Want to know if this job is worth applying to?
Austin, Texas, United States
Onsite
Location: Onsite — Austin, TX
Employment Type: Direct Hire, Full-Time
Job Title: Electronics Technician
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
9 Mothers builds robotic weapons systems — including EDDA, a robotic shotgun turret for counter-UAS, and a proprietary belt-fed shotgun platform. Every prototype we field is an electromechanical system full of cable harnesses, wired compute and control boxes, and custom PCBAs. Today, that build work is done by mechanical engineers and engineering management. That stops with this hire.
This role owns hands-on electronics fabrication for the company: building cables and harnesses, wiring compute and control enclosures, and reworking PCBAs. Your workmanship goes directly into weapons systems that get run hard at the range, so it has to be right — clean, documented, and durable. Most of your time is in the Cable & Harness Fabrication (Core)
Build cables and wire harnesses from schematics, harness drawings, or an engineer’s sketch — cut, strip, crimp, solder, pin, and pot as required
Work across connector families common to robotic and vehicle systems: circular/mil-spec connectors, D-subs, Molex/JST/board-level connectors, RF/coax, and power connectors, using correct tooling for each
Label, sleeve, and strain-relieve harnesses for hard use on outdoor, live-fire robotic platforms — vibration, heat, dust, and repeated teardown
Verify every build: continuity, pinout, insulation resistance / hipot where appropriate; capture as-builts and redline drawings so the next build is faster
Box Builds & System Wiring
Wire compute and control enclosures end-to-end: panel layout, component mounting, power distribution, wire routing and dressing, grounding and shielding
Perform point-to-point checkout and initial power-up checks before handing boxes to engineering for bring-up
Build repeatably — when we need the second and third unit, they should match the first
PCBA Rework & Repair
Rework and repair PCBAs: component replacement (through-hole and SMT), ECO / blue-wire modifications, connector replacement, and conformal coating touch-up
Troubleshoot boards and assemblies to the failed component using DMM, oscilloscope, and bench power supplies
Test Setups & Fixtures
Build and run simple electrical test setups: cable life/flex testing, actuator test fixtures, breakout boxes, load banks, and long-duration soak tests
Instrument tests, log results, and report failures with enough detail that engineering can act on them
Maintain the electronics lab: test equipment, soldering stations, crimp tooling, and stock of wire, connectors, and consumables
Field Support
Travel to test ranges when needed to repair harnesses, boxes, and electronics on deployed systems and support live-fire test events
Work safely around firearms and an active belt-fed shotgun platform, with disciplined adherence to range safety protocols
Requirements
5+ years of hands-on experience as an electronics technician, electrical assembler, or similar role building and repairing complex electromechanical hardware — robotics, aerospace, defense, automotive, test equipment, or industrial systems
Expert-level cable and harness fabrication: crimping, soldering, pinning, and the judgment to pick the right connector, wire gauge, and strain relief for the application
Proficient soldering and rework skills, including SMT component replacement
Able to read and work from schematics, wiring diagrams, and harness drawings — and to build sensibly from an engineer’s verbal description or sketch when a drawing doesn’t exist yet
Competent with standard bench equipment: DMM, oscilloscope, power supplies; able to trace electrical faults methodically
Meticulous workmanship and documentation habits: labeling, as-builts, redlines, test records
Comfortable working around firearms and live-fire operations, and willing to travel occasionally to test ranges in central Texas conditions (heat, dust, outdoor work)
US person (citizen or lawful permanent resident) — required for ITAR compliance
Nice-to-Have
IPC/WHMA-A-620 (cable and harness), IPC-A-610, or J-STD-001 certification — or demonstrably equivalent workmanship
Military electronics maintenance background (avionics, armament, ground systems, or similar MOS)
Experience designing and fabricating simple test fixtures, including basic mechanical work — drilling, tapping, 3D printing, panel fabrication
Familiarity with motors, servos, actuators, and motion-control wiring on robotic systems
Experience with data logging or basic scripting (e.g., Python) for automated or long-duration tests
What Success Looks Like
Within the first 30 days, engineers have stopped building cables and wiring boxes — that work comes to you, and it comes back done right, on time, and documented. The lab is organized, tooling and stock are under control, and harness drawings are getting better because of your redlines.
On an ongoing basis, nothing electrical fails at the range because of workmanship. Test setups you build produce data the engineering team trusts, and when something does break in the field, you’re the one who gets it running again.
Work Environment
This role is based in our Austin, TX lab and shop. It involves occasional travel to outdoor test ranges in central Texas — heat, dust, direct sun, and limited infrastructure — including live-fire test events in close proximity to an active belt-fed shotgun system, with strict adherence to safety protocols.
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
Application screen phone call (30 min)
Virtual interview with Operations Director (45 min via MS Teams)
In-person visit & technical exercise in Austin
Offer
