Senior Payroll Director at Atoms in San Francisco, CA

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

• Own global payroll end to end: Lead payroll for the Atoms Group across roughly 30 countries and several hundred legal entities, owning the function, the team, the systems, and the vendors.
• Run the operating model: Own the Workday and ADP architecture, with Workday as the system of record for data aggregation, HR and payroll workflows, and approvals, and ADP handling processing, payment execution, and tax remittance.
• Lead the transformation: Consolidate fragmented international processes, improve accuracy, and rebuild payroll infrastructure that was designed for a company several times smaller.
• Own vendor strategy: Evaluate, select, and govern dedicated international payroll partners across EMEA, APAC, and LATAM, where the current setup is not yet sufficient for our entity complexity.
• Serve a layered workforce: Pay corporate, executive, and a large and fast-growing hourly population without letting accuracy or service quality slip as headcount climbs.
• Build the team: Right-size and develop a payroll organization that is lean relative to its scope, and set the standard for what great payroll looks like here.

What we’re looking for

• You bring 15+ years in payroll, including at least 10 years leading people, with teams across multiple geographies or offshore Centers of Excellence.
• You have run complex multi-country payroll across a large number of legal entities spanning multiple continents, with real command of international compliance, tax, and statutory requirements across EMEA, APAC, and LATAM.
• You have deep, hands-on Workday experience including implementation. Re-implementation is a strong plus.
• You know the Workday and ADP operating model, and you have evaluated or run dedicated international payroll vendors such as Safeguard Global, Papaya Global, or CloudPay.
• You have owned end-to-end payroll transformation rather than steady-state operations alone: consolidating systems, improving accuracy, and improving the employee experience.
• You have scaled inside a high-growth company that stayed lean on G&A. Time at a payroll service provider or payroll software company is a plus.
• You thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial, and sometimes ambiguous environment.

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 Francisco or Los Angeles office. 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 $223,000 - $262,000 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, and vision insurance (multiple plans, incl. HSA options).
• Company-paid life and disability insurance (short- and long-term).
• Voluntary insurance: accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity.
• Optional supplemental life insurance for self, spouse, and children.
• Pet insurance discount.
• 401(k).
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Flexible Spending Accounts (Healthcare, Dependent Care, Commuter)
• Time Off policies:
• Discretionary vacation days
• 8 paid holidays per year
• Paid sick time
• Paid Bereavement leave
• Paid Parental Leave

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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