Senior Electrical Engineer

Atoms; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 182,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k)

Equity

Paid holidays

Team lunches

Job summary

Atoms in San Francisco designs physical AI hardware and software to power real-world automation. The role focuses on drive-by-wire, carrier boards, and vehicle integration, with emphasis on multi-layer PCB design, embedded systems, and automotive protocols.

The work occurs in a fast-paced startup environment with onsite collaboration, hardware testing, and deployment support. Competitive salary and equity accompany a full-time position.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
• 2+ years of non-internship professional Electrical Engineering experience.
• Strong PCB design experience with multi-layer boards and high-speed signaling.
• Experience with embedded systems.
• Familiarity with common automotive communication protocols like CAN, CAN FD, and SENT.
• Hands-on experience with hardware testing and validation.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, collaborative startup environment.

Responsibilities

• Drive-by-wire development: Design and implement custom circuit boards for electronic and actuator-based vehicle operation, collaborating with other teams on hardware and software.
• Carrier board design & firmware integration: Design carrier boards for vehicle compute, including interfaces with sensors (camera/radar/lidar), logging, GPS, and other peripherals.
• Vehicle integration: Analyze and document CAN bus, CAN FD, direct signaling, and vehicle-specific communication protocols on passenger and commercial platforms.
• Hardware testing: Design, build, and support testing processes and hardware test apparatus for validation and troubleshooting.
• Integration & deployment: Support fleet installations and troubleshoot hardware/firmware issues at testing and deployment sites.

Skills

PCB design

Embedded systems

CAN protocols

Hardware testing

Startup environment

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering

Job description

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

• Drive-by-wire development: Design and implement custom circuit boards for electronic and actuator-based vehicle operation, collaborating with other teams on hardware and software.
• Carrier board design & firmware integration: Design carrier boards for vehicle compute, including interfaces with sensors (camera/radar/lidar), logging, GPS, and other peripherals.
• Vehicle integration: Analyze and document CAN bus, CAN FD, direct signaling, and vehicle-specific communication protocols on passenger and commercial platforms.
• Hardware testing: Design, build, and support testing processes and hardware test apparatus for validation and troubleshooting.
• Integration & deployment: Support fleet installations and troubleshoot hardware/firmware issues at testing and deployment sites.

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 we're looking for

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
• 2+ years of non-internship professional Electrical Engineering experience.
• Strong PCB design experience with multi-layer boards and high-speed signaling.
• Experience with embedded systems.
• Familiarity with common automotive communication protocols like CAN, CAN FD, and SENT.
• Hands-on experience with hardware testing and validation.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, collaborative startup environment.

What else you need to know

This role is based in our San Franciscooffice. 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 $182,000 -$230,000

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
• Team lunch in our SoMa office every Tuesday and Thursday