Full-Time
Staff Motion Controls Software Engineer
Robotics and Controls, Platform Engineering
Posted on 9/3/2025
Atomic Machines
51-200 employees
Develops atomically precise MEMS fabrication machines
Compensation Overview
$210k - $250k/yr
Oakland, CA, USA + 1 more
More locations: Santa Clara, CA, USA
In Person
The role is physically based Monday-Friday in our Santa Clara or Emeryville office.
 Software Engineering (1) |
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- A first-principles mindset — you question assumptions, reframe problems from the ground up, and approach challenges with a foundational understanding rather than relying solely on precedent.
- 10+ years of hands-on experience designing and implementing motor control systems, with demonstrated expertise in BLDC and stepper motor control.
- MS or PhD in Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronic Engineering, or related field with focus on controls/motor systems, or equivalent work experience.
- Deep knowledge of classical and modern control theory, including PID tuning, feedforward control, observer design, and system identification techniques.
- Proven experience with motor control hardware and their associated software interfaces.
- Strong background in control system modeling, including transfer functions, state-space representation, and frequency domain analysis.
- Experience developing automated system identification algorithms and auto-tuning methodologies for motor control systems.
- Proven track record of building user-friendly engineering tools and interfaces for non-software users, with focus on motor bring-up and diagnostics.
- Proficiency in real-time embedded programming (C/C++) for motor control applications, with understanding of deterministic systems and timing constraints.
- Experience with motor control development tools, oscilloscopes, and test equipment for controller validation and debugging.
- Solid understanding of power electronics, motor physics (permanent magnet synchronous, stepper), and sensor feedback systems (encoders, resolvers, Hall sensors).
- Experience with motion planning and trajectory generation for precision positioning applications.
- Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to work independently on complex technical challenges.
- Join the Robotics and Controls function within the Platform Engineering team and guide the architecture of the HW and SW systems for a new manufacturing platform.
- Lead the design and implementation of motor control systems for Atomic Machines' advanced manufacturing platform, focusing on precision motion control for micron-scale manufacturing processes.
- Develop and optimize control algorithms for custom motion controllers, ensuring compatibility with BLDC and stepper motors across various manufacturing applications.
- Design controller architectures from the ground up, including system modeling, transfer function analysis, and comprehensive gain tuning for optimal performance and stability.
- Build automated motor bring-up tools and software interfaces that enable non-software engineers to bring up new motors, including automated system identification, gain tuning, and performance validation.
- Develop user-friendly calibration and diagnostic tools that streamline the motor integration process and reduce time-to-deployment for new manufacturing systems.
- Implement real-time control software in embedded environments, with emphasis on deterministic behavior and low-latency response for precision manufacturing requirements.
- Collaborate with hardware teams to specify motor and drive requirements, conduct system identification, and validate control performance through testing and analysis.
- Support the development of the Matter Compiler's motion systems, ensuring seamless integration of multiple motor control subsystems within the broader manufacturing platform.
- Establish control system standards, documentation, and best practices for scalable motor control implementations.
Atomic Machines designs and ships fabrication systems aimed at atomically precise manufacturing (APM), starting with MEMS microfabrication. Its machines turn digital designs directly into physical objects at the atomic level, enabling extremely small and precise devices. The core product is a fabrication system that combines specialized hardware with control software and ongoing maintenance services, sold to semiconductor, automotive, healthcare, and consumer electronics manufacturers who need higher precision, efficiency, and scalability in their manufacturing. Unlike traditional MEMS fabrication that relies on silicon-based processes, Atomic Machines pursues a direct atom-by-atom construction path to improve performance and yield, and it offers custom fabrication solutions for large-scale or specialized needs. The company’s goal is to raise the bar for precision and manufacturing efficiency by making atomically precise production practical and scalable across multiple industries.
Company Size
51-200
Company Stage
Seed
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Berkeley, California
Founded
2019
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Receives $99.9M California Competes Tax Credits creating 305 high-paying jobs.
- MEMS scaling enables faster resonance frequencies and lower power consumption.
- Serves semiconductor, automotive, healthcare, and consumer electronics markets.
What critics are saying
- ATLANT 3D's DALP commercializes atom-by-atom deposition through 2025, undercutting APM.
- Bright Machines captures AI data center market with $62.9M Fremont expansion.
- Established silicon fabs like UC Berkeley block non-silicon stack market entry.
What makes Atomic Machines unique
- Atomic Machines develops non-semiconductor micro-manufacturing stack beyond silicon MEMS limits.
- Targets atomically precise manufacturing for AI data center microdevices first.
- Expands facilities in Santa Clara, Emeryville, and East Bay with $156.3M investment.
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↓ -4%Governor Newsom announces nearly $100M to accelerate California's manufacturing industry and drive job creation. What you need to know: The state is awarding nearly $100 million in California Competes Tax Credits to nine companies expanding headquarters and manufacturing operations, creating thousands of new jobs and spurring more than $370 million in capital investment across the state as part of the California Jobs First initiative. SACRAMENTO - Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) awarded $99.9 million in California Competes Tax Credits (CalCompetes) to nine innovative companies across the state. These awards will support an estimated creation of 2,752 new jobs with an average weighted annual salary of $139,000, and will bring in more than $370 million in new private investment. California's global leadership in innovation and manufacturing continues to set us apart. Through programs like CalCompetes, we're attracting companies and helping them grow successfully in our state, creating good-paying jobs and opportunities for Californians. Governor Gavin Newsom This round of CalCompetes awards supports a diverse range of manufacturers, spanning sectors including aerospace, wastewater treatment, and microelectronics. Manufacturing, identified as both a "strengthen" and "accelerate" sector within the state's Economic Blueprint, powers innovation in California unlike any other state, delivering $405.6 billion in output in 2024 and employing more than 1.24 million workers. Through the below awards, the state is investing in the workforce, infrastructure and innovation that drive the growth of this critically important sector: * Atomic Machines Inc. is investing $156.3 million to expand micro-electromechanical system manufacturing facilities in Santa Clara, Emeryville and the Greater East Bay Area, creating 305 new jobs. * Bright Machines is scaling their data center infrastructure manufacturing facility with a $62.9 million investment, creating 295 jobs in Fremont. * Hadrian Automation, Inc. is creating 650 jobs and investing $52 million in Torrance and Northern California to expand their aerospace component manufacturing. * Bella Phytologic is investing $33 million in its Santa Rosa and Sonoma County vitamin and supplement manufacturing facilities. * Gimme Health Foods Inc. will establish a seaweed food and snack manufacturing facility in Madera, expand its San Rafael HQ, and create 102 jobs along with a $20 million investment. * Pacific Scientific Energetic Materials Company (California) LLC is investing $18 million to expand its diagnostic and measurement device manufacturing facility in Hollister. * Community Infrastructure Investment Group, Inc. will invest $12.8 million to establish its wastewater treatment equipment manufacturing facility in Fresno. * True Anomaly will expand its satellite manufacturing facilities in Long Beach, creating 400 jobs along with a $12.7 million investment. * Color Image Apparel, a clothing design and manufacturer, will expand its Beverly Hills headquarters, adding 774 jobs and making $2.5 million in investments. "These companies represent the next generation of California innovation," said Dee Dee Myers, Senior Advisor to Governor Newsom and Director of GO-Biz. "From advanced manufacturing to clean technology, these investments strengthen the industries that define our economy and accelerate inclusive, economic growth across the state." To date, CalCompetes has awarded tax credits to more than 1,200 businesses committed to creating nearly 160,000 full-time jobs based in California and generating over $50 billion in private investment in the state. California Jobs First: A bold plan, realized locally. In February, Governor Newsom released the California Jobs First Economic Blueprint - a new economic vision for California's future. The Blueprint, which is being implemented by the nine state agencies on the California Jobs First Council, outlines key initiatives to support regional growth, invest in 21st century job training, create an attractive environment for job creators and strengthen California's innovation economy - all to help increase access to good-paying jobs for Californians. California's economic strength. California is not only a national economic powerhouse - it is driving the future. The state is one of the world's largest economies, feeds the country and leads the nation in new business starts, venture capital investment, manufacturing, and agriculture. With an increasing population and record-high tourism spending, California's economy continues to grow across key regions and sectors - proving that innovation and inclusion go hand in hand.