Head of Robot Safety and Compliance

Since 2015, 1X has been pioneering the development of advanced humanoid robots for household use. Our mission is to create an abundant supply of labor via safe, intelligent humanoids. We solve complex robotics challenges with a world-class team and a vertically integrated approach, designing and producing all robot components in-house, from motor coils to AI.

We are looking for a Head of Robot Safety & Compliance to define and implement our robot safety strategy, develop robust risk assessment methodologies, and drive regulatory certification efforts. This role is central to ensuring our humanoid robots meet industry-leading safety standards while maintaining high performance and usability.

Responsibilities

• Define and implement robot safety architecture, including fail-safe mechanisms and risk mitigation strategies.

• Own regulatory certification efforts for global safety standards, such as ISO 13849, IEC 61508, ISO 10218, ANSI/RIA, UL, CE, and OSHA.

• Lead risk assessments (FMEA, HARA, fault tree analysis) to identify and mitigate hazards in robotic systems.

• Work with mechanical, electrical, software, and control teams to integrate safety into design and operation.

• Develop and execute safety validation tests, including worst-case failure scenarios and redundancy checks.

• Establish best practices for human-robot interaction safety, including force-limiting mechanisms and real-time monitoring.

• Represent the company in industry safety committees and regulatory discussions.

•Build internal safety processes, documentation, and training programs.

Requirements

• 8+ years in robotics safety, functional safety engineering, or regulatory compliance.

• Deep knowledge of robotics and automation safety standards (ISO 13849, IEC 61508, ISO 10218, etc.).

• Experience conducting safety analysis (FMEA, HARA, fault tree analysis) and implementing risk mitigation strategies.

• Strong understanding of safety-critical hardware/software, real-time systems, and fail-safe architectures.

• Hands-on experience leading certification efforts and regulatory approvals.

•Ability to drive safety initiatives in a fast-paced startup environment.

We encourage you to apply even if you do not meet every single qualification.

Location

Sunnyvale, CA

We believe the best work is done when collaborating and therefore require in-person presence at our office locations.