Supplier Development Engineer, Ropes & Soft Goods

Supplier Development Engineer, Ropes & Soft Goods | Supply Chain
Location: Hayward, CA (on-site)

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 are seeking a Supplier Development Engineer to lead sourcing, industrialization, and quality development for ropes, technical textiles, and soft-goods assemblies in support of our humanoid robotics platform. This role is critical in ensuring our suppliers meet stringent performance and reliability standards as we scale production. You’ll collaborate closely with engineering and sourcing teams to select and develop suppliers, drive product manufacturability, and manage production readiness. This is a hands-on role that requires strong technical and quality expertise.

Responsibilities

• Partner with engineering and sourcing teams to select suppliers based on manufacturing capabilities for ropes and related assemblies

• Collaborate with suppliers on design reviews for manufacturability and explore new production techniques

• Lead the supplier industrialization process from design through production ramp-up

• Support suppliers with tooling, equipment, and process qualifications

• Assess supplier readiness for vehicle builds and manage production risk

• Drive the APQP process and support PPAP through the start of production

• Train suppliers on 1X’s quality systems and review part quality documentation

• Lead root cause and corrective action efforts for supplier quality issues

• Monitor and report supplier quality metrics to ensure ongoing improvement

• Apply lean and quality tools to drive continuous improvement across the supply base

• Travel up to 40%, domestically and internationally, sometimes on short notice

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, or a related engineering field

• 6+ years of experience in quality, supplier quality, or manufacturing, ideally in automotive, aerospace, or medical devices

• Hands-on experience launching new products and improving quality systems

• Skilled in problem-solving methods such as Six Sigma, 8D, and root cause analysis

• Proficiency with quality tools including FMEAs, control plans, SPC, MSA, and capability studies

• Understanding of manufacturing processes related to electronics, batteries, and precision sensors

• Strong experience with supplier audits, APQP, PPAP, and production ramp-ups

• Ability to read engineering drawings and apply GD&T; familiarity with ISO 9000 and IATF 16949 quality systems

• Certifications such as CQE, Six Sigma Green Belt, or Quality Auditor are a plus

• Experience with tooling and fixture validation is a plus

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; Google Workspace experience is a plus

Benefits & Compensation

• Salary Range: $133,000 – $195,000

• 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.