---
title: 'Tactile Sensing Research Engineer at 1X'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/tactile-sensing-research-engineer-1x-san-carlos-sxwj8mbtn8a5'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-06'
---

# Tactile Sensing Research Engineer at 1X

- **Company:** [1X](https://feeny.ai/companies/1x)
- **Location:** San Carlos, CA
- **Compensation:** $200k–$250k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-06-17
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-06
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/1x/e28952a1-8abc-489d-b213-a3011e5fe87d/application

**Skills:** Tactile sensing, Sensing systems, Experimental design, Prototyping, Fabrication, Testing, Materials science, Mechanics, Electronics, System integration, Soft materials, Compliant materials, Bio-inspired materials, Custom experimental setups, Sensor characterization, Benchmarking, Robotic manipulation, Dexterous hands, Human-machine interaction, Custom electronics

> Join 1X Labs to advance tactile sensing toward human-level capability for humanoid robots. You will develop sensing systems that capture the structure and dynamics of physical contact, focusing on design, fabrication, testing, and refinement to improve performance and robustness.

## 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

1X Labs exists to provide the science and technology that enables human-level, general-purpose humanoids. We identify the gaps between current robotic capabilities and human performance, then pursue the fundamental advances required to close them through deep research, rigorous experimentation, and rapid iteration.

The sensing systems we develop are not isolated components—they directly shape what robots can perceive, understand, and manipulate. Our work spans materials, sensing, actuation, control, and system integration, with the expectation that research outcomes ultimately become products.

## YOUR CHARTER

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.

You will take promising tactile sensing technologies and push them through repeated cycles of design, fabrication, testing, and refinement. Your work will focus on understanding fundamental performance limits, eliminating bottlenecks, and systematically improving sensing performance across spatial resolution, temporal response, dynamic range, robustness, and durability.

As a Tactile Sensing Researcher / Engineer, you'll help create the sensing foundation required for dexterous manipulation and meaningful interaction with the physical world.

## KEY OUTCOMES

- Deliver successive generations of tactile sensing systems that demonstrate measurable improvements in sensing performance and robustness
- Establish rigorous benchmarking methodologies against human tactile capabilities and other state-of-the-art sensing technologies
- Identify and overcome fundamental limitations in tactile sensing architectures, materials, and transduction approaches
- Generate experimental evidence that guides research decisions and enables confident technology down-selection
- Successfully transition promising tactile sensing concepts into viable paths for integration with robotic manipulation systems

## KEY COMPETENCIES

- Deep expertise in tactile sensing, sensing systems, or closely related research domains
- Strong experimental mindset with a focus on measurement quality, repeatability, and evidence-driven decision making
- Ability to work across materials, mechanics, electronics, and system integration challenges
- Exceptional hands-on prototyping, fabrication, and testing skills
- Persistence and intellectual rigor when solving difficult technical problems with no obvious solutions

## MINIMUM 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

## PREFERRED SKILLS

- 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

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.

Within 1X Labs, the strongest researchers combine deep technical expertise with a relentless commitment to reality. They use experiments to settle debates, push systems until they reveal their true limits, and care as much about understanding failure as they do about achieving success. Research matters because it changes what the robot can do.

## COMPENSATION RANGE

$200,000 - $250,000 + 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.

## About 1X

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: 1X develops general-purpose humanoid robots for home and industrial environments, combining AI and hardware to automate everyday tasks.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series B funding stage)
- **Headquarters**: Palo Alto, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2015
- **Founders**: Bernt Øyvind Børnich

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Robotics Engineering / Artificial Intelligence
- **Target customers**: B2C (home consumers via NEO) and B2B/Enterprise (industrial tasks via EVE)
- **Mission**: Build a truly abundant society through general-purpose robots capable of performing any kind of work autonomously, allowing humans to focus on what they love.

## Products & Services
- **NEO**: A friendly home humanoid robot designed to integrate seamlessly into daily life and handle chores. Currently in early access after the NEO Beta (2024) and NEO Gamma (2025) iterations. [1x.tech](https://www.1x.tech/about)
- **EVE**: A wheeled industrial humanoid deployed in factories worldwide for autonomous industrial tasks. [1x.tech](https://www.1x.tech/about)
- **Revo1**: A high-torque-to-weight drive servo motor inspired by human tendon actuation, used in 1X robots. [1x.tech](https://www.1x.tech/about)
- **1X World Model**: A physics-grounded video model that enables NEO to learn autonomously from text or voice commands. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/1x-technologies)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Total funding of $169M as of mid-2026, with a $100M Series B led by EQT Ventures in January 2024. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/1x-technologies)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: EQT Ventures (lead), plus other investors in secondary rounds. Acquired Kind Humanoid in January 2025. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/1x-technologies)
- **Growth Signals**: 
  - Headcount grew 121.2% YoY to 394 employees. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/1x-technologies)
  - Full-scale production of NEO began in Hayward, CA, with capacity to build 10,000 units per year. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/1x-technologies)
  - New Palo Alto HQ consolidated teams from Sunnyvale and Moss, Norway. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/1x-technologies)
  - Appointed Mohi Khansari as Head of Robot Learning (January 2026) and Vikram Kothari as VP of Operations (August 2025). [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/1x-technologies)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Vertical integration**: Owns manufacturing in Hayward (U.S.) and Moss (Norway), controlling the full production stack.
- **Proprietary hardware**: Revo1 servo motor offers world-leading torque-to-weight ratio, enabling flexible, low-gear-ratio robotics.
- **AI-first approach**: The 1X World Model allows robots to learn physical tasks via simulation and self-supervised video prediction, reducing need for manual programming.
- **Early home deployment**: NEO is one of the first humanoid robots entering private homes, giving 1X real-world data and feedback loops.

## Strategic Focus
- Scaling NEO production and expanding early access to more households across the U.S.
- Enhancing AI capabilities through the World Model and reinforcement learning (e.g., Redwood mobility controller).
- Building a robust supply chain and service network for home robots.
- Continuing enterprise deployments of EVE while shifting emphasis to the consumer market.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Fast-paced, mission-driven environment focused on building humanoid robots that coexist with humans. Strong emphasis on AI, hardware, and real-world impact.
- **Work model**: Likely on-site for hardware and AI roles (multiple offices in Palo Alto, San Carlos, Sunnyvale, Hayward, and Moss). Some software roles may offer flexibility.
- **Notable perks**: Opportunity to work on cutting-edge robotics and AI, contribute to a product (NEO) that is already entering homes, and be part of a rapidly scaling company with strong funding.
- **Engineering culture**: High concentration of talent from Tesla, Apple, Google, and SpaceX. Active research in biomechanics, reinforcement learning, and simulation. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/1x-technologies)
- **Open roles**: 65+ positions listed on the careers page across AI, hardware, software, operations, and manufacturing. [1x.tech](https://www.1x.tech/careers)

## Sources
1. [1x.tech](https://www.1x.tech/about)
2. [1x.tech](https://www.1x.tech/careers)
3. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/1x-technologies)

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- [Test Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/test-engineer-1x-hayward-ws0qnjx1vfcd) — Hayward, CA
- [Principal Safety Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/principal-safety-engineer-1x-san-carlos-1j6pqzt2rstz) — San Carlos, CA
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