Embedded Firmware Engineer - NEO

About this role

1X is hiring an Embedded Firmware Engineer to develop production-quality firmware for NEO, a humanoid robot designed for home use. You'll own embedded software across core subsystems like communication buses, power management, and motor control, working at the intersection of hardware and software to ensure safe, reliable operation in real-world environments.

What you'll do

• Develop and maintain production-quality firmware for assigned subsystems (communication, power, or actuator control)
• Define firmware-hardware interfaces and resolve integration issues across distributed embedded nodes
• Build diagnostic and telemetry infrastructure for validation and field reliability tracking
• Debug firmware-hardware boundary issues using lab tools and first-principles reasoning
• Collaborate with hardware architects and electrical engineers to surface trade-offs early
• Ensure firmware codebase is well-structured, documented, and maintainable as the system scales

What they're looking for

• C/C++ embedded firmware development (5+ years)
• Microcontroller programming with interrupt, DMA, and timing-critical code management
• CAN bus protocol and at least one of: SPI, I²C, UART
• Hardware debugging with oscilloscopes and logic analyzers
• Safety-critical embedded systems design and fault tolerance
• Real-time operating systems (FreeRTOS or equivalent)
• Power management, battery charging, or motor control firmware (preferred)
• IEC 61508 or ISO 26262 safety standards familiarity (preferred)