Electrical Engineer - Actuators and Drives

Job details

Work model

On-site

Salary

$125.1K - $253K

Location

San Carlos, CA

Hiring context

How this role compares at 1X

1X has 86 live roles in MeritLog’s catalog across 6 job families, and 62 of them are in engineering. 84 of those listings publish a pay range, a disclosure rate of 98%.

This role's posted range of $125.1K - $253K sits above 49% of the 65 other 1X roles quoted over the same currency and period.

Counted across the job boards MeritLog tracks, at the time this page was served. Pay comparisons use only listings that publish a complete range in the same currency and period.

What the role asks for

Parsed by MeritLog from the employer’s own posting. The full description follows below.

Job description

ABOUT 1X We’re building humanoid robots that work in home - doing the chores, handling the tasks, and giving people their time back. Simple, but it’s not. To do this right, we have to solve robotics, AI, manufacturing - at the same time, at scale, in a form factor that has to be safe enough to live with your family. If you’re inspired by this, you’ll thrive here. We’ve been at this since 2014 and we’re at the point where the hard problems are behind us and the hard work is in front of us. NEO is our flagship - a home robot designed to move, learn, and operate in the real world alongside real people. We’re not demoing it - we’re shipping it. We’re excited to meet you, if this excites you. If you’ve spent your career working on problems that matter and want to see them actually reach the world - this is that moment. We’re scaling, we’re hiring with intention, and we need people who want to build something that will genuinely change how humans spend their time - safely creating abundance for all. ABOUT THE TEAM The Hardware Engineering team develops the electrical systems that power, sense, and control every aspect of NEO. From power distribution and embedded electronics to actuators, motor drives, sensors, and system integration, the team builds the foundation that enables reliable robot performance. We work closely with mechanical, firmware, controls, manufacturing, and test teams to deliver high-performance hardware that can scale from prototype to mass production. Our engineers operate across abstraction layers, combining deep technical expertise with practical product development experience. YOUR CHARTER Design and deliver the electrical systems that enable humanoid robots to move, sense, and operate reliably in the real world. You will own critical electrical subsystems from architecture through production, balancing performance, safety, reliability, manufacturability, and cost. Working across robotics hardware platforms, you will develop robust electrical designs that integrate seamlessly with firmware, controls, and mechanical systems while supporting rapid product iteration and long-term scalability. Your work will directly impact robot performance, reliability, and manufacturability across the product lifecycle. KEY OUTCOMES - Design and release electrical subsystems that meet performance, reliability, safety, and manufacturing requirements - Develop robust electrical architectures spanning power, sensing, control, and embedded electronics - Deliver validated hardware designs from concept through schematic capture, PCB development, bring-up, and production support - Improve product reliability through strong EMI/ESD design practices, validation testing, and root-cause analysis - Partner effectively with firmware, controls, manufacturing, and test teams to resolve complex system-level challenges KEY COMPETENCIES - Strong electrical engineering fundamentals across analog, digital, and embedded electronics design - Ability to balance system-level architecture decisions with detailed hardware implementation - Strong hands-on debugging and validation skills using laboratory instrumentation - Excellent problem-solving skills with the ability to independently drive complex technical issues to resolution - Strong communication and collaboration skills across multidisciplinary engineering teams MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS - Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field - 5+ years of professional electrical engineering experience, with level determined based on experience and scope of ownership - Strong fundamentals in analog and digital circuit design - Experience designing, reviewing, debugging, and validating hardware from schematic through PCB bring-up - Familiarity with power systems, sensors, and embedded electronics - Hands-on experience with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power supplies, and other laboratory equipment - Understanding of EMI/ESD considerations and robust hardware design practices - Experience collaborating closely with mechanical, firmware, controls, test, and manufacturing teams PREFERRED SKILLS - Experience designing motor drive systems, power electronics, and actuator control hardware - Familiarity with robotic actuators, electromechanical systems, and motion control architectures - Understanding of motor technologies, encoder systems, current sensing, and control requirements - Experience with high-power or high-current electronics - Experience supporting products through manufacturing ramp and volume production - Familiarity with safety-critical, fault-tolerant, or high-reliability electronic systems - Knowledge of thermal design considerations and fault management architectures - Basic familiarity with mechanical CAD workflows and hardware integration processes WHAT DOES A SUCCESSFUL 1X TEAM MEMBER LOOK LIKE? Team members at 1X who thrive here are builders. They move fast, own their work completely, and treat time like it’s the one thing you can’t get back - because it is. They say what they mean, finish what they start, and hold themselves to a standard before anyone has to ask. We push each other to be better, and we do it with honesty and respect. Successful Electrical Engineers at 1X combine deep technical fundamentals with a strong bias toward execution. They are equally comfortable architecting systems, debugging hardware on the bench, and collaborating across disciplines to solve difficult engineering challenges. They understand that exceptional products emerge through rapid iteration, rigorous validation, and relentless attention to detail. COMPENSATION RANGE $125,100 - $253,000 + Equity 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 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER 1X is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, marital status, medical condition, genetic information, disability, military or veteran status, justice system impact, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.

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