Senior Test Engineer - Compute
Company websiteatoms.co (Atoms, opens in new tab)
Base salary $182K to $228K
Employer-published annual base salary, USD. Advertised base range in San Francisco, CA
You apply on the employer's own site. Six Figure Work does not handle applications.
- LocationSan Francisco, CA
- WorkplaceWorkplace not stated
- Status at last checkSource accepting applications when checked
- Last checked (1 h ago) · observed since
About this job
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.
About the role
We are seeking a Senior Test Engineer to own testing for our compute box, from the first production units through serial production. In this role, you will define the test strategy, build the first test stations and the software that runs them, and own coverage, yield, and test time as the line scales.
What you’ll do
- Define the test strategy for the compute box: what is verified at PCBA, subassembly, box, and vehicle-install level, what each stage must catch, and the pass/fail criteria
- Design, build, and commission the first functional and end-of-line test stations: fixtures, interface hardware, instrumentation, and software
- Cover the interfaces that matter on a compute assembly: power sequencing, boot and provisioning, storage and memory, high-speed links, vehicle networks, thermal and burn-in, and electrical safety
- Define per-unit test data capture tied to serial number, with yield, retest rate, and test time reported by station and by failure mode
- Own first-pass yield: run fallout analysis, drive root cause with electrical, firmware, and manufacturing engineering, and separate product failures from test escapes and false failures
- Drive design-for-test into the compute box before boards release: test points, firmware test modes, diagnostic hooks, and connector access
- Write test work instructions, troubleshooting guides, and a failure-mode library the technician team will use, and train technicians on the stations
- Release and version test programs against hardware and firmware revisions, and keep test current through engineering change
What we’re looking for
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
- 6+ years in manufacturing test, production test development, or hardware test engineering on electronic assemblies.
- Compute or ECU manufacturing test in automotive, autonomous vehicle, or robotics programs.
- Built a functional or end-of-line test station from scratch: fixture, interface hardware, instrumentation, and software, through commissioning on a production line.
- Strong Python for test automation and instrument control, and comfort debugging from the terminal in a Linux environment.
- Hands-on with electronics test equipment: programmable power supplies, electronic loads, oscilloscopes, and data acquisition hardware.
- Experience testing compute or embedded systems: boot, provisioning, storage, memory, and high-speed interfaces.
- Track record of using test data to raise yield and cut test time.
- Ability to read schematics, probe and debug hardware, and describe a failure clearly to a design engineer.
- Ability to work onsite five days a week in San Francisco, with travel to supplier sites. Floor work requires PPE, lifting up to 50 lbs, and working at rack level and on vehicles
Why join us
- Work on real, production-deployed autonomy.
- Build technology that directly improves safety, efficiency, and productivity.
- Tackle complex challenges in demanding, real-world environments.
- Be part of a fast-moving team with high ownership and impact.
- See your work deployed and making a difference in the field.
- Collaborate closely with experienced engineers and industry operators.
What else you need to know
This role is based in our San Francisco office location. As a company driven by innovation and continuous change, close collaboration is essential. We’re constantly reimagining our industry, creating new products, and refining our processes, and 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 $182,000 - $228,000 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.
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?
#LI-Onsite
Source: Atoms on Greenhouse · View original posting (opens in new tab)
Pay in context
This role's base floor ($182,000) is above 55% of the 4,273 Software Engineering roles in California listed on this site; 10 others list the same floor. Their median floor is $176,362; the middle half runs from $149,100 to $204,000.
Only jobs on this site count, and each one publishes a base salary of $100,000 or more, so this compares six-figure jobs with each other, not with the whole market. Computed Nov 6, 2026.
This listingSenior Test Engineer - Compute$182K to $228K
Senior Hardware Reliability & Test Engineer$182K to $238K
Mechanical Engineer$182K to $280K
Senior Quality Engineer - Compute$182K to $228K
Safety Validation Lead, Scenarios$182K to $231K
Senior Systems Integration and Test Engineer, Platform Introduction$182K to $238K
Senior Electrical Engineer$182K to $230K
Chart as a table
| Role | Published base |
|---|---|
| Senior Test Engineer - Compute (this listing) | $182K - $228K |
| Senior Hardware Reliability & Test Engineer | $182K - $238K |
| Mechanical Engineer | $182K - $280K |
| Senior Quality Engineer - Compute | $182K - $228K |
| Safety Validation Lead, Scenarios | $182K - $231K |
| Senior Systems Integration and Test Engineer, Platform Introduction | $182K - $238K |
| Senior Electrical Engineer | $182K - $230K |
Observed changes
- First observed on the employer's board
- Began meeting the published-salary criteria
- Observed since
- Employer-stated posting date
- 2026-09-21
Where this pay comes from
Location as the employer wrote it: San Francisco, CA
The base salary range for this role is $182,000 - $228,000 per year.
- Method
- Employer text, read with fixed rules and re-verified
- Checked
- Rule set
- us-base-v2
The pay passage appears in the employer's own job text. Fixed, deterministic rules located it, and the passage below was checked against the stored copy of the posting.
What we verified
- The pay figures come from the employer's own listing, quoted exactly above.
- The pay is an annual base salary in US dollars with a minimum of at least $100,000.
- The role was publicly listed on the employer's job board when last checked.
We do not verify what the employer will actually offer, whether the employer is still recruiting for the role, or anything beyond what the employer published. Full methodology.
