Compensation, Benefits and Payroll Lead

Location: Palo Alto, CA (on-site, 5x/week)

About 1X
We’re an AI and robotics company based in Palo Alto, California, on a mission to build a truly abundant society through general-purpose robots capable of performing any kind of work autonomously.

We believe that to truly understand the world and grow in intelligence, humanoid robots must live and learn alongside us. That’s why we’re focused on developing friendly home robots designed to integrate seamlessly into everyday life.

We’re looking for curious, driven, and passionate people who want to help shape the future of robotics and AI. If this mission excites you, we’d be thrilled to hear from you and explore how you might contribute to our journey.

Role Overview
We’re seeking a Compensation & Payroll Lead to manage and optimize our total rewards function, ensuring that our payroll, benefits, and equity operations are precise, scalable, and aligned with our compensation philosophy. This role will own all aspects of payroll, compensation design, and benefit administration while partnering closely with Finance and Legal. The ideal candidate thrives in a high-growth environment and is passionate about building systems that support both company performance and employee experience.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end payroll operations, including preparation, auditing, and finalization of each cycle

• Design and maintain compensation structures, including salary bands, bonus programs, and leveling frameworks across functions

• Act as the control function for compensation policy to ensure offers, promotions, and pay changes align with approved guidelines

• Lead annual and mid-cycle compensation reviews, including calibration, approvals, and communications with leadership

• Manage all benefits programs, including health, pension, insurance, and perks, with a focus on cost, quality, and compliance

• Oversee the equity reward program, including defining equity grant guidelines and managing refresh cycles

• Maintain the cap table and manage option grants in coordination with Finance and Legal

• Ensure compliance with global tax and reporting requirements related to payroll, benefits, and equity

• Build and maintain automations in Rippling for payroll, compensation updates, and benefits integrations

• Partner with Finance on payment execution, GL mapping, and equity accounting

• Provide leadership with data and insights on total compensation costs, market competitiveness, and internal equity

Requirements

• 5–8 years of experience in Compensation, Payroll, or Total Rewards, ideally in a global, high-growth environment

• Deep knowledge of equity programs (ISOs, NSOs, RSUs) and their financial and tax implications

• Experience with payroll and HR data management, preferably with Rippling

• Strong analytical skills and ability to build compensation models and frameworks

• High judgment and attention to detail when managing sensitive compensation data

• Ability to balance market competitiveness, internal equity, and cost control

• Comfortable in a lean, high-ownership environment with a focus on automation and scalability

• Proven discretion and ability to handle confidential information with care

Benefits & Compensation

• Salary Range: $120,000 – $170,000/year

• Health, dental, and vision insurance

• 401(k) with company match

• Paid time off and holidays

Equal Opportunity Employer
1X is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, medical condition, genetic information, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.