Head of IT

Atomic Machines•Santa Clara, CA

52d•$175,000 - $235,000

About The Position

We are seeking a highly capable and customer-oriented Head of IT to lead and scale the IT and infrastructure functions of a rapidly growing Silicon Valley startup. With manufacturing and engineering offices in Emeryville and Santa Clara, you will oversee a lean but expanding team of internal staff and consultants. In this role, you will architect, implement, and scale corporate infrastructure to support a data-rich manufacturing environment that handles sensitive and regulated information (including DoD-related data). You will be responsible for ensuring our systems are secure, efficient, and adaptable to the needs of a fast-growing enterprise. The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader who thrives in high-growth environments, values efficiency, reliability and scalability, and knows how to build processes that leverage modern, business-enabling technologies. You'll enjoy working closely with a talented and driven team across the company, serving as both a strategic partner and a trusted operator. With strong communication and change management skills, you'll guide system implementations, upgrades, and continuous improvements as our enterprise evolves.

Requirements

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 IT experience, with at least 3+ years in leadership roles.
Deep understanding of enterprise systems architecture and integrations (HRIS, ERP/Finance, IT, Security, Data platforms).
Acts as a player-coach who can dive into the details when needed
Holds a high bar for operational excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Track record of building and scaling IT systems for mid-sized companies (100-500 employees).
Strong communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.
Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) from an accredited four-year institution.

Responsibilities

Build and enforce IT standards, governance, and best practices across the organization.
Proactively monitor, expand, and optimize systems to ensure robust, reliable performance as the business scales.
Plan and Scale IT Infrastructure: Design, execute, and document a current and future roadmap of corporate architecture with the purpose of efficient and aligned execution to support the company's growth.
Own change management processes, guiding implementations, upgrades, and rollouts.
Collaborate closely with the information security team to manage and extend security practices across physical access control systems, endpoints, and corporate infrastructure.
Implement and maintain robust information security controls tailored to scale with high growth companies.
Develop and maintain a forward-looking IT Growth, Risk & Compliance roadmap aligned with company strategy.
Identify and execute on compliance requirements related to sensitive data handling (including DoD-related requirements).
Proactively identify risks and lead mitigation strategies.
Evaluate existing IT incident response processes, up-level robustness, including triage, documentation, resolution, and escalation processes.
Ensure continuous improvement in IT operations and service delivery.
Manage and mentor a small IT team (up to 5 people).
Oversee and contract outsourced IT and security resources effectively.
Foster a customer service-oriented IT culture across the organization.
Design and implement scalable IT processes and systems for organizations in the 100-500 headcount range.
Architect integrated corporate systems across HR, Finance, Data, IT, and Security functions to support business needs and growth.