Role Name: Test and Validation Supervisor
Department: Quality and Reliability
Location: San Carlos
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 Test and Validation team ensures every subsystem and complete robot performs safely, reliably, and consistently before reaching customers. Working closely with engineering, reliability, manufacturing, and facilities teams, the organization builds and operates the infrastructure that validates the performance of every generation of NEO while enabling rapid product development.
Your Charter: Lead and scale the Test and Validation Technician organization responsible for executing engineering validation across the company. You'll build a high-performing technician team, ensure world-class laboratory operations, remove execution bottlenecks, and create the operational excellence required to validate increasingly complex humanoid robotic systems as we scale toward production.
Key Outcomes:
Build and lead a high-performing Test and Validation Technician organization capable of supporting increasing engineering validation demands.
Deliver safe, efficient, and high-quality test execution by maximizing lab uptime, equipment availability, and technician productivity.
Establish scalable laboratory operations, including maintenance, calibration, inventory management, and facility readiness.
Partner cross-functionally to resolve test execution issues, accelerate engineering programs, and improve product validation throughput.
Foster a culture of safety, accountability, technical excellence, and continuous improvement across all test operations.
Key Competencies:
Proven leader with the ability to build, mentor, and develop highly capable technical teams.
Strong operational mindset with experience managing complex laboratory or validation environments.
Excellent troubleshooting and structured problem-solving skills with the ability to remove technical and operational roadblocks.
Comfortable balancing competing priorities while maintaining quality, safety, and execution speed.
Effective communicator capable of partnering across engineering, manufacturing, facilities, and leadership teams.
Minimum Requirements:
10+ years of experience supporting product development, validation, reliability, or laboratory testing environments.
3+ years leading technicians, inspectors, or other technical support organizations.
Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical discipline (or equivalent practical experience).
Experience managing laboratory operations including calibration, preventive maintenance, spare parts, consumables, and equipment uptime.
Strong understanding of engineering drawings, test procedures, specifications, and structured root cause methodologies (A3, 8D, Fishbone, 5 Why).
Preferred Skills:
Experience supporting robotics, automotive, aerospace, industrial automation, consumer electronics, or other complex electromechanical products.
Hands-on experience with environmental chambers, vibration systems, dynamometers, power supplies, actuators, and data acquisition systems.
Experience planning laboratory expansion, facility infrastructure, or new equipment integration.
Familiarity with reliability testing and product validation methodologies.
Experience operating within fast-paced hardware development organizations.
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:
$103,000 - $126,000
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.