Head of Hardware Manufacturing
Atoms
San Francisco, CA · Posted August 15, 2026
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Where San Francisco, CA ranks
Where San Francisco, CA placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #1Best cities for security jobs316 openings · of 20
- #1Best cities for technology jobs7,178 openings · of 100
- #1Best cities for financial services pay after cost of living$173k · of 33
- #1Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills35% · of 100
- #1Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the West Coast35% · of 54
- #1Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the West Coast902 jobs · of 47
Rankings about engineering jobs
- Best cities for software and engineering jobs #1 San Francisco (3,412 openings)
- Best cities for engineering pay after cost of living #1 San Mateo ($216k)
- Most requested AI skills in engineering jobs #1 AI tools in daily work (6.1%)
- AI tools named most often in engineering jobs #1 Claude (1.7%)
- Employers with the most engineering jobs #1 Amazon (2,992 roles)
How AI is used in this kind of work
AI use among industrial production managers is little observed so far. Measured exposure for industrial production managers: 1% (little observed).
Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.
Skills this job asks for
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About the job
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
End-to-end retrofit and box build operations: process, technicians, tooling, throughput, and the release gates that let a vehicle out the door
Standing up production at two new locations while an existing one continues to run, including layout, material flow, and station design
The technician organization: hiring pace, training program, certification and sign-off criteria, trainer capacity, and shift structure as the operation moves toward extended and weekend coverage
Building the leadership layer beneath you
A quality function that gates production independently of build, with first-pass yield, defect capture, and closed-loop feedback to engineering
Partnership with Supply Chain so no vehicle enters the line without a complete kit, and with hardware and NPI engineering as new designs transfer into production
What we’re looking for
Track record taking a hardware production operation from zero or near-zero to meaningful volume, where you personally designed the line rather than inherited it
Experience in a larger, mature manufacturing organization, so you know what good looks like at scale and can build toward it rather than reinventing it
Demonstrated multi-site experience: standing up new production locations while existing sites keep producing
Deep capability in technician hiring and training: you have built ramp programs, certification criteria, and trainer structures, and you understand that trained labor is the real constraint on throughput
Strong manufacturing engineering foundation: time studies, line balancing, takt and cycle analysis, station and tooling design, work instructions, lean and continuous improvement
Quality leadership: you have run an independent quality gate and held it under schedule pressure
Proven people leadership at scale: hired and led managers, engineers, and technician leads
Comfortable being hands-on on the floor and rigorous in the data
10-plus years in manufacturing operations, including leadership of a multi-shift production organization
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 $182,000 - $214,000 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.
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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