Motor Control Engineer - Robotic Actuators

About 1X
We’re an AI and robotics company based in Palo Alto, California, on a mission to build a truly abundant society through general-purpose robots capable of performing any kind of work autonomously.

We believe that to truly understand the world and grow in intelligence, humanoid robots must live and learn alongside us. That’s why we’re focused on developing friendly home robots designed to integrate seamlessly into everyday life.

We’re looking for curious, driven, and passionate people who want to help shape the future of robotics and AI. If this mission excites you, we’d be thrilled to hear from you and explore how you might contribute to our journey.

Role Overview

We are looking for a Motor Control Engineer with deep expertise in motor control and control theory to drive the performance of our robotic actuators. In this role, you will be responsible for defining, developing, and tuning motor control strategies that directly impact torque quality, efficiency, thermal behavior, and overall actuator performance.

You will work closely with electrical, mechanical, and firmware engineers within the team to translate control concepts into robust, real-world actuator behavior as well as with the higher level controls and AI engineers to optimize system level robot performance.

Responsibilities

• Develop and own motor control strategies for robotic actuators

• Design, analyze, and tune control loops (current, torque, speed, and higher-level loops)

• Evaluate control performance across operating conditions, including nonlinearities and saturation effects

• Work closely with firmware engineers to translate control algorithms into embedded implementations

• Collaborate with electrical engineers on sensing, actuation, and control-relevant hardware decisions

• Support actuator characterization and tuning on dynos and test benches

• Analyze test data to improve control performance, robustness, and stability

• Document control architectures, assumptions, and tuning methodologies

Requirements

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Controls, Robotics, or a related field

• Deep understanding of motor control theory and applied control systems

• Strong experience with electric motor control (e.g. PMSM, BLDC)

• Proven ability to design and tune control systems on real hardware

• Strong analytical skills and comfort working with models, simulations, and experimental data

• Ability to communicate control concepts clearly to firmware, electrical, and mechanical engineers

Nice to Have

• Hands-on experience with embedded motor control implementations

• Familiarity with field-oriented control and advanced control techniques

• Experience with sensorless motor control

• Experience with robotic actuators or highly dynamic electromechanical systems

• Experience using control simulation tools or model-based design workflows

Benefits & Compensation

• Salary Range: $106,400 – $187,700

• Health, dental, and vision insurance

• 401(k) with company match

• Paid time off and holidays

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, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.