Senior Manager Quality Engineering

1X • San Carlos, CA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

1X is building humanoid robots that work in any space humans exist with the mission to create an abundance of labor. This requires solving robotics, AI, software, hardware, manufacturing, and operations simultaneously at scale. NEO is their flagship general-purpose robot designed to move, learn, and operate in the real world alongside real people, and the company is focused on shipping it. The Quality Engineering team's role is to enable 1X to scale complex humanoid robot hardware with speed, confidence, and strong manufacturing discipline. They partner across various departments to build quality into the product and production system from the beginning. As NEO scales, the team will own quality across new product introduction, production, incoming inspection, MRB, and quality systems, aiming to solve quality problems at the source while building practical systems that improve product reliability without slowing down engineering or production.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in a Quality Engineering management role within a complex hardware, electromechanical, automotive, aerospace, robotics, or similarly demanding manufacturing environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, Materials, or a related engineering discipline.
• Demonstrated experience leading Quality Engineers and technical quality teams through new product introduction and production ramp.
• Strong technical experience with manufacturing quality controls for complex electromechanical hardware, including inspection, metrology, and process validation.
• Proven experience developing and implementing control plans, PFMEA, inspection strategies, and corrective action processes.
• Deep experience with structured problem-solving, root cause analysis, and building practical quality systems.
• Strong cross-functional leadership and communication skills, with the ability to work directly with engineering, supply chain, operations, and senior leadership.

Nice To Haves

• Experience scaling quality engineering organizations and systems through rapid production growth or high-rate NPI.
• Experience in robotics, electric vehicles, consumer electronics, or other vertically integrated electromechanical products.
• Experience developing or improving MRB, incoming inspection, metrology, and production quality operating systems.
• Familiarity with statistical quality methods, process capability, measurement system analysis, and data-driven quality reporting.
• Experience working across motors, batteries, electronics, structural assemblies, and other complex hardware systems.
• Experience building quality systems from first principles in a startup or rapidly scaling manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead the Quality Engineering organization, including Quality Engineers and the Quality Technician Supervisor, with clear ownership across NPI, production quality, incoming inspection, MRB, and quality systems.
• Establish quality planning for new products by translating design requirements into measurable manufacturing controls, inspection strategies, control plans, and acceptance criteria.
• Lead PFMEA and control plan development with Design and Manufacturing Engineering to identify critical risks and establish effective prevention, detection, and reaction controls.
• Drive timely resolution of significant production and incoming quality issues through containment, structured root cause analysis, corrective action, and verification of durable fixes.
• Develop and improve practical Quality Management Systems and MRB processes that establish traceability, disciplined decision-making, and useful quality data without unnecessary bureaucracy.
• Partner with Design, Manufacturing, Software, Supply Chain, and Operations to improve product and process quality across motors, batteries, electronics, structural assemblies, and other critical robot systems.
• Use inspection results, metrology, defect trends, and production feedback to prioritize systemic improvements, communicate quality performance to leadership, and raise the quality bar as production scales.

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
• Onsite snacks and catered lunches

What This Job Offers

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