Softgoods Development Engineer

Hardware FYI; San Carlos, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 175,000 - 215,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical, dental, and/ or

401(k) plan with company match

Paid time off and parental leave

Commuter benefits

Onsite snacks and catered lunches

Job summary

1X is seeking a hands-on Softgoods Engineer to transform ambitious ideas into refined, real-world products. The role covers sketching concepts, cutting and bonding materials, and resolving manufacturing challenges with a cross-functional team.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years in hardware or softgoods engineering and a portfolio that showcases professional and passion projects. This is an on-site role focused on craftsmanship and fast iteration.

Qualifications

• 5 years of experience in hardware or softgoods engineering
• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field (or equivalent experience)
• A portfolio showcasing professional, personal, and passion projects

Responsibilities

• Drive softgoods products from early concept through production.
• Build prototypes, tooling, and fixtures, iterating until quality and feel are dialed in.
• Partner with designers, engineers, manufacturing partners, and vendors to resolve challenges and keep development moving.
• Develop assembly, bonding, and fabrication workflows for repeatability across the team.
• Lead new technology introduction and rapid problem-solving, surfacing risks early and championing craftsmanship and continuous improvement.

Skills

CAD

Mechanical design

Textiles & materials

Pattern making

Mold design

Collaboration & communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Equivalent experience

Tools

CLO3D

CAD

Job description

About 1X

Weʼre building humanoid robots that work in home - doing the chores, handling the tasks, and giving people their time back. Simple, but itʼs 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 youʼre inspired by this, you’ll thrive here. Weʼve been at this since 2014 and weʼre 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. Weʼre not demoing it - weʼre shipping it. Weʼre excited to meet you, if this excites you.

If youʼve spent your career working on problems that matter and want to see them actually reach the world - this is that moment. Weʼre scaling, weʼre 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 Softgoods team is a group of makers, engineers, and designers united by a passion for creating products people love to touch, trust, and use. We bring together rigid and soft materials—textiles, elastomers, and foams—pairing traditional techniques with the exotic and unexpected, always with safety, a soft-touch experience, and a warm, welcoming feel at our core, carrying every product from first concept through prototyping to full mass production.

Your Charter: This role transforms ambitious ideas into refined, real-world products. We're seeking someone who takes pride in building things that work beautifully, fit together precisely, and solve real problems. Operating at the intersection of engineering, fabrication, and product development, the ideal candidate is equally comfortable sketching concepts, cutting and bonding materials, and resolving manufacturing challenges alongside a cross-functional team. You'll guide softgoods products from early proof-of-concept through production ramp, applying technical rigor and a strong commitment to craft at every stage. This is a fully on-site role, as the best work in this field happens collaboratively—hands on materials, ideas advancing quickly.

Key Outcomes

• Drive softgoods products from early concept through production, moving fast and finding smarter paths at every stage.

• Build prototypes, tooling, and fixtures, iterating until quality, repeatability, and feel are dialed in.

• Partner with industrial designers, engineers, manufacturing partners, and vendors to resolve complex challenges and keep development moving.

• Develop assembly, bonding, and fabrication workflows that make great work repeatable across the team.

• Lead new technology introduction and rapid problem-solving, surfacing risks early and championing craftsmanship and continuous improvement.

Key Competencies

• Strong CAD and mechanical design skills, moving fluidly from concept sketch to manufacturable prototype.

• Solid engineering fundamentals applied with sound judgment across fast-moving, iterative hardware development.

• Meaningful hands-on fabrication experience spanning materials, methods, and disciplines.

• A collaborative nature - you communicate clearly, listen well, and bring out the best in the people around you.

Minimum Requirements

• Experience: 5 Years of experience

• Education: Bachelors of Science engineering or related, or equivalent experience

• A portfolio is required, showcasing your professional work, personal projects, and passion projects.

Preferred Skills

• Textiles, yarns, leathers, elastomers, foams, and other material systems

• Mold design, tooling, and manufacturing fixture development

• Pattern making, sewing, and construction techniques

• CLO3D or similar digital patterning and simulation tools

• Adhesives, bonding, lamination, and process development

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 itʼs the one thing you canʼt 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+ 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.