Director of Mechanical Engineering

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. 

As we matured our unique actuation technology and performed several design iterations on our robot, we are looking for a Director of Mechanical Engineering to lead the development of our humanoid robot’s mechanical systems. This is not a pure management role and includes pure R&D exploration and product engineering, we’re looking for a world-class mechanical engineer who still wants to design, build, and debug, while also attracting, mentoring, and scaling a high-performance team. You will own mechanical design across the product, from joint actuation and structural design to thermal, packaging, and reliability. You’ll work closely with electrical, manufacturing, and product teams to ensure we ship a robust, manufacturable, and elegant system.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve as the technical lead and primary contributor on key mechanical systems, from architecture through detailed design, prototyping, validation, and production

• Drive system-level mechanical design across actuators, linkages, enclosures, structures, and thermal components

• Own key decisions around materials, DFM, durability, serviceability, and cost

• Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing mechanical engineering team, setting a high technical bar and pragmatic execution culture

• Collaborate tightly with electrical, software, and manufacturing teams to ensure seamless integration and system reliability

• Set direction on tools, processes, documentation, and quality standards to ensure velocity and repeatability as we scale

• Balance immediate technical execution with long-term architecture, roadmap planning, and hiring strategy

• Roll up sleeves constantly—this is a hands-on role where you’ll be in the CAD, in the lab, and in the reviews