Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Role: Senior Manufacturing Engineer, Hands
Department: Manufacturing & Production

Location: San Carlos, CA (on-site)

About 1X

We’re building humanoid robots that work in home - doing the chores, handling the tasks, and giving people their time back. Simple, but it’s not.

To do this right, we have to solve robotics, AI, manufacturing - at the same time, at scale, in a form factor that has to be safe enough to live with your family. If you’re inspired by this, you’ll thrive here. We’ve been at this since 2014 and we’re at the point where the hard problems are behind us and the hard work is in front of us.

NEO is our flagship - a home robot designed to move, learn, and operate in the real world alongside real people. We’re not demoing it - we’re shipping it. We’re excited to meet you, if this excites you.

If you’ve spent your career working on problems that matter and want to see them actually reach the world - this is that moment. We’re scaling, we’re hiring with intention, and we need people who want to build something that will genuinely change how humans spend their time - safely creating abundance for all.

About the Team

The Manufacturing & Production team turns precision engineering into reality at scale - we’re the people who make NEO buildable, repeatable, and real. The Hands are among the most demanding parts of the robot to manufacture, and the work we do here directly determines whether NEO can do meaningful work in people’s homes. If you want your craft to show up in every robot we ship, this is where it happens.

Your Charter

Our mission is to create an abundant supply of physical labor through safe, intelligent humanoids that work alongside people. The Hands are how NEO actually does that work - and you own the manufacturing of them. As Senior Manufacturing Engineer for Hands, you take precision mechanical assemblies, electromechanical actuators, sensitive electronics, and final precision builds from prototype through volume production. You are the technical anchor for the Hands ME function, and the processes you design are what let us produce hands that are precise, repeatable, and reliable.

Key Outcomes

• Own first-pass yield, cycle time, and reliability for Hands assemblies, with clear accountability for part-family quality metrics as the line scales in headcount and operating hours.

• Take Hands components and subassemblies through NPI from EVT to stable volume production, partnering with design engineering on DFM/DFA and managing the ramp end-to-end.

• Build and validate the fixtures, tooling, and end-of-line test stations that drive repeatability across operators and shifts.

• Stand up SPC and in-process quality monitoring, and resolve tolerance stack-ups, mechanism variability, and electromechanical integration issues before they reach the floor.

• Set the technical bar for the Hands ME function - building the standard work, documentation, and training that hold up as the team grows, and raising the engineers and technicians around you.

Key Competencies

• Deep ownership of precision mechanical and electromechanical assembly - you understand fine motion mechanisms, actuator integration, and sensitive electronics, and you sweat the details that make them repeatable.

• A DFM/DFA mindset that drives design changes back into engineering, not just workarounds on the floor.

• Fluency in GD&T, tolerance stack analysis, and measurement methods (CMM, optical, gauging), backed by lean and Six Sigma discipline.

• A track record of leading NPI through ramp - turning prototype builds into stable, high-quality volume production.

• Clear, direct communication and the judgment to set technical direction, partner across functions, and mentor others without absorbing floor-level execution.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field.

• 5+ years of manufacturing engineering experience with a strong record in precision mechanical or electromechanical assemblies.

• Demonstrated experience designing fixtures, tooling, and test stations for repeatable assembly, including ESD handling, in-process electrical test, and end-of-line functional test.

• Strong DFM/DFA background with experience leading NPI from prototype through volume production.

• Proficiency with GD&T, tolerance stack analysis, CAD, PLM, and ERP/MES systems, and a high standard for manufacturing documentation.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with fine motion mechanisms, miniature mechanical systems, or other compact precision assemblies.

• Background in humanoid robotics, prosthetics, surgical robotics, or other dexterous end-effector systems.

• Familiarity with CAM programming and precision machining for fixture and prototype work.

• Exposure to high-mix, low-volume environments with frequent design iteration.

• Experience with Odoo or a comparable ERP/MES platform, and scaling a production area across multiple shifts.

What does a successful 1X Team Member look like

Team members at 1X who thrive here are builders. They move fast, own their work completely, and treat time like it’s the one thing you can’t get back - because it is. They say what they mean, finish what they start, and hold themselves to a standard before anyone has to ask. We push each other to be better, and we do it with honesty and respect.

Compensation Range

$130,000 - $220,000 + Equity

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage

• Generous paid time off, company holidays, and parental leave

• 401(k) plan with company match (100% on the first 3% of contributions, 50% on the next 2%)

• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Health Savings Accounts (HSA) options

• Commuter benefits (transit and parking)

• Short-term and long-term disability, and life insurance

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for mental health, financial, and personal support

• Onsite snacks and catered lunches

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, justice system impact, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.