Staff Embedded Firmware Engineer - NEO
1X · San Carlos, United States · 3mo ago
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 Firmware team owns the embedded software layer that powers every hardware subsystem of our humanoid robot from distributed communication bus architecture and power management to actuator and motor drive control. We sit at the intersection of hardware and software, and our work is directly on the critical path to every product milestone: without reliable firmware, the robot cannot move, charge, or operate safely. If you want to build the foundational software for a new category of physical AI, this is where that work happens.
Your Charter
Own the firmware layer across one or more of the robot’s core hardware subsystems—ensuring embedded software that is robust, safe, and maintainable across prototype and production platforms. As one of the first companies building general-purpose humanoid robots at scale, firmware quality is non-negotiable: it determines whether the robot operates safely in uncontrolled environments, whether hardware brings up on schedule, and whether the team can move fast as the system grows to 20+ distributed embedded nodes.
Key Outcomes
Deliver production-quality firmware for your assigned domain; communication bus, battery charging, or actuator drives that meets reliability and safety requirements on both prototype and production hardware
Reduce integration risk across subsystems by owning the firmware-to-hardware interface: defining requirements with hardware architects, surfacing trade-offs early, and resolving issues before they block downstream teams
Establish diagnostic and telemetry infrastructure that measurably accelerates end-of-line validation and enables long-term field reliability tracking
Contribute to a firmware codebase that is well-structured, documented, and maintainable, enabling the team to scale safely as the robot adds nodes, subsystems, and production volume
Key Competencies
Deep embedded instincts writing firmware that is correct under real hardware conditions: interrupt timing, DMA conflicts, communication protocol edge cases, and hardware fault behavior
First-principles problem solver diagnosing novel failures at the firmware-hardware boundary using lab tools and reasoning from fundamentals, not just vendor documentation or established patterns
Safety-aware by default understanding what “fail safe” means in a physical system and treats protection logic, fault detection, and safe-state transitions as first-class firmware concerns
Effective cross-functional partner translating firmware constraints and failure modes clearly to hardware architects, electrical engineers, and systems engineers; supports bring-up without waiting to be directed
Minimum Requirements:
5+ years of embedded firmware development in C/C++ on real hardware, with direct experience managing interrupts, DMA, and timing-critical execution (7+ years for senior/staff-level positions)
Hands-on experience with microcontrollers and embedded communication interfaces at minimum CAN plus one or more of SPI, I²C, UART
Demonstrated ability to debug firmware on real hardware using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, or equivalent tools comfortable diagnosing problems that span firmware behavior and electrical signaling
Preferred Skills
Domain depth in one or more areas relevant to humanoid robot subsystems: distributed real-time communication bus firmware, switched-mode power conversion and lithium-ion battery charge management, or motor drive and actuator control firmware
Experience with safety-critical or fault-tolerant embedded systems; familiarity with safety integrity standards such as IEC 61508 or ISO 26262
Familiarity with real-time operating systems (FreeRTOS, SafeRTOS, or similar)
Background in robotics, autonomous systems, or complex electromechanical products
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.
Benefits
Salary Range: $200,000 – $300,000 + Equity
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, justice system impact, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.