About Atomic Machines:
Atomic Machines is ushering in a new era in micromanufacturing with its Matter Compiler (MC) technology. The MC enables new classes of micromachines to be designed and built by offering manufacturing processes and a materials library that is inaccessible to semiconductor manufacturing methods. The MC promises to unlock MEMS manufacturing both for the many device classes that never could be made by semiconductor methods but also to open up entirely new classes. Furthermore, the MC is fully digital in the way 3D printing is digital, but where 3D printing produces parts of a single material using a single process, the MC is a multi-process, multi-material technology: bits and raw materials go in and complete, functional micromachines come out. The Atomic Machines team has also created an exciting first device – one that was only made possible by the existence of the Matter Compiler – that we will be unveiling to the world soon. Our offices are in Berkeley and Santa Clara, California.
This position is full-time and is located in our Berkeley location, reporting to the Director of Process Engineering.
About This Role:
We are seeking an enthusiastic and driven process engineer to support the development and integration of materials into market-defining commercial devices. In this role you will leverage your hands-on experience with thin-film deposition, etching, and other vacuum processing techniques. At the same time, you will apply your first-principles understanding of materials science and process-structure-property relationships to engineer multilayer thin-film coatings for high-performance microsystems. You will champion rigorous materials characterization practices and the adoption of new metrology techniques, all toward closed-loop learning and process monitoring.
The ideal candidate is capable of creating a multi-step thin-film process from scratch, refine and optimize, and then train other engineers and technicians to run that process. You will play a critical role in translating processes from the prototyping fab to our digital, autonomous manufacturing platform at scale.
What you will do:
- Develop, implement, and refine thin-film processes to prototype and manufacture novel microsystems and their packaging.
- Design and execute experiments to map processing-structure-property relationships for thin-film material systems with a focus on metals and ceramics.
- Own and operate a range of advanced vacuum processes, including but not limited to plasma etching, co-sputtering, reactive sputtering, evaporation, and rapid thermal annealing.
- Apply advanced bulk and surface characterization techniques to evaluate materials and monitor process outputs (e.g., SEM, EDS, EBSD, XRF, X-ray radiography/CT).
- Perform material property tests to evaluate the mechanical, electrical, magnetic, and thermal performance of thin films and interfaces.
- Analyze, summarize, document, and report out developed procedures, experimental data, and key findings.
- Participate in process development and automation activities to inform system requirements for custom-built manufacturing tools.
- Communicate and work cross-functionally to integrate newly developed processes into pilot-scale and large-scale fabrication workflows.
- Lead process development and process automation activities to inform system requirements for custom-built manufacturing tools.
- Guide and mentor teammates cross-functionally to integrate newly developed processes into high-mix, high-volumefabrication workflows.
What You'll Need:
- Disciplines of study preferred: Materials, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related fields.
- Experience developing and optimizing thin-film material processes for commercial applications.
- Hands-on lab experience operating thin-film processing equipment, especially plasma sputtering and plasma etching.
- Ability to set up and execute a design of experiments (DOE) to identify key factors influencing thin-film characteristics.
- Working knowledge of vacuum systems and vacuum technology.
- Experience using a variety of characterization techniques, such as SEM, EDS, EBSD, XRF, XPS, XRD, TEM, X-ray radiography/CT.
- Experience working in multidisciplinary teams, including technicians and operators.
- Experience with broader microfabrication techniques is preferred (e.g., laser micromachining, electrochemical, lithography).
- Experience with CAD software for 2D layouts is preferred.
- Bachelor’s degree, 3+ years of work experience.
$135,000 - $165,000 a yearThe compensation for this position also includes equity and benefits.Apply for this job
