Manufacturing Engineer

Atoms; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 145,000 - 183,250; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

Equity

401(k)

Paid holidays

Parental leave

Commuter benefits

Job summary

Atoms in San Francisco is hiring a Manufacturing Process Engineer to design and optimize production lines, analyze flows, and drive continuous improvements in time, yield, and ergonomics. You will collaborate with technicians and engineers, create actionable work instructions, and help transfer designs from NPI to scalable production.

You will work on-site in SF, contribute to equity initiatives, and enjoy a comprehensive benefits package with base salary ranging from $145,000 to $183,250 per

Qualifications

• 5+ years in manufacturing, industrial, or process engineering.
• Experience on time and motion studies and line balancing.
• Experience scaling production from prototype to full output.
• Lean tools proficiency: value stream mapping, kaizen, 5S.
• Strong communication across technicians and leadership.

Responsibilities

• Design and optimize production lines for new locations.
• Analyze current flows and implement improvements.
• Own floor layout and optimize kit and assembly flow.
• Drive continuous improvement on time, yield, ergonomics.
• Create and maintain work instructions and process docs.
• Track cycle time, first-pass yield, defect rates.
• Collaborate daily with technicians and engineers.
• Partner with NPI to transfer designs to production.
• Replicate proven processes to new sites.

Skills

Manufacturing experience

Industrial engineering

Process engineering

Time and motion studies

Line balancing

Factory layout design

Lean tools

Data-driven

Education

Industrial/Mechanical/Manufacturing Engineering degree

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Spreadsheets

Job description

Who we are

Atoms is building the machines that power the next era of progress.

Over the last decade, software has transformed the digital world. But the physical world, where food is made, minerals are mined, goods are moved, and industries are run, remains far less intelligent, far less efficient, and far more constrained. We’re changing that.

Atoms builds Physical AI— real-world robots for the industries that move civilization forward, starting with food, mining, and transport. Our systems are designed to understand, predict, and control the real world with precision, turning complex physical operations into something more reliable, more scalable, and more productive.

This work requires more than robotics. It requires deep integration across hardware, software, AI, operations, manufacturing, and real estate. We don’t just build machines in a lab. We deploy them into real environments, operate them, learn from them, and improve them until they work at scale.

We are roboticists, engineers, operators, and builders. We believe the next great technology companies will not only transform information, but the physical systems that shape everyday life.

If you want to work on hard problems with real-world impact, join us.

What you’ll do

• Design and implement upfitting and assembly lines for new production locations: station design, layout, material flow, work instructions, and ramp support
• Analyze existing manufacturing flows for custom computer builds and retrofit kit manufacturing through time and motion studies, line balancing, and takt and cycle analysis, then implement the improvements you identify
• Own production floor layout across facilities and optimize flow between kitting and assembly operations
• Drive continuous improvement on build time, yield, and ergonomics by optimizing workstation layout and implementing solutions developed with technician feedback and the engineering team
• Design and build production tooling, jigs, and fixtures that improve quality and repeatability
• Create and maintain version-controlled work instructions, SOPs, and process documentation in partnership with hardware engineering
• Define and track process metrics (cycle time, first-pass yield, defect rates) and use the data to prioritize what gets fixed next
• Work daily with technicians on the floor to capture process knowledge and turn it into implemented improvements
• Partner with hardware and NPI engineering as new designs transfer into production, feeding back manufacturability learnings from the line
• Replicate proven production processes to new sites as we scale

What we’re looking for

• 5+ years in manufacturing, industrial, or process engineering in production-heavy environments (automotive, aerospace, robotics, EV, industrial equipment)
• Degree in industrial, mechanical, or manufacturing engineering, or equivalent experience
• Hands‑on experience with time and motion studies, line balancing, and factory layout design
• Experience taking production from prototype or low volume to scaled output
• Working command of lean tools: value stream mapping, kaizen, 5S, root cause analysis
• Comfortable on the production floor and equally comfortable in the data: spreadsheets, ERP/MRP systems
• Strong communicator across technicians, engineers, and leadership
• Highly analytical, data‑driven, and genuinely open to learning from the people who run the process every day

Why join us

At Atoms, you’ll work on one of the defining challenges of our time—bringing automation into the physical world to drive real, lasting impact. We exist to uncover valuable unknown truths and turn them into progress, which means constantly pushing beyond what’s known and building what doesn’t yet exist. The work is ambitious and often challenging, but it’s grounded in a shared sense of purpose and a team committed to seeing it through together. Our work only matters if it serves others, and we know that meaningful progress depends on the trust of the people we serve and the strength of our team—so we invest in both, creating an environment where you can do your best work and grow.

What else you need to know

This role is based in our San Francisco office. Atoms is a company driven by invention and continuous change - we are constantly reimagining our industries, building new products, and refining how we operate. We do our best work together. That’s why all of our office‑based teams work onsite, five days a week.

The base salary range for this role is $145,000 - $183,250 per year.

Actual compensation will be determined on an individual basis and may vary depending on experience, skills, and qualifications.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package. You may also be eligible for equity awards and an annual performance‑based bonus.

Benefits Summary (USA Full-Time Exempt Employees)

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, and Life Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account / Health Savings Account Options
• 401(k)
• Equity
• Sick Time, Unlimited Flexible Time Off, and Paid Holidays
• Paid Parental Leave
• Pre‑Tax Commuter Benefit Plan
• Team lunch in our SoMa office every Tuesday and Thursday

Benefits are subject to change at the company's discretion. Atoms accepts applications on an ongoing basis.

Ready to join us as we serve those who serve others?

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