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Mechanical Engineer, Senior

9 Mothers · Austin · On-site

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About 9 Mothers

AI-powered counter-drone (C-sUAS) defense systems. Edda — fast, low-cost, autonomous-capable point defense for the FPV drone era. Built in Austin, TX. Backed by Y Combinator.

About the role

We are hiring a Senior Mechanical Engineer who specializes in mechanisms. Everything we build is a machine that has to move fast, hit hard, and keep working: belt-fed and high capacity shotgun actions, feed systems, gimbals, drive trains, and the gearboxes and linkages that tie them together. This role exists because the hardest problems we have are problems of motion, and we need one more person whose talent is seeing how parts move and interact before the parts exist.

What they're looking for

  • 10+ years of mechanical engineering experience with a clear track record of mechanism design on hardware that shipped and worked in the field
  • Deep practical knowledge of how mechanisms fail: friction and lubrication, wear, fatigue, backlash, fretting, galling, contamination, and thermal effects, and the material and surface-treatment choices that address them
  • Hands-on prototyping and troubleshooting skills. You are comfortable on a mill, a lathe, and a bench, and you have a history of taking machines apart and putting them back together, on the job and on your own time
  • Strong GD&T and drawing skills. You produce drawings that fully constrain a moving assembly and that suppliers can build to
  • The judgment to say no. You have seen enough clever ideas fail to know which ones will, and you are direct about it without being difficult
  • Efficient, low-ego, and easy to work with. You build rapport quickly and move work forward without drama
More about this role

Job Title: Senior Mechanical Engineer

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.

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.

We are hiring a Senior Mechanical Engineer who specializes in mechanisms. Everything we build is a machine that has to move fast, hit hard, and keep working: belt-fed and high capacity shotgun actions, feed systems, gimbals, drive trains, and the gearboxes and linkages that tie them together. This role exists because the...

Read the full posting on 9 Mothers's site ↗

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