Senior Manufacturing Engineer - Actuators

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 Actuators Manufacturing team builds the processes and production systems behind the actuators that move NEO. Actuators are what let a humanoid move precisely and safely around people, so the reliability and cost of every unit we build sets the limit on how many robots reach homes. We're writing the production playbook as we go, side by side with design, quality, and supply chain.

YOUR CHARTER

The mission of this role is to make 1X actuators producible at scale: reliably, repeatably, and at a cost that lets NEO reach homes. You'll own critical processes from prototype through production, including machining, assembly, inspection, and validation. Many of these problems haven't been solved before. You'll question convention, test ideas quickly, learn from the floor, and turn what works into dependable production systems. The standard is high, the feedback is physical, and no one is above picking up a tool.

KEY OUTCOMES

• Own actuator manufacturing processes from prototype builds through production release, and be accountable for safety, first-pass yield, quality, and throughput in your areas.
• Partner with design engineering as the manufacturing voice in design reviews, giving DFM, DFA, and DFT feedback, checking tolerances against demonstrated process capability, and driving the changes that make actuators producible at volume.
• Build and qualify the equipment, fixtures, tooling, gauging, and automated workstations for actuator assembly, using DOE, MSA/GR&R, SPC, and capability studies to prove each process before release.
• Deliver end-of-line functional test and traceability, so every actuator ships with station-level pass/fail data tied to its full process history.
• Drive down cost, cycle time, and scrap through automation, line balancing, and root-cause corrective action, backed by PFMEAs, control plans, and work instructions that run the floor.

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Hands-on builder who develops methods at the station alongside technicians and debugs on the floor, not from a desk.
• Rigorous with data, using DOE, SPC, capability studies, yield, and OEE to prove a change worked.
• Structured problem solver who gets to true root cause under time pressure and closes the loop with controls that hold.
• Strong DFM, DFA, and tolerance instincts, with the credibility to change actuator design early.
• Owns outcomes end to end and communicates directly across design, quality, controls, supply chain, and production.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Mechatronics, or Electrical Engineering, or a related field, with 5+ years (Bachelor's) or 3+ years (Master's) of manufacturing, process, or test engineering on electromechanical products. (Confirm against leveling.)
• Experience developing and improving assembly processes for motors, actuators, or other tight-tolerance electromechanical systems.
• Proven track record of taking a process or piece of equipment from concept through commissioning, validation, and production release.
• Experience with CAD, engineering drawings, GD&T, and tolerance stack-ups for precision mechanical interfaces.
• Demonstrated ability to qualify processes and lead root cause analysis using DOE, MSA/GR&R, SPC, and process capability.

PREFERRED SKILLS

• Experience with vacuum potting.
• Experience in electric motor manufacturing processes such as coil winding, lamination stack assembly, magnet installation, welding, molding, impregnation, or resin and adhesive dispense.
• Experience with automated or semi-automated equipment, PLC-controlled systems, and machine vision inspection. (Moved from Minimum Requirements; hiring manager to confirm.)
• Exposure to high-volume automation, robotic material handling, and precision gauging.

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

$140,000 - $190,000 + 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.