Senior Machinist / Shop Manager

Location

Austin

Employment Type

Full time

Location Type

On-site

Department

Mechanical Engineering

Compensation

$115K – $150K • 0.01% – 0.025%

Location: Onsite — Austin, TX Employment Type: Full‑Time Job Title: Senior Machinist / Shop Manager

About 9 Mothers

9 Mothers is an Austin-based defense tech company operating as an SOT/Class III manufacturer. Our R&D work spans advanced robotics and novel firearms systems. This is a ground-floor role — you will help spec, source, and stand up the machine shop from scratch, then run it. What you build today will be tested on the range tomorrow.

Position Summary

The Senior Machinist / Shop Manager will be the first and primary machinist on staff. This is a hands-on production and prototyping role. You will machine parts, maintain equipment, manage consumables and tooling, and serve as the shop authority on design for manufacturability (DFM), actively coaching engineers to improve designs before they reach the floor. As the team grows, this role will take on direct management of junior machinists.

Essential Duties

Shop Buildout & Operations

Collaborate with engineering and operations leadership to specify, procure, and install machine shop equipment for a new R&D facility
Establish shop layout, safety protocols, inventory systems, and maintenance schedules
Manage consumables, tooling, and fixture inventory on an ongoing basis

CNC & Manual Machining

Set up and operate 5-axis CNC mills and CNC lathes to produce prototype and low-volume production parts from engineering drawings and models
Write and edit CNC programs (conversational or G-code); optimize feeds,...

Fabrication & Additive Manufacturing

Perform sheet metal layout, cutting, forming, and finishing operations
Operate polymer and metal additive manufacturing systems; manage post-processing and finishing across both material classes
Fabricate fixtures, jigs, and holding devices to support machining and assembly operations

NFA / Firearms Compliance

Manufacture, handle, and mark NFA items (suppressors, machine guns, destructive devices) in compliance with ATF regulations applicable to an SOT/Class III manufacturer
Maintain accurate records required under 27 CFR Part 478/479 for all regulated items produced in the shop
Coordinate with the Responsible Person / RO on any ATF-required approvals prior to fabrication of NFA items

Engineering Collaboration & DFM

Review engineering drawings and 3D models prior to manufacture; identify and flag features that are non-manufacturable,...

Requirements

10+ years of hands-on machining experience...

Nice‑to‑Have

Prior experience in a firearms or defense manufacturing environment...

Work Environment

Full-time onsite in Austin TX...

Benefits

Meaningful Early Equity...

About the Interview...

Compensation Range: $115K - $150K