Senior Materials Lab Engineer

Senior Materials Lab Engineer

About 1X

Since its founding in 2015, 1X has been at the forefront of developing advanced humanoid robots designed for household use. Our mission is to create an abundant supply of labor via safe, intelligent humanoids.

We strive for excellence in all we do, solving some of the hardest problems in robotics with the world’s most talented individuals. Every part of our robots is designed and produced in-house, from motor coils to AI, reflecting our vertically integrated approach. At 1X, you’ll own real projects, be recognized for your achievements, and be rewarded based on merit.

We are seeking a Senior Materials Lab Engineer with deep expertise in polymer based systems, surface science, adhesives, and coatings. This role is ideal for a highly detail oriented, hands-on expert who can independently drive formulation, processing, surface treatment, bonding, and testing of advanced materials, while taking direct ownership of materials lab operations and capabilities.

You will play a critical role in building and operating a high performance materials lab, enabling rapid iteration from raw materials to validated components used in humanoid robots.

Key Responsibilities

• Independently lead polymer based material development, including formulation of coatings, adhesives, and multi layer material systems

• Own surface science and interface engineering, including surface preparation, treatment, and characterization to enable reliable bonding and coating performance

• Develop and validate adhesive bonding processes, including material selection, process definition, and durability testing

• Execute hands-on work across material processing and shaping methods, including mixing, compounding, molding, coating, laminating, and bonding

• Design and implement rigorous testing and characterization protocols for bulk materials and interfaces, covering mechanical, thermal, chemical, and environmental performance

• Take direct ownership of materials lab fabrication, testing, and characterization workflows, ensuring quality, repeatability, and speed

• Coordinate external lab analysis and testing, including selecting partners, defining test scopes, and integrating results into development decisions

• Drive structured problem solving to diagnose failures at the material and interface level, and iterate toward robust solutions

• Collaborate with external suppliers and partners to source materials, evaluate coatings and adhesives, and develop new processes

• Work cross functionally with mechanical, electrical, and industrial design teams to ensure materials and interfaces meet application requirements

• Support scale up from lab to production, ensuring consistency of coatings, bonded assemblies, and material systems

• Assist in maintenance and capability development of the materials lab, including equipment upkeep and expansion

• Contribute to development of new tools, techniques, and lab methodologies to accelerate materials innovation

• MS or PhD in Materials Science, Polymer Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or related field

• 3+ years of professional industry experience in materials development, adhesives, coatings, or surface engineering

• Strong hands-on expertise in polymer formulation, surface science, adhesives, and coatings

• Experience with surface preparation and treatment techniques (plasma, laser processing, chemical, mechanical, or other methods)

• Deep familiarity with materials lab operations, including experimental design, test method development, and interface characterization

• Experience coordinating external testing or analytical labs

• Proven ability to take end to end ownership of lab work, from setup through execution and validation

• Strong attention to detail and disciplined approach to experimental work and documentation

• Excellent problem solving skills, especially in diagnosing interfacial failures and material interactions

• Experience working with external suppliers or material vendors

• Comfortable operating in fast paced, build focused environments with rapid iteration cycles

• Strong communication and collaboration skills

Nice to Have

• Experience with soft materials, elastomers, or compliant systems

• Familiarity with textiles or fiber based materials

• Experience scaling coatings, adhesives, or material systems to high volume manufacturing

• Exposure to multi material assemblies or integration with electronics

Compensation

At 1X your work and results will be rewarded with a total rewards package consisting of a base salary, stock options and benefits. Base salary range is $115,000 to $185,000 + equity. Your actual salary will be based on your knowledge, skills and experience.

Location Policy

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

We're excited to get to know you and the prospects of having you on board!