep expertise across every area relevant to the role. Strong candidates often bring depth in areas such as instrumentation, embedded systems, analog electronics, automation, or test development, along with curiosity and the ability to learn quickly across disciplines. What You'll Do Own end-to-end test development: define requirements, architect solutions, build systems, and deploy them into production Design test strategies from first principles for devices without existing validation frameworks Develop error budgets and measurement approaches for precision sensing and device characterization Make system-level tradeoffs between accuracy, throughput, cost, and scalability Architect and build custom instrumentation, including PCB design, firmware, and mechanical fixtures Document test systems, interfaces, and operating procedures to enable reliable handoff to production, reproducibility of results, and long-term maintainability Integrate test systems into automated production environments, ensuring robustness and scalability Partner with Device, Manufacturing, and Product teams to translate ambiguous requirements into measurable specifications and challenge assumptions Drive improvements in test reliability, data quality, and production throughput What You'll Need 5+ years of experience in circuit design, instrumentation development, or test engineering Demonstrated experience in full board development from initial circuit concepts through PCB layout, including defining specifications, validating functionality at the schematic level, and executing PCB layout Deep understanding of analog and mixed-signal circuit design Experience implementing analog system control using microcontrollers Ability to develop microcontroller code in C Strong documentation skills for clear hardware handoff to system-integration teams Proficiency with standard electronic test equipment Experience developing instrumentation, including constructing and managing error budgets Solid hands-on lab skills, including soldering, hardware build/test, and iterative refinement A first-principles mindset — you question assumptions, reframe problems from the ground up, and approach challenges with a foundational understanding rather than relying solely on precedent Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Physics. A PhD in a hard science or engineering discipline is strongly preferred Experience developing test plans from ambiguous requirements, including defining specifications, measurement approaches, error sources, and success criteria Demonstrated ability to reason about and make engineering tradeoffs (e.g., accuracy vs speed, noise vs architecture, modularity vs robustness) Bonus Points For High current (500A+) or high voltage (1kV+) systems experience Experience developing with the STM32 microcontroller platform Experience with reliability or environmental test systems The compensation for this position also includes equity and benefits. Salary Range $200,000 — $245,000 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.

Requirements

Must-haves

Atomic Machines is based in the San Francisco Bay Area, with offices in Emeryville and Santa Clara.
Own end-to-end test development: define requirements, architect solutions, build systems, and deploy them into production
Design test strategies from first principles for devices without existing validation frameworks
Develop error budgets and measurement approaches for precision sensing and device characterization
Make system-level tradeoffs between accuracy, throughput, cost, and scalability
Architect and build custom instrumentation, including PCB design, firmware, and mechanical fixtures
Document test systems, interfaces, and operating procedures to enable reliable handoff to production, reproducibility of results, and long-term maintainability
Integrate test systems into automated production environments, ensuring robustness and scalability
Partner with Device, Manufacturing, and Product teams to translate ambiguous requirements into measurable specifications and challenge assumptions
Drive improvements in test reliability, data quality, and production throughput
What You'll Need
5+ years of experience in circuit design, instrumentation development, or test engineering
Demonstrated experience in full board development from initial circuit concepts through PCB layout, including defining specifications, validating functionality at the schematic level, and executing PCB layout
Deep understanding of analog and mixed-signal circuit design
Experience implementing analog system control using microcontrollers
Ability to develop microcontroller code in C
Strong documentation skills for clear hardware handoff to system-integration teams
Proficiency with standard electronic test equipment
Experience developing instrumentation, including constructing and managing error budgets
Solid hands-on lab skills, including soldering, hardware build/test, and iterative refinement
A first-principles mindset — you question assumptions, reframe problems from the ground up, and approach challenges with a foundational understanding rather than relying solely on precedent
Experience developing test plans from ambiguous requirements, including defining specifications, measurement approaches, error sources, and success criteria

Nice-to-haves

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Physics. A PhD in a hard science or engineering discipline is strongly preferred
Bonus Points For

Application prep

Use the role’s language and application details while tailoring your materials.

Keywords to mirror

aigo

Platform: greenhouse
Effort: quick