Softgoods Product Design Engineer

1X • San Carlos, CA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

1X is building humanoid robots designed to work in the home, handling chores and tasks to give people their time back. This is a complex challenge involving robotics, AI, and manufacturing at scale, requiring a safe form factor for family living. The company has been working on this since 2014, and the flagship product, NEO, is a home robot designed to move, learn, and operate in real-world environments alongside people. The company is focused on shipping NEO and is looking for individuals inspired by the mission to change how humans spend their time by creating abundance safely. The Softgoods team specifically focuses on creating products that people love to touch, trust, and use, integrating various materials like textiles, elastomers, and foams, from concept through mass production, with a core focus on safety, a soft-touch experience, and a welcoming feel.

Requirements

• Softgoods design expertise — deep hands-on knowledge of textiles, foams, and elastomers, including yarns, dyes, knitting, and weaving, and the techniques that join them (cut-and-sew, bonding, lamination, molding), with the craft sensibility to make parts that look and feel premium.
• CAD and FEA proficiency — fluent in 3D CAD modeling and surface design, and uses FEA to validate structural performance, durability, and fit early, reducing costly iteration once tooling is committed.
• Design for manufacturing at scale — fluency in translating prototypes into repeatable, high-volume production, anticipating tolerance, fit, and process constraints early so quality holds from the first unit to the millionth.
• Cross-functional collaboration — works fluidly with industrial designers, materials scientists, and manufacturing engineers, translating a subjective goal like "soft and welcoming" into shared, buildable specifications.
• Hands-on maker — has personally built, assembled, and prototyped their own designs, bringing the shop-floor intuition to know what will actually work, fit, and assemble in production.
• Experience: 5-10 years (Open to review candidates that shine with less)
• Education: Bachelors of Science in engineering or related, or equivalent experience
• A portfolio is required, showcasing your professional work, personal projects, and passion projects.

Nice To Haves

• GD&T is a Plus.
• You take pride in doing things well and don't cut corners.
• You love thinking outside the box and finding creative solutions.
• You get excited blending tried-and-true methods with new technologies to solve problems the right way.

Responsibilities

• Own the full lifecycle of NEO's softgoods components (textiles, foams, elastomers) from concept through mass production.
• Deliver parts at production quality and on schedule.
• Deliver a soft-touch, welcoming tactile experience that holds at scale.
• Ensure all touch-facing softgoods meet safety and durability requirements.
• Own qualification so parts pass validation testing before launch.
• Own testing & fixtures.
• Drive design-for-manufacturability and cost targets.
• Qualify materials and manufacturing partners for new and exotic softgoods.

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: Mid Level