The posting
Role Name: CAD Sculptor
Department: R&D Prototyping
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 Prototyping team turns ideas into physical reality.
We work closely with Industrial Design and Engineering to rapidly develop, build, and evaluate the physical systems and components that make up NEO. Our work spans digital models, functional prototypes, mockups, fabrication, materials, and production-intent assemblies.
We are looking for a CAD Modeler with strong surfacing experience to help shape the physical form of NEO. You will translate industrial design intent into high-quality, production-ready CAD geometry while working through the mechanical, packaging, and manufacturing constraints that come with building a humanoid robot.
This is a hands-on, highly collaborative role for someone who cares deeply about surface quality and physical products. You should be comfortable moving between digital models and physical prototypes, working directly with designers, engineers, and technicians to turn design intent into something that can be built.
Your Charter: Translate industrial design intent into high-quality, robust CAD geometry for NEO, balancing surface quality, product integration, prototyping, and manufacturability.
You will help bridge the gap between how the product is intended to look and feel and what it takes to build it in the real world.
Key Outcomes:
- High-quality surface development: Develop high-quality surface geometry that accurately captures industrial design intent while accounting for mechanical, structural, packaging, and manufacturing requirements.
- Product integration: Work across complex assemblies to resolve geometric and packaging challenges, integrating industrial design surfaces with structural and mechanical systems.
- Rapid iteration: Partner closely with Industrial Design and Mechanical Engineering to quickly iterate on geometry and solve challenging product integration problems.
- Physical validation: Support the development of prototypes, mockups, and production-intent assemblies to evaluate surface quality, fit, function, durability, and user interaction.
- Production-ready CAD: Develop robust CAD geometry that can progress from early concepts through prototyping and into manufacturing.
- Improved workflows: Develop and improve modeling, automation, and computational workflows that accelerate design iteration and improve the quality and consistency of CAD data.
Key Competencies:
DIGITAL SURFACING
- Strong experience developing complex, high-quality surface geometry for physical products.
- Ability to translate industrial design concepts, sketches, scans, or models into robust CAD geometry.
- Strong understanding of surface continuity, curvature, transitions, and overall surface quality.
- Ability to balance aesthetic intent with real-world engineering and manufacturing constraints.
- Experience working with complex forms, interfaces, part splits, seams, and transitions.
PRODUCT INTEGRATION
- Ability to work within complex assemblies and resolve conflicts between industrial design surfaces and mechanical systems.
- Comfortable working through packaging constraints, component interfaces, mounting features, and part boundaries.
- Strong understanding of how digital geometry translates into physical parts and assemblies.
PROTOTYPING AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
- Comfortable supporting the development and evaluation of physical prototypes and mockups.
- Ability to identify issues in physical builds and incorporate learnings back into CAD.
- Hands-on experience with fabrication, rapid prototyping, model making, molds, casting, softgoods, or other prototype development methods is a plus.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
- 5+ years of experience in CAD modeling, digital surfacing, Class-A surfacing, digital sculpting, or a related field.
- Demonstrated experience developing complex surface geometry for physical products.
- Strong proficiency in professional CAD and surfacing tools such as Autodesk Alias, Rhino, CATIA, NX, or similar.
- Strong understanding of surface continuity, curvature, transitions, and surface quality.
- Experience translating industrial design intent into robust, manufacturable CAD geometry.
PREFERRED SKILLS
- Experience with Class-A surfacing.
- Experience with SubD modeling and translating SubD concepts into production-quality CAD geometry.
- Experience with CAD automation or computational design using Python, Dynamo, Grasshopper, or similar tools.
- Hands-on experience with rapid prototyping, fabrication, casting, silicone, urethane, composites, textiles, or softgoods.
- Experience supporting products from early concept through production.
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:
$150,000 - $250,000annually
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.
