Chief Operating Officer

Atomic Machines•Santa Clara, CA

2d•$350,000

About The Position

Atomic Machines is building the Matter Compiler™, an AI-native, all-digital manufacturing system designed to build working machines directly from code. As Chief Operating Officer, you will turn the Matter Compiler into a manufacturing business by setting strategy and leading the organization that designs, builds, and operates autonomous commercial fabs. You will be accountable for delivering the production capacity required by the company’s growth plan and for defining operational excellence for a new kind of factory. You will lead teams across manufacturing engineering, supply chain, shipping and receiving, fab operations, real estate and facilities, manufacturing partnerships, final assembly and test, quality and reliability, ERP systems, and foundry services. You will make major capital, site, and partnership decisions, including decisions about contract manufacturers and the balance of in-house and partner capacity. The role requires combining manufacturing and operations expertise with first-principles thinking to address the Matter Compiler’s automation, interchangeability, deterministic process control, real-time production, and materials needs. You will also lead the People function, including talent acquisition, people partnerships and organizational effectiveness, people operations, and compensation and benefits. You will own organizational strategy for scaling, including workforce planning, company structure and leveling, compensation, hiring standards, and culture across Santa Clara, Emeryville, and new fabs. As a member of the executive team reporting to the CEO, you will partner on company strategy, operating cadence, annual planning, and budgets, and represent operations to the board, customers, and key partners.

Requirements

15+ years of manufacturing and operations leadership experience, including executive ownership of highly automated manufacturing at scale and direct experience designing, building, and operating a manufacturing facility.
Prior experience as a COO, GM, or equivalent executive accountable for multiple functions, ideally at a hardware company scaling from early production to volume.
Experience leading or owning the People function, or a track record of building organizations through rapid headcount growth in close partnership with People.
Experience owning budgets and capital plans of $100M+ and making major site, capacity, and build-versus-partner decisions.
A robust manufacturing-industry network and nuanced understanding of its players, with a record of establishing contract manufacturing partnerships at scale.
A track record of hiring and developing strong leadership teams and building operationally excellent cultures.
Comfort representing operations to a board, customers, and strategic partners.
First-principles thinking and comfort challenging industry norms when the math or physics indicates a better approach.
Excellent communication skills; articulate, clear, and concise.
High emotional intelligence and strength in working with, inspiring, and motivating people.
BS, MS, or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or another rigorous engineering discipline.

Responsibilities

Own the design and operation of commercial fabs, including building infrastructure, non-Matter Compiler equipment, logistics, and labor.
Lead fab site selection and build-out to bring facilities online on time and in specification relative to forecast demand.
Own contract manufacturing relationships for production Matter Compiler equipment and identify, vet, and engage new partners.
Establish, operate, and scale the internal Final Assembly & Test function for Matter Compiler equipment.
Establish resilient, economical supply for materials and components; manage supplier and OEM relationships and enforce quality and reliability standards.
Manage inventory of raw materials, Matter Compiler components, and finished equipment.
Develop a framework for manufacturing metrics, including yield, throughput, quality, cost, and uptime.
Partner with Engineering to enhance and extend Matter Compiler capabilities.
Own workforce planning tied to fab bring-up and production ramps.
Lead Talent Acquisition at scale while maintaining hiring standards.
Design organizational structure, leveling, and career paths for emerging roles.
Own compensation, equity, and benefits philosophy and execution.
Build manager capability and a performance system that rewards first-principles thinking and ownership.
Sustain a unified Atomic Machines culture across existing offices and new fabs.
Partner with the leadership team on business processes, operating cadence, annual planning, and budgets.
Translate company goals into operating plans with clear owners and metrics, and establish control loops for key work.
Ensure a healthy and safe work environment and compliance with federal and state regulations, including employment law.
Represent operations to the board, customers, and strategic partners.