Software Engineer, Onboard

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

• Develop low-latency, deterministic C++ software that executes on the vehicle's edge compute to process data and control the vehicle
• Design and maintain the high-performance messaging stack that routes data between modules
• Write driver interfaces and safety monitors that interact directly with vehicle hardware
• Build core system infrastructure, including onboard data logging, time synchronization (PTP), memory management, process lifecycle management, etc
• Implement real-time diagnostics, watchdog timers, and redundancy logic to detect and recover from software or hardware faults mid-drive
• Maintain the tooling for securely building, deploying, and updating OS and vehicle software images across the fleet

What we’re looking for

• Proficient with Python, C++, bash, git, linux kernels, docker
• Comfortable diagnosing issues via dmesg, kernel logs, and systemd (journalctl, unit/service management)
• Experience with inter-process communication
• Familiarity with bus protocols
• Experience with various sensor interfaces (LiDAR, radar, cameras, IMU)
• Profiling, benchmarking, and memory management experience
• Familiarity with common networking utilities
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, capable of working effectively in a multidisciplinary team and communicating technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders

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 Franciscooffice. 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 $176,000 - $242,000 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 and an annual performance-based bonus.

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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