Coatings and Materials Manufacturing Engineer
San Carlos, CA, USA
USD 200k-248k / year + Equity
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
Our Materials Engineering team researches, develops, and industrializes advanced polymers, elastomers, synthetic fibers, and composite materials that improve robot performance, durability, and manufacturability.
Working closely with Mechanical Engineering, Hardware Engineering, Manufacturing, and external material suppliers, the team transforms cutting-edge material innovations into scalable production technologies. From advanced synthetic ropes and cable-drive systems to high-performance elastomers and structural polymers, our work directly enables the performance of NEO.
Your Charter
Own the industrialization of advanced coatings, load-bearing fiber materials, and other advanced materials that enable the next generation of humanoid robots.
You will lead the manufacturing development and scale-up, including equipment selection and commissioning; production-area design; line layout and material flow; definition of technical qualifications; development of SOPs and work instructions; and training of production operators.
Working across research, manufacturing, quality, and supplier ecosystems, you'll ensure that new material technologies transition efficiently from laboratory development into reliable, high-volume production. This is a hands-on, floor-facing manufacturing engineering role requiring substantial industrial production experience.
Key Outcomes
Lead scale-up from laboratory and pilot to the required production rate, using capacity models, cycle time, labor content, first-pass yield, scrap, equipment uptime, and cost to guide process, equipment, and automation decisions
Develop, validate, and release repeatable manufacturing processes for coatings, load-bearing fiber systems, and other advanced materials, with defined process windows, standard operating conditions, and production-readiness criteria
Use DOE, SPC, process-capability analysis, PFMEA, structured root-cause analysis, and corrective action to improve first-pass yield, throughput, safety, quality, and cost
Define critical-to-quality characteristics, measurement and inspection methods, control plans, and acceptance criteria that ensure material and product requirements are met consistently
Specify, source, and commission production equipment, tooling, fixtures, material-handling systems, and automation solutions that support scale, operator safety, and maintainability
Optimize manufacturing processes to improve quality, reduce cost, and increase production efficiency
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Establish comprehensive technical documentation systems including process specifications, SOPs, work instructions, validation protocols and reports, training materials, production records, and safety documentation
Key Competencies
Strong expertise in chemical engineering, polymer science, materials engineering
Excellent understanding of advanced manufacturing processes in at least one of the following areas: coatings, chemicals, polymers, elastomers, synthetic fibers, or composite materials
Demonstrated manufacturing scale-up judgment: translating a lab method into equipment, tooling, process controls, staffing, capacity, quality controls, and standard work
Strong process-development and validation skills, with working knowledge of DOE, SPC, process capability, PFMEA, and structured root-cause methods
Ability to define equipment requirements, design tooling and fixtures, manage vendors, and commission production equipment while balancing safety, quality, throughput, and cost
Hands-on, data-driven manufacturing mindset; comfortable troubleshooting on the production floor and moving between technical design discussions and factory operations
Ownership mindset with strong cross-functional communication skills and the ability to drive new material technologies from concept through stable production
Minimum Requirements
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Polymer Engineering, or a related engineering discipline
Minimum 3 years of industry experience in materials, chemical or coating manufacturing, or a related field
Hands-on experience developing, validating, and scaling manufacturing processes for at least one of the following: coatings, elastomers, polymers, synthetic fibers, or composite materials
Demonstrated experience transitioning materials from research and development into high-volume manufacturing
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills including root-cause analysis and corrective action for material or process failures and use of manufacturing data to improve yield and throughput
Excellent communication skills with experience leading cross-functional technical projects
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Working knowledge of laboratory and production safety procedures, chemical regulations, and material compliance standards
Preferred Skills
Experience manufacturing materials for robotics, aerospace, automotive, medical devices, or other advanced hardware industries
Experience supporting NPI, validation builds, first-article inspections, supplier or contract-manufacturer readiness, and production line launches
Experience applying Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or other structured continuous-improvement methods to improve process capability, yield, and cost
Knowledge of process optimization, automation, and manufacturing yield improvement
Experience with batch processes, roll-to-roll or continuous coating, and in-line or at-line inspections
Experience implementing semi-automated or automated equipment, material handling, sensors, vision systems, or production data collection
Familiarity with DFM, PLM, ERP, or MES systems and manufacturing documentation workflows
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 coatings and materials manufacturing engineers at 1X combine deep scientific expertise with practical engineering execution. They enjoy solving multidisciplinary challenges where chemistry, materials science, manufacturing, and robotics intersect. They move comfortably between the laboratory and production line, translating material requirements into capable processes, equipment, controls, and standard work. They collaborate closely across Engineering, Quality, Production, and Supply Chain and remain accountable after launch until safety, quality, yield, and throughput are stable.
Compensation Range
$200,000 - $248,000 salary based on experience, plus 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
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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.