Embedded Firmware Engineer, Motor Control

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

As an Embedded Firmware Engineer on the Motor Control side of the Actuators team, you will develop and optimize firmware that powers 1X’s custom motors and actuators—from early‑stage design through mass production. You’ll work at the intersection of firmware, electrical design, hardware integration, and control theory, driving real‑time performance, safety, and reliability for multiple degrees of freedom systems.

Responsibilities

• Architect and develop firmware for 1X’s NEO motors and actuators

• Implement real‑time motor control algorithms, safety mechanisms, and communication protocols (e.g. CAN, LIN, SPI, I2C)

• Integrate firmware with hardware; support software‑hardware evaluation and testing

• Collaborate on the safety‑critical software layers of the robot stack

• Suggest improvements to processes and tooling; contribute to project planning and roadmap

• Optimize software for performance, reliability, and scalability across diverse operational environments

• Own and maintain modules related to motor control throughout the lifecycle—from design and lab test to fielded system usage

• Strong hands‑on experience with embedded firmware design, particularly in motor control or actuator systems

• Solid understanding of control theory and real‑time systems

• Experience working with multiple communication protocols such as CAN, LIN, SPI, I2C

• Demonstrated experience integrating firmware and hardware, encompassing evaluation, testing, and debugging

• High attention to performance, reliability, and safety in software running on physical systems

• Proactive, get‑things‑done mindset, comfortable both with tactical execution and longer‑term strategic planning

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.