Soft Materials Engineer / Scientist / Tinkerer - Robot Hands Team

Since its founding in 2015, 1X has been at the forefront of developing advanced humanoid robots designed for household use. Our mission is to create an abundant supply of labor via safe, intelligent humanoids. 

We strive for excellence in all we do, solving some of the hardest problems in robotics with the world’s most talented individuals. Every part of our robots is designed and produced in-house—from motor coils to AI—reflecting our vertically integrated approach. At 1X, you’ll own real projects, be recognized for your achievements, and rewarded based on merit.

We believe the best work is done when collaborating and therefore require in-person presence in our office locations. 

We are seeking a Materials Wizard to join our Hands Team. This role is ideal for an inventive engineer who thrives on designing groundbreaking systems from a blank sheet of paper and driving them through to scalable production. You will play a critical role in shaping the dexterity, precision, and durability of robotic hands, enabling our robots to perform advanced real-world tasks.

Responsibilities

• Identify and test advanced materials—including soft polymers, composites, and emerging alloys—to achieve near-human performance in robotic hands.

• Rapidly develop and refine manufacturing processes (casting, molding, polymer processing) to enable mass production.

• Translate rough concepts into prototype components, iterating quickly based on rigorous experiments and feedback.

• Collaborate with mechanical design and cross-functional teams to ensure seamless integration of materials and components.

• Stay current with new materials and processing methods to push the boundaries of robotic hand capabilities.