Model Maker, Machining

1X; San Carlos (CA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 215,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vis

401(k) plan with company match

Paid time off

Onsite snacks and catered lunches

Commuter benefits

Job summary

1X is hiring a machinist to join the Prototyping team. You will machine parts for robots and related hardware using CNC mills, mill-turns, and manual equipment.

You’ll work with designers and engineers to refine parts, improve quality, and speed up production while solving manufacturing challenges in a fast-moving environment. You will handle a range of materials and produce high-quality appearance parts where fit and finish matter as much as dimensional accuracy.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Manufacturing/Product Design or related field, or 7+ years hands-on experience.
• Strong CAD and CAM skills with 3D programming for 3- to 5-axis mills and mill-turns.
• Experience making precision parts, jigs, fixtures, and tooling with CNC and manual equipment.
• Ability to work directly from CAD/drawings and figure out how to make parts.

Responsibilities

• Deliver high-quality parts on time; own deadlines and communicate risks early.
• Program, set up, and operate multi-axis CNC mills, mill-turns, and manual equipment.
• Own the quality of your work; inspect parts against requirements before handing off.
• Collaborate with designers and engineers to improve parts before production.
• Figure out best way to manufacture, including outsourcing when needed.
• Anticipate problems, troubleshoot, and communicate when help is required.
• Improve the shop with better equipment, tooling, processes, or safety.

Skills

CAD/CAM

Precision machining

Reading drawings

Material variety

Machining fundamentals

Troubleshooting

Process judgment

Project management

Communication with engineers

Education

Bachelor's degree / 7+ years exp

Tools

CNC Milling

Mill-turn machines

Manual machining

Job description

About 1X

We're building humanoid robots that work in any space humans exist with the mission to create an abundance of labor. Simple, but it's not.

To do this right, we have to solve robotics, AI, software, hardware, manufacturing and operations at the same time, at scale, in a form factor that has to be safe. 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 general purpose 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 Prototyping team turns ideas into real hardware. We build the first versions of new robots, products, and everything that surrounds them. And sometimes stuff that doesn't.

We operate as an independent team with our own design engineering and fabrication capabilities. We take on projects of all types, from early concepts and rough prototypes to fully functional, production-quality products ready for handoff to manufacturing. Our job is to build things exceptionally well, exceptionally fast.

You'll work alongside some of the world's best designers, engineers, and creatives on a wide range of products (robotics, consumer electronics, furniture, home appliances, clothing, accessories, and more), collaborating with leading brands and external partners.

Your Charter

You're a creative problem solver first and a machinist second. Machining is your specialty, but you're not someone who just takes a drawing and makes a part. You understand what we're trying to build, figure out the best way to make it, and take ownership of getting it done.

You'll be an in-house expert in machining, making everything from precision robot components to molds, fixtures, and finished appearance models. You'll work with CNC mills, mill-turn machines, manual equipment, and whatever other tools or processes the job calls for. One day you might be machining titanium, the next you're cutting foam for a full-scale model.

You should take real pride in what you make, notice details that other people miss, and hold yourself to a higher standard than anyone else expects of you.

We also care about speed. The best solution isn't always the most sophisticated one. We want someone who knows when to spend the extra time getting something perfect, when to find a faster way, and how to make that judgment independently.

Key Outcomes

• Deliver high-quality parts on time. Own the deadline, figure out what it takes to meet it, and communicate early when something is at risk.

• Program, set up, and operate multi-axis CNC mills, mill-turn machines, and manual equipment to make one-off and low-volume parts.

• Own the quality of your work. Inspect every part against its requirements before handing it off.

• Work directly with designers and engineers to improve parts before they're made. Suggest changes that improve quality, simplify manufacturing, or save time.

• Figure out the best way to make something, whether that means machining it yourself, using another process, or working with an outside vendor.

• Anticipate problems, solve them independently, and communicate clearly when you need help.

• Make the shop better. Take ownership of improvements to equipment, tooling, processes, safety, and organization.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Product Design Engineering, Industrial Design, or a related technical discipline, OR 7+ years of equivalent hands-on experience in model making, prototyping, precision machining, or advanced fabrication.

• Strong CAD and CAM skills, including programming complex 3D parts on 3- to 5-axis mills and mill-turn machines.

• Experience making precision parts, jigs, fixtures, and tooling using both CNC and manual equipment.

• Ability to work directly from CAD, drawings, or a set of requirements, and independently figure out how to make the part.

• Experience machining a wide range of materials, including metals, plastics, wood, and foams.

• Strong understanding of machining processes, workholding, tooling, tolerances, and inspection.

• Ability to troubleshoot machining problems and independently develop solutions.

• Good judgment when choosing between different manufacturing processes, balancing quality, speed, and cost.

• Experience managing multiple projects with competing deadlines in a fast-moving environment.

• Ability to communicate clearly with designers and engineers, including giving direct feedback when something should be designed or made differently.

Preferred Skills

• Experience in a model shop, industrial design studio, robotics company, consumer electronics company, or other environment building prototypes.

• Experience making high-quality appearance parts where surface finish, fit, and visual details matter as much as dimensional accuracy.

• Experience designing, machining, and finishing molds, including cores, cavities, and complex 3D surfaces.

• Experience with other fabrication processes such as welding, waterjet cutting, laser cutting, composites, and thermoforming.

• Broad hands-on fabrication skills beyond machining. We value people who know how to make things, regardless of the process.
  

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

$175,000-$215,000 per year + 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.