Model Maker, Machining

1X • San Carlos, CA

2d • $170,000 - $200,000

About The Position

The Model Maker, Machining is part of 1X’s Prototyping team, which builds early concepts, prototypes, and production-quality products for handoff to manufacturing. The role combines creative problem-solving with machining expertise, making precision robot components, molds, fixtures, and finished appearance models. Work may involve materials ranging from titanium to foam, using CNC mills, mill-turn machines, manual equipment, and other processes as needed.

The position works directly with designers and engineers to determine how parts should be made, improve designs for manufacturability, and deliver high-quality work on schedule. The successful candidate takes ownership of deadlines and quality, identifies and resolves problems independently, and contributes to improvements in shop equipment, tooling, processes, safety, and organization.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Product Design Engineering, Industrial Design, or a related technical discipline, or 7+ years of equivalent hands-on experience in model making, prototyping, precision machining, or advanced fabrication.
• Strong CAD and CAM skills, including programming complex 3D parts on 3- to 5-axis mills and mill-turn machines.
• Experience making precision parts, jigs, fixtures, and tooling using CNC and manual equipment.
• Ability to work from CAD, drawings, or requirements and independently determine how to make a part.
• Experience machining a wide range of materials, including metals, plastics, wood, and foams.
• Strong understanding of machining processes, workholding, tooling, tolerances, and inspection.
• Ability to troubleshoot machining problems and independently develop solutions.
• Good judgment in choosing manufacturing processes while balancing quality, speed, and cost.
• Experience managing multiple projects with competing deadlines in a fast-moving environment.
• Ability to communicate clearly with designers and engineers and give direct feedback when a design or manufacturing approach should change.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in a model shop, industrial design studio, robotics company, consumer electronics company, or other prototype-building environment.
• Experience making high-quality appearance parts where surface finish, fit, and visual details matter as much as dimensional accuracy.
• Experience designing, machining, and finishing molds, including cores, cavities, and complex 3D surfaces.
• Experience with other fabrication processes such as welding, waterjet cutting, laser cutting, composites, and thermoforming.
• Broad hands-on fabrication skills beyond machining.

Responsibilities

• Deliver high-quality parts on time, own deadlines, and communicate early when work is at risk.
• Program, set up, and operate multi-axis CNC mills, mill-turn machines, and manual equipment to produce one-off and low-volume parts.
• Inspect work against requirements and take ownership of part quality before handoff.
• Work with designers and engineers to improve parts and suggest changes that improve quality, simplify manufacturing, or save time.
• Determine the best way to make each part, including machining it directly, selecting another process, or working with an outside vendor.
• Anticipate and solve problems independently, and communicate clearly when assistance is needed.
• Improve shop equipment, tooling, processes, safety, and organization.

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 Accounts (FSA) and Health Savings Accounts (HSA) options.
• Commuter benefits for transit and parking.
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance and life insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 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