Firmware Engineer - Testing

1X • San Carlos, CA

8d

About The Position

1X is building humanoid robots for use in homes. The Firmware team develops embedded software across NEO hardware subsystems, including communication architecture, power management, and motor control. This firmware enables safe robot movement, support for new hardware, and scaling across embedded nodes.

The Firmware Engineer - Testing owns firmware quality across NEO and partners with firmware developers to make releases safe for deployment while helping the team ship quickly. The role defines release test criteria, qualifies releases, and signs off before firmware reaches the fleet. It also builds hardware-in-the-loop test rigs and automated tests, validates safety-critical and security behavior, and ensures recovery from failed updates and other faults.

The role involves collaborating with firmware, electrical, actuator, and operations engineers; hands-on bench testing and fixture development; and diagnosing whether failures originate in firmware, hardware, or the test setup. Compensation is $150,000–$190,000 plus equity.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• At least 2 years of firmware or embedded systems testing experience.
• Demonstrated ability to test embedded systems at the hardware-software boundary, including timing and fault conditions.
• Ability to read embedded C/C++ and design targeted tests.
• Experience building test automation in Python and Bash.
• Experience with Git and CI systems such as GitHub Actions, Jenkins, or Buildkite.
• Experience with communication protocols such as CAN, UART, I2C, and SPI.
• Hands-on experience with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power supplies, electronic loads, and bus analyzers.

Nice To Haves

• Experience building hardware-in-the-loop test systems and automation frameworks such as pytest or Robot Framework.
• Experience with dynamometers, environmental chambers, or fault-injection hardware.
• Experience testing motor control or power electronics firmware, including BLDC/PMSM drives, battery management systems, or power distribution.
• Experience with EtherCAT or CAN FD at 1 kHz and above.
• Familiarity with safety-critical standards such as IEC 61508, ISO 13849, or ISO 26262, including requirements traceability and verification.
• Experience in embedded security testing, including secure boot, code signing, hardware security modules or TPMs, fuzzing, penetration testing, or fault-injection attacks.
• Familiarity with security standards such as IEC 62443 or ISO/SAE 21434.
• Familiarity with real-time operating systems such as FreeRTOS, SafeRTOS, or Zephyr.
• Background in robotics, automotive, or IoT devices.

Responsibilities

• Own firmware release quality by defining test criteria, conducting release qualification, and signing off on releases before they reach the fleet.
• Partner with firmware developers early in feature work to define test strategies, close coverage gaps, and provide feedback before code merges.
• Build hardware-in-the-loop test rigs, from single-board setups to full actuator and robot configurations.
• Implement fault injection for power, communication, and sensor failures, and validate real-time buses including EtherCAT, CAN/CAN FD, SPI, UART, and I2C.
• Deliver automated Python regression suites that run in CI on every firmware change with clear pass/fail results.
• Turn field and fleet issues into regression tests.
• Verify safety-critical and security behavior, including fault detection, current and thermal limits, safe torque-off, secure boot, and firmware signing, including edge cases and malformed inputs.
• Verify that every node recovers to a known safe state without manual intervention after failed or interrupted updates, power loss during flashing, corrupted images, and watchdog resets.
• Conduct long-duration soak and stress testing to assess fleet robustness.
• Provide developers with testing support, including manual bench testing, automation, custom fixtures, and hardware modifications as needed.
• Diagnose whether bugs originate in firmware, hardware, or test setups using lab and bus analysis tools.
• Write clear bug reports, script repeated tasks, and raise questions about unclear requirements while collaborating with engineering and operations teams.

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 and 50% on the next 2%.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) options.
• Commuter benefits for transit and parking.
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance and life insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program for mental health, financial, and personal support.
• Onsite snacks and catered lunches.
• Equity.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level