---
title: 'Robotics Engineer, Senior at 9 Mothers'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/robotics-engineer-senior-9-mothers-austin-g9peh2nbkq30'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-07'
---

# Robotics Engineer, Senior at 9 Mothers

- **Company:** 9 Mothers
- **Location:** Austin, TX
- **Compensation:** $150k–$250k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-01-26
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-07
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/9-mothers/4371c968-1ddf-450a-bfad-41b43ed8c302

## Job description

Location: Onsite — Austin, TX

Employment Type: Full‑Time

Job Title: Senior Robotics Engineer

Company Overview

9 Mothers Defense develops AI-enabled systems to counter unmanned aerial threats. Our first product, EDDA, is an autonomous counter-sUAS point-defense platform designed to detect, track, and neutralize Group 1 drone threats. The company is headquartered in Austin, Texas.

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced Senior Robotics Engineer to join a small, fast‑moving team. You will design and implement the physical control systems — the “body” — of our interceptor platforms. This role is critical, as the accuracy of our control theory dictates the success of every high‑speed maneuver in combat. You should be comfortable writing code and working with robotic components (actuators, controllers, compute, sensors, etc.).

Essential Duties

- Design and implement high‑bandwidth control loops and advanced control algorithms (e.g., PID control) to ensure vehicle stability and enable high‑speed, precise maneuvers under dynamic load.
- Write high‑quality, efficient code (primarily Rust, C, or C++) to control and manage actuators, motor drivers (via CAN bus), and sensors on a real‑time operating system (RTOS).
- Integrate and fuse sensor data from cameras and IMUs (using methods such as EKF/UKF) on embedded systems (e.g., NVIDIA Jetson) to achieve reliable, real‑time state estimation.
- Act as the final link in the autonomy chain, translating tracking output from the computer vision system into reliable motor commands that accurately steer the interceptor.
- Define, build, and maintain Python tools for calibration, logging, and CI/CD, ensuring rapid iteration and deployment.

## Requirements

- Control theory & embedded systems: Strong grasp of PID control, motor drivers, CAN bus, and RTOS fundamentals. Expertise in designing control and performance for robotics applications.
- Programming/frameworks: Hands‑on experience building embedded robotics systems. Proficiency in Rust, C, or C++ for speed and direct hardware interaction.
- Hardware: Experience with embedded platforms such as NVIDIA Jetson and camera pipelines. Skilled in managing scopes, logic/CAN analyzers, and basic rework.
- U.S. Citizenship and the ability to pass a background check

## Preferred Qualifications

- Experience with ROS2, DDS, or similar middleware
- Model‑predictive or adaptive control expertise
- PCB design and EMC awareness
- Safety‑critical workflow experience
- Prior defense startup experience
- Security clearance or 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. Initial Screening with recruiter - 30 min phone call
2. 1st Round Virtual Interview - peer engineer + either Director or CTO (1.5hr via MS Teams)
3. 2nd Round Onsite Interview - CTO + Director + VP + peer(s) (~ 6 hours in-person) **will fly out candidates that are not local
4. Reference checks & offer

## About 9 Mothers

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: 9 Mothers builds autonomous counter-drone defense systems for the U.S. military, specializing in fast, low-cost point defense against close-range FPV and swarm drone threats.
- **Entity Type**: Private (backed by Y Combinator, Batch Spring 2026)
- **Headquarters**: Austin, Texas, United States
- **Founded**: 2024
- **Founders**: Russell Smith (CEO), Roman Khomenko (COO), Bogdan Pyzh

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Defense technology / Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS)
- **Target customers**: B2G (U.S. Department of Defense, prime contractors, military operators)
- **Mission**: “Defense must move at the speed of the threat.” Build weapons the U.S. and its allies can afford to use at scale, delivered on software-like iteration cycles.

## Products & Services
- **[Edda](https://9mothers.com)**: AI point defense turret (shipping now). Ultra-fast motion platform (<15 ms slew, <1.5 arcmin precision) with shotgun effector for engaging FPV drones at 10–100 m. Fully autonomous-capable, zero RF signature, ~23 kg form factor.
- **[Vor](https://9mothers.com)**: Passive acoustic sensor (available Q1 2027). Zero-RF detection of drones using intrinsic acoustics, coarse tracking refined by onboard visual model. Feeds into the kill chain.
- **[Atla](https://9mothers.com)**: Belt-fed shotgun system (available Q1 2027). Continuous-fire close-range engagement designed for sustained drone swarms where ammunition discipline is critical.
- **[Gleipnir](https://9mothers.com)**: Counter-Shahed / Group 2 system (available 2027). Clean answer to one-way attack drones, cost-per-shot under $10k.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed (private company)
- **Key Metric**: $1.6 million in sales (YC profile); multiple systems delivered to the Department of Defense
- **Notable Investors**: Backed by Y Combinator (Primary Partner: Garry Tan)
- **Growth Signals**: Team size of 19 (as of Spring 2026), 11 open job roles across engineering, proven revenue with existing contracts, three additional products under development with pre‑demand

## Competitive Advantages
- Vertically scoped: own perception, tracking, and engagement end‑to‑end – no multi‑vendor integration
- Hardware built on software discipline: small batches, fast cycle time, instrumented field data, no multi‑year waterfall
- Cost‑per‑shot, manufacturability, and serviceability are first‑class design constraints (weapons the U.S. can afford to fire at scale)
- Operator‑first design: infantry‑mobile, low mass, low power, minimal setup time

## Strategic Focus
- Scaling production and fielding Edda immediately (shipping now)
- Delivering three follow‑on products (Vor, Atla, Gleipnir) in 2027
- Deepening partnerships with DoD primes and procurement teams
- Aggressively hiring engineers in perception (ML, CV, audio), robotics, hardware, embedded, and test to accelerate development

## Why Work Here
- **Location & Policy**: Austin, TX – fully in‑person on‑site (office, bench, range). No remote.
- **Engineering culture**: “Hardware on software tempo” – range data drives next‑day iteration; engineers own a system, not a Jira ticket. Typical day: range setup, live‑fire testing, operator debrief, bench rework, next‑day spec.
- **Impact**: Work is fielded quickly (months, not years) in a high‑stakes counter‑drone domain. “The work is the perk.”
- **Roles open**: 11 positions including Senior/Staff Machine Learning Engineer, Computer Vision Engineer, Robotics Engineer, Electrical Engineer, R&D Test Engineer, Embedded Engineer (BSP), etc.
- **Team size**: ~19 people, tight‑knit, flat structure. Recruiter contact not accepted – direct applications via jobs@9mothers.com or Ashby portal.

## Sources
1. [9mothers.com](https://9mothers.com/)
2. [9mothers.com/company](https://9mothers.com/company)
3. [9mothers.com/careers](https://9mothers.com/careers)
4. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/9-mothers](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/9-mothers)
5. [ycombinator.com/companies/9-mothers-corporation](https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/9-mothers-corporation)

## Other roles at 9 Mothers

- [Manufacturing Engineering Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/manufacturing-engineering-lead-9-mothers-austin-sr9g070tb2z6) — Austin, TX
- [Technical Project Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/technical-project-manager-9-mothers-austin-v6d28jwrtgtm) — Austin, TX
- [Integration Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/integration-engineer-9-mothers-austin-9c8zqy6y5s0c) — Austin, TX
- [Field Applications Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/field-applications-engineer-9-mothers-austin-v24ehz59sryw) — Austin, TX
- [R&D Test Engineer, Senior](https://feeny.ai/job/r-d-test-engineer-senior-9-mothers-austin-yf1bp2zhznn9) — Austin, TX
- [R&D Test Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/r-d-test-engineer-9-mothers-austin-zwbm2wjspx3h) — Austin, TX
- [Perception Engineer, Senior](https://feeny.ai/job/perception-engineer-senior-9-mothers-austin-ccgmjc215z0y) — Austin, TX
- [Robotics Engineer, Staff](https://feeny.ai/job/robotics-engineer-staff-9-mothers-austin-dr6x193qpb0s) — Austin, TX