Hardware Recruiter

Atomic Machines is ushering in a new era in micromanufacturing with its Matter Compiler (MC) technology. The MC enables new classes of micromachines to be designed and built by offering manufacturing processes and a materials library that is inaccessible to semiconductor manufacturing methods. The MC promises to unlock MEMS manufacturing both for the many device classes that never could be made by semiconductor methods but also to open up entirely new classes. Furthermore, the MC is fully digital in the way 3D printing is digital, but where 3D printing produces parts of a single material using a single process, the MC is a multi-process, multi-material technology: bits and raw materials go in and complete, functional micromachines come out. The Atomic Machines team has also created an exciting first device – one that was only made possible by the existence of the Matter Compiler – that we will be unveiling to the world soon.

Our offices are in Emeryville and Santa Clara, California.

About the Role:

This isn’t your typical recruiting gig—it’s intense, hands-on, and deeply rewarding. We’re building breakthrough technology the world hasn’t seen before: lasers, CT scanners, embedded systems, and custom high-precision manufacturing tools. We’ve been in stealth for five years, and every hire is hard-won. Our bar is high—but fair and clearly defined.

We’re looking for a technically fluent recruiter who wants to be in the thick of it: onsite with our engineers, learning how our systems work, and speaking credibly with candidates about the real technical challenges and the disruption to manufacturing we’re driving.

As a contract Hardware Recruiter, you’ll be on the front lines of talent acquisition for our core technical teams—including mechanical design, embedded systems, and electrical engineering. You’ll partner closely with our small team of recruiters, hiring managers, and interviewers to own searches end-to-end and help build the engineering foundation of a stealth startup that’s scaling fast. We operate as one team—so get ready to collaborate.

What You’ll Do:

• Full-cycle recruiting for senior-level mechanical, embedded, and electrical engineering roles—from kickoff through close.
• Create tailored outreach strategies to engage passive, hard-to-reach talent from other relevant companies (i.e. hardware and robotics)
• Sit with our engineers, learn the tech, and use that knowledge to vet candidates and sell the vision authentically.
• Co-author playbooks for interview teams to systematically apply for effective evaluation.
• Maintain clear, consistent candidate communication and deliver a high-quality experience at every touchpoint.
• Identify top talent through direct sourcing and build a pipeline of exceptional engineers.
• Collaborate with hiring managers to architect and execute an exceptional candidate experience that exemplifies our technical excellence and company values.
• Continuously improve our processes, tools, and metrics to increase recruiting velocity and quality.
• Jump on critical needs and shift gears quickly—this is a startup, and adaptability is a must.

What You’ll Need:

• 3 years of full-lifecycle recruiting experience, with a focus on hardware engineering roles.
• Track record hiring mechanical, embedded, and/or electrical engineers—bonus if you’ve done so in stealth or low-profile environments in the Bay Area.
• Experience in creating innovative sourcing strategies with proven high response rates
• Proactive at closing candidates—you drive the process from initial contact through offer acceptance with persistence and finesse
• An ownership mindset. Our contractors are still Atomizers. You embrace the work and the company like it is yours and take accountability for your work. You're hands-on, resourceful, and excited to do what it takes.
• A passion for understanding complex products—you ask questions, dig into the tech, and strive to truly get what the team is building.
• Comfortable being onsite in our Emeryville or Santa Clara office, engaging directly with engineers and hiring managers.
• Once ramped, three days a week onsite is possible.
• Ability to craft compelling sourcing outreach that cuts through the noise to engage passive top talent
• Fast, precise, organized—able to manage multiple searches while maintaining a high bar.
• Clear, concise communicator with strong attention to detail.