Tactile Sensing Research Engineer
About The Position
1X is building humanoid robots for home use, aiming to automate chores and tasks to give people more free time. This involves solving complex challenges in robotics, AI, and manufacturing simultaneously, at scale, and in a safe, family-friendly form factor. The company has been working on this since 2014 and is now focused on shipping its flagship product, NEO, a home robot designed for real-world operation alongside people. 1X Labs specifically focuses on providing the science and technology for human-level, general-purpose humanoids by identifying and addressing the gaps between current robotic capabilities and human performance through deep research, experimentation, and iteration. The sensing systems developed are crucial for robot perception, understanding, and manipulation, spanning materials, sensing, actuation, control, and system integration, with the goal of transitioning research outcomes into products.
Requirements
- PhD in Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Bioengineering, or a closely related field
- Demonstrated high-impact contributions to tactile sensing or related sensing technologies through publications, patents, deployed systems, or equivalent technical achievements
- Proven experience developing sensing technologies through multiple generations of design, fabrication, and validation
- Strong hands-on experience building and testing physical sensing systems
- Track record of identifying and overcoming fundamental performance limitations in sensing technologies
Nice To Haves
- Experience working with soft, compliant, or bio-inspired materials in sensing applications
- Experience designing custom experimental setups for sensor characterization and benchmarking
- Familiarity with robotic manipulation, dexterous hands, or human-machine interaction systems
- Experience developing custom electronics, transduction systems, or signal-processing pipelines for sensing applications
- Background in biomechanics, neuroscience, haptics, or biologically inspired sensing systems
Responsibilities
- Advance tactile sensing toward human-level capability by developing sensing systems that capture the structure and dynamics of physical contact, not merely the presence of touch.
- Take promising tactile sensing technologies and push them through repeated cycles of design, fabrication, testing, and refinement.
- Focus on understanding fundamental performance limits, eliminating bottlenecks, and systematically improving sensing performance across spatial resolution, temporal response, dynamic range, robustness, and durability.
- Help create the sensing foundation required for dexterous manipulation and meaningful interaction with the physical world.
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
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
