Staff Firmware Engineer - Charger
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 18, 2026. First seen by Alion on Oct 7, 2026.
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 Firmware team owns the embedded software layer that powers every hardware subsystem of our humanoid robot from distributed communication bus architecture and power management to actuator and motor drive control. We sit at the intersection of hardware and software, and our work is directly on the critical path to every product milestone: without reliable firmware, the robot cannot move, charge, or operate safely. If you want to build the foundational software for a new category of physical AI, this is where that work happens.
Your Charter
Own the firmware layer across one or more of the robot’s core hardware subsystems-ensuring embedded software that is robust, safe, and maintainable across prototype and production platforms. As one of the first companies building general-purpose humanoid robots at scale, firmware quality is non-negotiable: it determines whether the robot operates safely in uncontrolled environments, whether hardware brings up on schedule, and whether the team can move fast as the system grows to 20+ distributed embedded nodes.
Key Outcomes
Develop and maintain charger firmware controlling AC-DC power conversion stages, including power factor correction and isolated DC-DC conversion topologies
Implement charge profile management for multi-series lithium-ion packs: constant- current, constant-voltage, and taper phases with cell-chemistry-appropriate voltage and current limits
Architect the charger-to-BMS communication interface over CAN or similar embedded bus, coordinating charge current requests, pack voltage feedback, temperature limits, and fault signaling between the two subsystems
Responsible for the testing, validation, and verification of initial firmware releases to ensure functionality, reliability, and performance requirements are met
Implement power converter control loops in firmware: voltage regulation, current regulation, and soft-start sequencing with stability under varying line and load conditions
Develop fault detection and protection firmware: input overvoltage/undervoltage, output overcurrent, overtemperature, ground fault, and loss-of-communication with the BMS, each with defined safe-state transitions
Key Competencies
Deep embedded instincts writing firmware that is correct under real hardware conditions: interrupt timing, DMA conflicts, communication protocol edge cases, and hardware fault behavior
First-principles problem solver diagnosing novel failures at the firmware-hardware boundary using lab tools and reasoning from fundamentals, not just vendor documentation or established patterns
Safety-aware by default understanding what “fail safe” means in a physical system and treats protection logic, fault detection, and safe-state transitions as first-class firmware concerns
Effective cross-functional partner translating firmware constraints and failure modes clearly to hardware architects, electrical engineers, and systems engineers; supports bring-up without waiting to be directed
Minimum Requirements
5+ years of embedded firmware development in C/C++ on real hardware, with direct experience managing interrupts, DMA, and timing-critical execution (7+ years for senior/staff-level positions)
Power conversion fundamentals working understanding of switched-mode power supply operation: common AC-DC topologies (flyback, LLC, phase-shifted full bridge), power factor correction stages, transformer isolation, and how firmware-controlled parameters (switching frequency, duty cycle, phase shift) affect converter behavior
Battery charging knowledge: understanding of lithium-ion charge protocols (CC-CV, multi-stage), the relationship between charge rate and cell degradation, and how temperature and cell age affect charge termination criteria
Embedded bus fluency hands-on CAN implementation for charger-to-BMS coordination, plus additional embedded interfaces (SPI, I²C, UART) for communication with power controller ICs, monitoring devices, and auxiliary circuits
Hardware debug at the firmware boundary experience using oscilloscopes, current probes, and power analyzers to diagnose problems that span firmware control behavior, converter waveform quality, and thermal performance
Preferred Skills
Domain depth in one or more areas relevant to humanoid robot subsystems: distributed real-time communication bus firmware, switched-mode power conversion and lithium-ion battery charge management, or motor drive and actuator control firmware
Experience with safety-critical or fault-tolerant embedded systems; familiarity with safety integrity standards such as IEC 61508 or ISO 26262
Familiarity with real-time operating systems (FreeRTOS, SafeRTOS, or similar)
Background in robotics, autonomous systems, or complex electromechanical products
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
$200,000 - $280,000 + 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.