Lead Electrical Engineer

Location: Onsite — Austin, TX

Employment Type: Direct Hire, Full Time

Job Title: Lead Electrical Engineer

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

We are seeking a Lead Electrical Engineer to own the electrical architecture of our ground-based interceptor platforms. You will be responsible for the "nervous system" of our machines, from high-speed PCB design to complex sensor integration. This role is for a builder who can prototype a board in the morning and debug it in the field by the afternoon. You will play a critical role in integrating our custom acoustic sensing arrays and ensuring our power systems can handle high-speed tracking and rapid-response turret actuation. You will maintain ownership of electrical designs from concept to production.

Essential Duties

• Board Design & Prototyping: Lead the end-to-end design of complex, multi-layer PCBs, including schematic capture and layout.

• Acoustic Integration: Work closely with the Acoustic team to integrate microphone arrays, ensuring signal integrity for low-noise, multichannel audio acquisition.

• Power Management: Design and optimize power distribution and control systems to support high-torque motors and edge-compute hardware like NVIDIA Jetsons.

• Environmental Ruggedness: Create robust electrical designs which maintain functionality in environments with extreme temperature, humidity, and mechanical vibration.

• Circuit Design: Develop robust circuits for motor controllers, sensor interfaces, and communication protocols (e.g., CAN bus and EtherCAT) that survive harsh environmental conditions.

• Hardware Debugging: Utilize oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and rework stations to identify and fix hardware-level failures during rapid iteration cycles.

Requirements

• Experience: Proven track record of shipping real-world physical systems.

• Technical Depth: Mastery of Altium, KiCad, or similar for high-density PCB design and power electronics. Understanding design to meet general EMC and electrical safety requirements.

• Integration: Hands-on experience integrating digital audio interfaces (I2S, TDM, PDM) and high-speed communication protocols.

• Bias for Action: A strong bias toward action and shipping; comfortable getting your hands dirty in the lab or the field.

• Compliance: U.S. Citizenship and the ability to pass a background check

Nice to Have

• Prior experience with DoD codes and standards as pertinent to electrical systems

• Experience with power systems for high-speed gimbal or turret systems.

• Security clearance or the ability to obtain one.

• Passion for building robots or engineering projects as a hobby.

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

1. Virtual interview with Director of Mechatronics (30 min via MS Teams)

2. Virtual interview with Sr. Mechatronics Engineer (30 min via MS Teams)

3. Paid take-home ($500, ~4-8 hours)

4. Review work

5. Virtual interview with co-founder (30 min via MS Teams)

6. In-person visit to Austin and/or Offer