Interfacial Engineer (Surface Engineering)

Atomos Systems • Boulder, CO

7d

About The Position

About the Role We’re building a novel actuator platform that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in robotics. The core technology depends on precisely engineered fluid–solid interfaces operating under demanding conditions. We’re looking for a hands-on Interfacial Engineer to own the materials development, surface engineering, and fluid integration for this platform. As a founding team member, you will take ownership of the chemical and physical architecture that allows our systems to operate with high efficiency and durability. This is a high-impact early hire role—you’ll work from first principles across interfacial chemistry, thin-film processing, and fluid handling to directly shape the core technology.

Requirements

• PhD or equivalent experience in Surface Science, Physical Chemistry, Materials Science, or a related field with a focus on liquid–solid interfaces.
• Strong understanding of capillary forces, wetting phenomena, and microfluidics.
• Practical experience with thin-film coatings, surface functionalization, or dielectric materials.
• Ability to work from first principles to diagnose and solve interfacial failure modes (stiction, delamination, breakdown).
• Comfortable in a fast-paced startup environment where you define the problems as much as you solve them.

Responsibilities

• Engineer solid–fluid interfaces for controlled wetting behavior, surface energy, and long-term stability in confined geometries.
• Develop and iterate on surface treatments and coatings to achieve target interfacial properties (e.g., adhesion, hysteresis, dielectric integrity).
• Design chemical strategies to manage oxidation and degradation in high-performance fluid systems.
• Lead characterization efforts: interfacial tension, surface charge, dielectric breakdown, contact angle metrology, and thin-film quality using spectroscopic and microscopic tools.
• Optimize compatibility between conductive and insulating phases for multi-phase fluid systems.
• Contribute to early manufacturing process development as the technology moves from lab to production.

Benefits

• A key role on the team—shape the core technology from day one.
• Competitive salary, meaningful equity, and flexible health coverage.
• 401(k), daily lunch, and a dog-friendly office in Boulder.
• Work alongside a collaborative team of MEMS and robotics engineers on one of the most ambitious hardware challenges in the industry.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree