Location: Onsite — Austin, TX
Employment Type: Direct Hire, Full‑Time
Job Title: CNC Machinist
About 9 Mothers
The modern battlefield has changed. Cheap, autonomous suicide drones have turned the tactical advantage upside down, and the world is looking for a solution. At 9 Mothers, we aren’t just "innovating"—we are building the shield.
Backed by top-tier investors, we develop AI powered machines designed to intercept and neutralize Group 1/sUAS threats in real-time. Our flagship product is a low-power, counter-drone system built for the edge—on vehicles, at bases, or in a soldier's pack.
Why 9 Mothers?
While others build for "awareness" or "long-term research," we build for the immediate survival of those in harm’s way. We are a team of hackers, engineers, and mission-driven builders who value field-ready capability over polished slide decks. If you want to see your code or hardware in the field next month—not next year—this is your playground.
Position Summary
You are the second half of a two-person machine shop, working alongside our Machine Shop Manager to keep the spindles turning across a wider band of hours than one person can. You bring about five years of stick time on CNC mills and lathes, you program your own parts in Mastercam, and you handle the rest of a working shop: manual machines, sawing, deburring, tapping, fitting and inspection. The shop builds the hardware EDDA's R&D and test program runs on — turret structure, mounts, drive parts, fixtures and test rigs — often from a CAD model that landed that morning.
Essential Duties
Program your own parts: CAD to toolpaths in Mastercam, tooling, speeds and feeds, prove-out at the machine, G-code edits at the control.
Set up and run CNC mills and lathes: workholding, offsets, probing, first article to print, then hold tolerance across the run.
Do the rest of the shop's work: manual mill and lathe, saw, drill press, tapping, deburring, press fits and inserts, light fitting and assembly.
Inspect and document: hand tools on a surface plate, GD&T, first-article records — in aluminum, steel, stainless, plastics and the occasional titanium.
Run the shop with the manager: split and stagger the queue, hand off cleanly, give engineers honest lead times and DFM feedback, keep the machines maintained and the shop safe and clean.
Requirements
Experience: about 5 years (3–7) in a working machine shop, with real stick time on both CNC mills and CNC lathes.
CNC programming (required): you write your own programs from CAD in CAM — we run Mastercam — read and edit G-code at the control, and have proven out your own programs. Running someone else's program does not meet this bar.
Setup and operation: workholding, fixturing, tool and work offsets, first-article proof-out; you hold ±0.001" when the print calls for it.
General shop process and inspection: manual machining, sawing, drilling, tapping, deburring and fitting; read GD&T and inspect with calipers, micrometers, height and bore gauges.
Flexible schedule: willing to work a staggered shift coordinated with the Machine Shop Manager — early starts some weeks, late finishes others.
Compliance and physical: U.S. citizenship, ability to pass a background check, lift 50 lb and stand for long periods.
Nice‑to‑Have
Prototype or R&D shop background: one-offs, fast turnaround, incomplete drawings, engineers at your elbow.
4th/5-axis milling, live-tooling lathes, Fanuc macros and probing cycles.
CAD, not just CAM: model a fixture or simple part in SolidWorks and design your own workholding.
Secondary processes: TIG welding, sheet metal, 3-D printing, or spec'ing anodize, plating and heat treat.
Weapon, firearms, aerospace or defense hardware; security clearance or the ability to obtain one.
Benefits
Meaningful Early Equity: You aren't just an employee; you are a foundational owner. Your contributions directly drive the value of your stake in the company.
Direct Roadmap Influence: Forget the bureaucracy of big defense. You will have a seat at the table, directly shaping our product and technology trajectory from day one.
Mission-Critical Work: We don't build for "what if." We build systems the Department of War actively needs to counter immediate, real-world threats.
The Builder's Playground: Work in a brand-new lab fully optimized for rapid prototyping, equipped with NVIDIA Jetsons, high-end scopes, and 3-D printers.
100% Employer-Paid Premiums: We cover 100% of your medical, dental, and vision insurance premiums and cover 50% of healthcare premiums for your dependents.
Unlimited PTO: We value results, not clock-watching. Take the time you need to stay sharp and recharge.
Zero Red Tape: You report to the founders. You have the autonomy to make technical decisions that would take months of committee approval at a larger firm.
Austin-Based Culture: Join an onsite team in Austin, TX, where we prioritize high-bandwidth collaboration and rapid field-testing.
Relocation Assistance: We want the best talent in the room. If you aren't in Austin yet, we’ll help you get here, to make your transition to the Silicon Hills seamless.
About the Interview
Virtual interview (45 min via MS Teams)
Onsite interview in Austin (1.5 hr in-person)