Electrical Engineer - Actuators and Drives
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 Hardware Engineering team develops the electrical systems that power, sense, and control every aspect of NEO. From power distribution and embedded electronics to actuators, motor drives, sensors, and system integration, the team builds the foundation that enables reliable robot performance.
We work closely with mechanical, firmware, controls, manufacturing, and test teams to deliver high-performance hardware that can scale from prototype to mass production. Our engineers operate across abstraction layers, combining deep technical expertise with practical product development experience.
Your Charter
Design and deliver the electrical systems that enable humanoid robots to move, sense, and operate reliably in the real world.
You will own critical electrical subsystems from architecture through production, balancing performance, safety, reliability, manufacturability, and cost. Working across robotics hardware platforms, you will develop robust electrical designs that integrate seamlessly with firmware, controls, and mechanical systems while supporting rapid product iteration and long-term scalability.
Your work will directly impact robot performance, reliability, and manufacturability across the product lifecycle.
Key Outcomes
Design and release electrical subsystems that meet performance, reliability, safety, and manufacturing requirements
Develop robust electrical architectures spanning power, sensing, control, and embedded electronics
Deliver validated hardware designs from concept through schematic capture, PCB development, bring-up, and production support
Improve product reliability through strong EMI/ESD design practices, validation testing, and root-cause analysis
Partner effectively with firmware, controls, manufacturing, and test teams to resolve complex system-level challenges
Key Competencies
Strong electrical engineering fundamentals across analog, digital, and embedded electronics design
Ability to balance system-level architecture decisions with detailed hardware implementation
Strong hands-on debugging and validation skills using laboratory instrumentation
Excellent problem-solving skills with the ability to independently drive complex technical issues to resolution
Strong communication and collaboration skills across multidisciplinary engineering teams
Minimum Requirements
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field
5+ years of professional electrical engineering experience, with level determined based on experience and scope of ownership
Strong fundamentals in analog and digital circuit design
Experience designing, reviewing, debugging, and validating hardware from schematic through PCB bring-up
Familiarity with power systems, sensors, and embedded electronics
Hands-on experience with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power supplies, and other laboratory equipment
Understanding of EMI/ESD considerations and robust hardware design practices
Experience collaborating closely with mechanical, firmware, controls, test, and manufacturing teams
Preferred Skills
Experience designing motor drive systems, power electronics, and actuator control hardware
Familiarity with robotic actuators, electromechanical systems, and motion control architectures
Understanding of motor technologies, encoder systems, current sensing, and control requirements
Experience with high-power or high-current electronics
Experience supporting products through manufacturing ramp and volume production
Familiarity with safety-critical, fault-tolerant, or high-reliability electronic systems
Knowledge of thermal design considerations and fault management architectures
Basic familiarity with mechanical CAD workflows and hardware integration processes
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.
Successful Electrical Engineers at 1X combine deep technical fundamentals with a strong bias toward execution. They are equally comfortable architecting systems, debugging hardware on the bench, and collaborating across disciplines to solve difficult engineering challenges. They understand that exceptional products emerge through rapid iteration, rigorous validation, and relentless attention to detail.
Compensation Range
$125,100 - $253,000 + 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.