Supplier Quality Engineer

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  (MC) 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 This Role:

We are looking for a Supplier Quality Engineer to help develop and execute world-class supplier quality processes for a new class of manufacturing. The Matter Compiler™ platform is the first of its kind and introduces unique quality challenges that require strong fundamentals, systems thinking, and the ability to help build scalable processes from the ground up.

This is a highly visible role that contributes directly to the success of Atomic Machine's vision. The successful candidate will bring a solid understanding of supplier quality principles and will work cross-functionally to support the supplier quality strategy. They will help establish and carry out robust supplier quality processes that ensure consistent product performance, manufacturability, regulatory compliance, and customer satisfaction throughout the supplier lifecycle.

In this role, you will partner closely with engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and external suppliers to identify and mitigate risk, drive continuous improvement, and enable rapid development while maintaining high quality standards. The ideal candidate is hands-on and detail-oriented, comfortable operating in a fast-paced, evolving environment, and motivated by the opportunity to help define quality for a new manufacturing paradigm.

What You'll Do:

• Own supplier quality for an assigned commodity or supplier portfolio, from qualification through volume production, in compliance with ISO 9001 and other relevant certifications.
• Qualify new suppliers and parts: lead supplier assessments, first article inspection, and PPAP activities.
• Perform on-site and remote supplier audits, document findings, and drive closure of corrective actions.
• Develop and maintain incoming inspection plans, test requirements, and acceptance criteria for assigned parts.
• Disposition non-conforming material and lead MRB activity for supplier-caused issues.
• Lead structured problem-solving with suppliers (8D, RCA, FMEA, 5 Whys) and verify that corrective actions are sustained at the source.
• Maintain supplier scorecards and quality KPIs (DPPM, yield, escapes, audit findings) and present trends in regular quality reviews.
• Track recurring supplier issues, perform root cause analysis, and escalate systemic risks.
• Close the loop between manufacturing and suppliers by feeding line-side defect data back into supplier corrective action.
• Support customer quality concerns traceable to supplied material, including preparing RCCA content for customer presentations.
• Partner with engineering on DFM and specification reviews to prevent quality issues before release; participate in design reviews for assigned components.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, supply chain, and engineering to embed quality discipline in daily operations.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of the supplier quality management system and internal audit program.

What You'll Need:

• 3–6+ years in supplier quality, quality engineering, or a closely related role in a manufacturing environment.
• Hands-on experience with supplier qualification, audits, incoming inspection, PPAP, and supplier scorecards, preferably in an ISO 9001 environment.
• Working expertise in RCCA methodologies (FMEA, 8D, 5 Whys, fishbone/Ishikawa) and statistical tools for failure analysis, with a track record of corrective actions that stick.
• Experience supporting products from NPI through volume manufacturing.
• Familiarity with DFM principles and their impact on quality and yield.
• Proficiency with PLM, MES, and ERP systems; comfortable pulling and analyzing quality data to drive decisions.
• Ability to influence suppliers and cross-functional partners without direct authority.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with attention to documentation quality and clear reporting of quality metrics.
• Self-directed and resilient in ambiguous situations; able to make tangible progress amid change.
• A first-principles mindset—questioning assumptions and solving problems from foundational understanding rather than precedent alone.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field required.