Senior Manager - Material Sciences

Job description

## About 1X We're building humanoid robots that work in any space humans exist with the mission to create an abundance of labor. Simple, but it's not. To do this right, we have to solve robotics, AI, software, hardware, manufacturing and operations at the same time, at scale, in a form factor that has to be safe. 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 general purpose 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 Material Sciences team influences what NEO is made of. Every frame, glove, and thermal system starts with a material choice. Those choices set the weight, safety, durability, and cost of every robot we ship. ## Your Charter The mission of this role is to make every generation of NEO lighter, stronger, safer to touch, and cheaper to build through better materials. You will own material selection, qualification, and supplier strategy across NEO and build the team and lab capability to iterate on materials as fast as we iterate on robots. This sits on 1X's critical path because every gram of weight, every failure mode, and every dollar of material cost multiplies across thousands of robots working alongside real people. ## Key Outcomes - Own the materials roadmap for NEO's structures, delivering a [X]% reduction in skeleton weight through advanced composites and high-strength alloys without sacrificing stiffness or safety - Extend the fatigue life of high-cycle joints and load-bearing structures to [X hours / X cycles], and qualify chassis materials that absorb impact so robots survive real-world falls - Deliver the next generation of NEO's durable skin: elastomer systems that are safe and natural for humans to touch, protect embedded tactile sensors from sweat, dust, and abrasion, and hold up to [X months] of daily gripping without tearing - Solve thermal and electrical materials challenges inside tightly packaged limbs, qualifying thermal interface materials that keep motors and compute within operating limits and insulation systems that make high-voltage wiring safe at scale - Reduce materials cost per robot through alternative material selection and design-for-manufacturing, while qualifying second sources for specialized materials so no single vendor can stall production - Cut the cycle from new material concept to on-robot validation, building the lab and test capability that makes fast iteration routine - Build and lead a materials science team, and operate as the trusted materials authority for mechanical design, manufacturing, and safety partners ## Key Competencies - Translate robot-level goals for weight, safety, durability, and cost into material specifications and qualification plans engineers can execute - Lead and develop materials engineers, setting clear priorities and holding a high standard for test rigor - Balance material performance against cost and manufacturability, and make that tradeoff clear to design, manufacturing, and finance partners - Design test and validation methods that produce trustworthy fatigue, impact, and environmental data quickly - Manage suppliers of specialized materials, from technical qualification through capacity and risk planning - Communicate materials decisions in plain language to people who are not materials scientists ## Minimum Requirements - 7+ years in materials science or materials engineering - Proven track record of qualifying materials into high-volume production, in at least one of: structural composites, high-strength alloys, or elastomers - Experience with fatigue, impact, and environmental testing of structural or soft materials - Demonstrated ability to manage supplier relationships for specialized or hard-to-source materials - Advanced degree in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field ## Preferred Skills - Experience in robotics, automotive, aerospace, or consumer electronics hardware - Exposure to skin-like elastomers, tactile sensor integration, or other soft-material systems - Familiarity with thermal interface materials and high-voltage insulation - Experience building a materials lab or test capability from scratch ## 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. ## Compensation Range $237,000 - $290,000 ## 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.