The posting
About Us
Familiar Machines & Magic (FM&M) is building the Physical AI platform for human connection, beginning with Familiars — physically embodied AI systems designed to form long-term, emotionally intelligent relationships with people. Our mission is to create artificial life to build a more caring world.
Founded by industry leaders from iRobot, Outrider, and Amazon, our team has collectively deployed over 50 million consumer robots worldwide and led advances in navigation, machine learning, and human-robot interaction.
Familiar Machines & Magic is building a mission-driven team of high performers, anchored in our unique Culture Principles and Ways of Working.
Location: Boston (Woburn, MA) preferred with frequent travel to Los Angeles Metro (Glendale, CA). Open to LA with frequent travel to Boston. Occasional domestic and international travel as needed.
POSITION OVERVIEW
We’re looking for a Softgoods Developer to join our growing Industrial Design team and help bring the Familiar’s physical embodiment to life. Working closely with Hardware Engineering and our development partners, you will translate design intent into softgoods constructions that integrate naturally with the Familiar’s underlying mechanical systems while preserving its form, movement, and tactile qualities.
This is a highly hands-on role spanning materials, patterning, construction, prototyping, supplier development, and manufacturing follow-through. You will work across textiles, foams, elastomers, trims, closures, and other soft and flexible materials to build, evaluate, and refine solutions from early prototypes through development builds and production. The role will initially focus on softgoods integral to the Familiar’s physical embodiment, with broader opportunities across the product ecosystem.
The right candidate combines strong softgoods craft with practical product development and manufacturing experience. They are resourceful makers and problem solvers who enjoy rapid iteration, work comfortably across Design, Engineering, suppliers, and manufacturing partners, and thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic, and culture-forward environment.
WHAT YOU'LL DO | RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE
- Translate Industrial Design intent into softgoods constructions, patterns, materials, and assembly solutions that preserve the Familiar’s form, movement, and physical character.
- Build and iterate hands-on prototypes to evaluate and troubleshoot fit, construction, range of motion, tactile quality, durability, and integration with underlying hardware.
- Develop solutions across textiles, foams, elastomers, closures, trims, bonding, and other soft-material processes, balancing design intent with performance and manufacturability.
- Partner closely with Hardware Engineering, Operations, suppliers, and manufacturing partners to resolve soft-to-hard integration, construction, assembly, serviceability, and manufacturing challenges throughout development and production.
- Carry softgoods solutions from prototype through supplier development and production, including material and process development, sample reviews, specifications, construction documentation, build support, and manufacturing follow-through.
WHAT YOU'LL BRING | EXPERIENCE, EXPERTISE & QUALIFICATIONS
- 5+ years of experience developing technically integrated softgoods from concept through production, ideally in consumer electronics, robotics, wearables, sporting goods, footwear, or related categories.
- Deep hands-on expertise in pattern making, sewing, bonding, and softgoods prototyping, with experience across processes such as molding and lamination.
- Strong knowledge of technical textiles, foams, elastomers, trims, closures, and their performance and manufacturing characteristics.
- Experience with 3D softgoods development tools such as CLO 3D, Browzwear, or similar, with the ability to work from 3D product CAD (e.g., Rhino, SolidWorks, Autodesk Alias, or Fusion 360) to develop patterns and constructions around complex mechanical geometry.
- Experience integrating softgoods with rigid mechanical systems, including designing for fit, attachment, assembly, and durability around moving joints and repeated actuation, and carrying solutions through supplier development and production.
HOW YOU'LL SUCCEED | MINDSET, JUDGMENT & WAYS OF WORKING
- Think through materials by making — prototype quickly, evaluate physically, and iterate toward better solutions.
- See softgoods and the underlying hardware as one integrated product — understanding that the coat’s touch and drape shape how the Familiar reads as warm and alive, not just how it’s assembled.
- Balance design intent and tactile quality with movement, durability, manufacturability, schedule, and cost.
- Bring resourceful and practical solutions to ambiguous problems where established softgoods approaches may not yet exist.
- Collaborate fluidly across Design, Engineering, Operations, suppliers, and manufacturing partners, with a strong eye for quality and refined details across the Familiar and its ecosystem.
PLEASE NOTE: WE HAVE OFTEN HIRED THOSE THAT DO NOT MEET THE EXACT REQUIREMENTS BUT THAT WE FOUND TO BE A GREAT CULTURE FIT AND HAVE THE RELEVANT EXPERIENCE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE ROLE. PLEASE CONSIDER APPLYING IF THIS IS YOU.
FAMILIAR MACHINES & MAGIC IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. WE ARE COMMITTED TO FOSTERING A DIVERSE, INCLUSIVE, AND EQUITABLE WORKPLACE WHERE ALL INDIVIDUALS ARE VALUED AND RESPECTED. EMPLOYMENT DECISIONS ARE BASED ON QUALIFICATIONS, MERIT, AND BUSINESS NEEDS, WITHOUT REGARD TO RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, DISABILITY, VETERAN STATUS, OR ANY OTHER PROTECTED STATUS.
