Shift Supervisor (Machine Shop) (7:00am - 3:30pm)

About Atomic Machines:

Atomic Machines is ushering in a new era of micromanufacturing with its Matter Compiler™ technology. This full-stack technology 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. It promises to unlock MEMS manufacturing for the many device classes frustrated by semiconductor methods and to open up entirely new product classes. The Matter Compiler™ technology fully realizes the digital manufacturing dream: 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™ technology – that we will be unveiling to the world soon.

Our offices are in Emeryville and Santa Clara, California.

Day Shift Schedule:

This role will begin on a modified day shift schedule (8:30am - 5:00pm) to support ramp-up and training, and will transition within the first six months to the standard shift hours of 7:00am - 3:30pm.

About the role:

Atomic Machines is looking for a Shift Supervisor, Machine Shop to lead one shift of our prototype machine shop in Emeryville, CA. This is not a desk supervisor role. The right person is an expert machinist who can personally take complex parts from model to finished hardware while also leading the shift, assigning work, coaching machinists, managing priorities, and serving as the primary escalation point when technical or operational issues arise.

In this role, you will own shift execution across a fast paced prototype and R&D machine shop. You will personally perform and oversee CAM programming, fixture and workholding design, CNC setup, prove out, machining, in process inspection, final verification, and handoff. You will also coordinate people, machines, tooling, materials, documentation, and communication so the shift runs safely, predictably, and with high standards.

This person needs to be the technical authority on the floor during their shift. When a machinist is stuck on CAM, fixturing, GD&T, inspection, tool wear, chatter, offsets, machine behavior, or job sequencing, the Shift Supervisor should be able to diagnose the issue, teach the right approach, and decide what happens next. They should know when to step in, when to coach, when to stop a job, when to escalate, and when to push back on engineering with clear technical reasoning.

This role supports a 24/7 machine shop operation on a 5-2 schedule, with shift assignments based on business and production needs.

What You’ll Do:

• Own complex machined parts from start to finish, including planning, CAM programming, setup, prove out, machining, inspection, documentation, and delivery.
• Program, set up, troubleshoot, and operate CNC mills and lathes, including 3 axis and 5 axis equipment, while overseeing multiple machines and jobs across the shift.
• Serve as the technical escalation point during the shift for CAM, fixturing, tool selection, offsets, GD&T, inspection strategy, quality risk, and machine troubleshooting.
• Design practical workholding solutions, including fixtures, soft jaws, vacuum fixtures, and custom setups for prototype, low volume, and high precision parts.
• Plan and prioritize shift work based on safety, part criticality, due dates, engineering dependencies, material readiness, machine capacity, staffing, skill level, and risk.
• Assign work to machinists and technicians while staying accountable for safety, quality, throughput, documentation, and final output of the shift.
• Inspect parts using CMM data, calipers, micrometers, height gauges, indicators, probes, and other metrology tools, then adjust the process to produce conforming hardware.
• Partner with engineering to identify manufacturability risks, clarify drawings, improve designs, reduce machining time, and improve part quality.
• Communicate schedule risks, quality risks, machine issues, and tradeoffs clearly to engineering, shop leadership, and the next shift.
• Train, coach, and mentor machinists and technicians on setup practices, CAM fundamentals, GD&T, metrology, documentation, and safe shop behavior.
• Maintain clean handoffs across shifts through setup notes, inspection status, tool life notes, CAM status, material status, machine issues, and documented next steps.
• Maintain a clean, safe, organized machine shop and enforce all shop policies, PPE requirements, safety procedures, quality standards, and documentation expectations.

What You’ll Need:

• 5+ years of hands-on CNC machining experience in aerospace, medical device, semiconductor, robotics, automotive, or another high precision industry.
• Recent, deep, hands-on experience personally programming, setting up, proving out, machining, inspecting, and delivering precision parts.
• Strong experience with CNC mills and lathes, including 3 axis and 5 axis machining. Mill turn experience is a strong plus.
• Demonstrated ability to lead a shift while still performing high value hands-on machining work.
• Deep proficiency with at least one modern CAM platform. Fusion 360 experience is strongly preferred.
• Ability to create complete CAM programs from scratch, not just edit existing programs.
• Expert understanding of machining fundamentals, including feeds and speeds, tool wear, chip evacuation, rigidity, workholding, surface finish, thermal effects, tolerance stackup, and process control.
• Strong setup and fixturing judgment, including datum strategy, custom fixtures, soft jaws, modular fixturing, vacuum fixtures, and repeatable workholding.
• Ability to read complex prints, interpret GD&T, and hold tight tolerances, including features below 0.001 inch or 25 microns when required.
• Strong inspection and metrology skills, with the ability to verify hardware against engineering specifications and teach others how to inspect correctly.
• Prior experience leading, mentoring, coordinating, or directly managing machinists, technicians, or shop users.
• Ability to manage multiple jobs, reprioritize quickly, and maintain quality, safety, and communication under schedule pressure.
• Clear, proactive communication style when flagging manufacturability risks, schedule risks, quality concerns, unclear drawings, safety issues, or staffing constraints.
• Ability to work onsite in Emeryville, CA and support a 24/7 operation on a 5-2 schedule, including assigned shifts based on business and production needs.
• Physical ability to stand for long periods, lift up to 50 lbs, wear required PPE, and follow all company safety requirements.

Bonus Qualifications:

• Hands-on experience with HAAS and MAZAK CNC machines.
• Experience programming or operating CMMs.
• Experience machining difficult materials, ceramics, thin wall parts, tight tolerance parts, flexure style parts, or complex 5 axis geometry.