CNC Machinist

9 Mothers•Austin, TX

13d•$30 - $45•Onsite

About The Position

9 Mothers develops AI-powered machines designed to intercept and neutralize Group 1/sUAS threats in real time. The company’s flagship product is a low-power counter-drone system designed for deployment on vehicles, at bases, or in a soldier’s pack. The CNC Machinist works as the second member of a two-person machine shop alongside the Machine Shop Manager, helping keep the shop operating across staggered hours. The role builds hardware for EDDA’s R&D and test program, including turret structures, mounts, drive parts, fixtures, and test rigs. Work may begin from a CAD model provided that day and involves programming, setup, machining, inspection, and general shop processes.

Requirements

About five years of experience (3–7 years) in a working machine shop, with hands-on experience using both CNC mills and CNC lathes.
Ability to program parts from CAD using CAM software; the shop uses Mastercam. Must read and edit G-code at the control and have proven out self-written programs.
Experience with CNC setup and operation, including workholding, fixturing, tool and work offsets, and first-article proof-out.
Ability to hold ±0.001-inch tolerances when required by the print.
Experience with manual machining, sawing, drilling, tapping, deburring, and fitting.
Ability to read GD&T and inspect using calipers, micrometers, height gauges, and bore gauges.
Willingness to work a staggered schedule coordinated with the Machine Shop Manager, with early starts some weeks and late finishes in others.
U.S. citizenship and ability to pass a background check.
Ability to lift 50 pounds and stand for long periods.

Nice To Haves

Prototype or R&D shop experience, including one-off work, rapid turnaround, incomplete drawings, and close collaboration with engineers.
Experience with 4th- or 5th-axis milling, live-tooling lathes, Fanuc macros, and probing cycles.
Ability to use CAD, including modeling fixtures or simple parts in SolidWorks and designing workholding.
Experience with secondary processes such as TIG welding, sheet metal, 3-D printing, or specifying anodizing, plating, and heat treatment.
Experience with weapon, firearms, aerospace, or defense hardware; an existing security clearance or ability to obtain one.

Responsibilities

Program parts from CAD to toolpaths in Mastercam, select tooling and speeds and feeds, prove out programs at the machine, and edit G-code at the control.
Set up and operate CNC mills and lathes, including workholding, offsets, probing, first-article machining, and maintaining tolerances across production runs.
Perform manual milling and turning, sawing, drilling, tapping, deburring, press fits and inserts, light fitting, and assembly.
Inspect and document work using hand tools on a surface plate, GD&T, and first-article records across aluminum, steel, stainless steel, plastics, and occasional titanium.
Coordinate the work queue with the Machine Shop Manager, stagger and hand off work cleanly, provide engineers with realistic lead times and design-for-manufacturing feedback, maintain machines, and keep the shop safe and clean.

Benefits

Meaningful early equity; employees are described as foundational owners.
Direct influence over the product and technology roadmap.
Mission-critical work developing counter-drone systems.
A new lab equipped for rapid prototyping, including NVIDIA Jetsons, high-end scopes, and 3-D printers.
100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance premiums.
Employer covers 50% of healthcare premiums for dependents.
Unlimited PTO.
Autonomy to make technical decisions with minimal bureaucracy.
Onsite Austin-based team and collaborative work culture.
Relocation assistance.