Formal Methods Engineer

/ ABOUT ATALANTA Atalanta is a mathematical AI company bringing provably correct decision-making to the world’s most important missions.

Our flagship product, Argo, is the first platform in a new category called software understanding. Argo combines AI, formal methods, and digital engineering to help organizations design, implement, and deploy complex software-controlled systems with mathematical assurance at mission speed.

Backed by leading investors, Atalanta works with customers building and deploying mission-critical systems across energy, space, and defense. Our goal is to help engineers and mission owners move faster while maintaining the highest possible level of assurance, ultimately saving time, money, and lives.

/ HOW WE WORK Atalanta takes its name from the mythological Greek heroine, a swift and fearless competitor who defied expectations and joined the Argonauts on a mission few thought possible. Her spirit of speed, discipline, and resilience shapes how we work.

We’re building a team of modern-day Argonauts: exceptional engineers, mathematicians, designers, and strategists committed to solving the hardest, highest-stakes problems in the world. We move fast, but we do so with discipline and logic. We think from first principles and execute with autonomy and accountability.

You may be a good fit for Atalanta if you are insatiably curious in the face of discomfort, are a coalition builder who sees progress as a positive-sum game, and believe that the alchemy of interdisciplinary expertise can solve seemingly impossible problems.

/ ENGINEERING AT ATALANTA Software understanding is about building systems that perform reliably in real-world missions where failure has consequences. It requires proving that those systems behave correctly in ways that enable reliable decision-making under real-world conditions.This cannot be achieved through traditional software development alone, nor through formal methods in isolation. Atalanta’s engineering function is built on a deliberate combination of forward-deployed engineers, formal methods engineers, and software engineers, each working directly against real mission problems and real user needs: deploying into operational environments, establishing provable guarantees, and building scalable systems. This work is defined by deep mission and customer obsession, where real-world use drives what gets built and which problems matter. Engineers take a product-first approach, translating these insights into systems that can be deployed quickly across constrained and high-stakes environments. These roles operate in close coordination, ensuring that Argo continuously evolves through use in the field. Success means solving problems that were previously considered impossible, and turning them into capabilities that can be productized at scale.

/ ABOUT THE ROLE As a Formal Methods Engineer at Atalanta you will help architect and build the mathematical reasoning engine that powers Argo. Your work will focus on designing and applying formalized proofs that translate ambiguous mission requirements into rigorous, machine verifiable guarantees.

In this role, you will:

• Lead the development of Argo’s core mathematical reasoning capabilities.

• Collaborate with forward deployed and software engineers to apply state of the art formal methods and automated reasoning tools to our customer’s deployed systems.

• Define, structure, and verify formal proofs tied to real-world operational outcomes.

• Shape and implement Atalanta’s applied research roadmap and priorities.

• Serve as Principal Investigator (PI) on U.S. Government-funded research initiatives.

/ REQUIREMENTS We are looking for:

• Deep expertise in formal methods, automated reasoning, and system verification.

• Hands-on experience with Lean, Z3, and similar formal methods tools.

• Experience applying formal reasoning to real-world operational or mission-critical systems.

• Experience applying AI models and techniques to perform specification and verification of software or hardware systems.

• A track record of leading or contributing to applied research initiatives, including U.S. Government-funded projects.

• PhD in Computer Science, Mathematics, or related technical field

• Eligibility for a TS/SCI security clearance (U.S. citizenship required.)

/ COMPENSATION & BENEFITS The salary range for this position is estimated to be $225,000 – $275,000 per year. Employees will also receive a significant equity grant, commensurate with the contribution expected from this role.

Other benefits include:

• Annual Argonaut stipend to invest in your fitness, nutrition, and sleep to help you operate at peak performance.

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.

• Generous paid time off.

• Weekly meals and other on-site amenities at Atalanta HQ.

Equal Opportunity Atalanta is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse team aligned by mission, technical expertise, and impact.