Device Design Engineer

Atomic Machines; Emeryville (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Atomic Machines is seeking a Design Engineer to advance microscale devices on the Matter Compiler platform. You will shepherd concepts from sketch to prototype, balancing simulation with hands-on lab work to push the boundaries of fabrication and scale.

The role emphasizes cross-disciplinary collaboration with process, manufacturing, and mechanical teams, with a focus on innovative device concepts and robust validation in a rapidly evolving R&D setting.

Qualifications

• Proven experience designing microscale device components from concept to prototyping.
• Strong background in coupled physical domains (electrostatics, fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, structural mechanics).
• Experience with analytical modeling and multiphysics simulations.
• Fluency in CAD tools for microscale design and rapid prototyping.
• Hands-on experiments to validate prototypes in R&D environments.
• Experience with metrology tools like SEM/EDS, CT, optical profilometry.
• Strong documentation of design decisions and results.
• Ability to work independently and in multidisciplinary teams.
• Understanding of design for manufacturability (DFM).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Design microscale device subsystems from concept through simulation, prototyping, testing, and iteration.
• Develop device architectures using advanced materials and processes beyond MEMS.
• Perform multiphysics simulations with tools like COMSOL.
• Design, build, and iterate on experimental prototypes in fast-paced R&D.
• Plan and execute rigorous experimental validation with custom test setups.
• Characterize prototypes using SEM/EDS, CT, and optical profilometry.
• Collaborate with process, manufacturing, and mechanical engineering teams.
• Document design rationale, simulation data, and results per internal standards.

Skills

MEMS design

Multiphysics modeling

COMSOL

CAD

Prototyping

Metrology

Documentation

Cross-functional teamwork

DFM

MEMS-adjacent tech

Education

Master's or PhD

Engineering degree

Tools

COMSOL Multiphysics

3D CAD

SEM/EDS

CT scanning

Job description

Atomic Machines is ushering in a new era of micromanufacturing with its Matter Compiler™ technology platform. This platform enables new classes of micromachines to be designed and built by providing manufacturing processes and a materials library that are inaccessible to semiconductor manufacturing methods. It unlocks MEMS manufacturing not only for device classes that could never be produced by semiconductor methods, but also for entirely new categories. Furthermore, this digital platform is fully programmable in the way 3D printing is digital—and whereas 3D printing produces parts of a single material using a single process, the Matter Compiler™ technology platform is a multi-process, multi-material system: bits and raw materials go in, and complete, functional micromachines come out. The Atomic Machines team has also created an exciting first device—made possible only through the Matter Compiler™ technology platform—that we will be unveiling to the world soon.

When referencing the compensation band below, please note that it may vary based on a candidate’s experience and level. This role is not tied to a single level and may span earlier-in-career through senior-level candidates (L3–L5). Final leveling will be determined during the interview process. We are open to strong earlier-career candidates who are excited to grow into broader technical leadership or architectural responsibility over time.

Our offices are in Emeryville and Santa Clara, California.

About The Role:

We are seeking a skilled Design Engineer with strong multiphysics skills to join our growing Devices Design team. The devices we develop share similarities with MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems) but fundamentally depart from the constraints of traditional semiconductor-based manufacturing. At Atomic Machines, we are building a novel 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 could not be fabricated in a conventional fab environment.

This unconstrained environment demands engineers who bring exceptional creativity, first-principles thinking, and a multidisciplinary design approach. While experience in traditional MEMS is valuable, our Design Engineers rapidly grow beyond those frameworks, collaborating closely with design peers, process engineers, and technicians to co-evolve device and platform capabilities.

The ideal candidate has experience taking concepts from initial sketch to working prototype and is comfortable owning all stages of subsystem development—design, prototyping, and testing. Our engineers balance simulation and analysis with hands‑on lab work, and thrive in a highly collaborative, fast-moving environment. This is a unique opportunity for an innovative designer eager to define new fabrication processes and help bring breakthrough devices to scale.

What You’ll Do:

• Drive the end-to-end design of microscale device subsystems, from concept through simulation, prototyping, testing, and iteration, leveraging the capabilities of our Matter Compiler™ platform.
• Develop and refine innovative device architectures and components, using advanced materials and processes beyond conventional MEMS.
• Perform analytical modeling and multiphysics simulations (e.g., electrostatics, fluid dynamics, thermal, structural) with tools such as COMSOL.
• Design, build, and iterate on experimental prototypes in a fast-paced R&D environment with short design-test-learn cycles.
• Plan and execute rigorous experimental validation, including the development of custom test setups and protocols tailored to new device functions or phenomena.
• Characterize prototypes using advanced metrology tools, including SEM/EDS, CT scanning, and optical profilometry, to inform design decisions and process improvements.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with process, manufacturing, and mechanical engineering teams to co-develop devices and platform capabilities in parallel.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation of design rationale, simulation data, experimental results, and iteration history, following internal development standards.
• Contribute to the evolution of our design and development workflows, helping shape a world-class engineering process within an emerging, multidisciplinary manufacturing paradigm.

What You’ll Need:

• Proven experience designing microscale device components or systems—such as MEMS or MEMS‑adjacent technologies—from concept through prototyping, either in industry or academic research.
• Strong background in the analysis and design of systems involving coupled physical domains, such as electrostatics, electromagnetics, piezoelectric effects, fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, and structural mechanics.
• Familiarity with analytical modeling methods and experience performing multiphysics simulations using FEM tools such as COMSOL Multiphysics.
• Fluency in CAD tools for microscale design, with the ability to move efficiently between digital models and physical prototypes.
• Hands‑on experience designing, building, and executing experiments to validate prototypes, including rapid iteration in an R&D environment.
• Experience with characterization techniques and metrology tools such as SEM/EDS, CT scanning, and optical profilometry.
• Strong documentation skills, with a consistent, methodical approach to recording design decisions, test results, measurements, and iterations.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams that include process, mechanical, and manufacturing engineers.
• An understanding of design for manufacturability (DFM) principles and the ability to contribute to the development of next‑generation Matter Compiler™ capabilities through device‑driven feedback.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, and a rigorous, detail‑oriented approach to problem‑solving and experimentation.
• Master’s or PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, or a related field and 5+ years of relevant work experience.

Bonus Points For:

• Programming experience, particularly in Python, for automation, data analysis, or custom tool development.
• Familiarity with data analysis and visualization tools such as JMP, MATLAB, Pandas, and Matplotlib for experimental design, statistical evaluation, and performance analysis.
• Industry experience in structured product development methodologies such as Agile, ICSS, or equivalent systems engineering frameworks.
• Familiarity with product engineering, including design verification, validation, and root‑cause failure analysis.
• Experience with reliability engineering, including accelerated life testing, environmental testing, and long‑term performance characterization of microscale systems.
• Hands‑on experience with MEMS production technologies and fabrication process integration, especially in a research, prototyping, or early‑stage manufacturing environment.

The compensation for this position also includes equity and benefits.

Salary Range

$140,000 — $230,000 USD