engineering
Posted 3 weeks agoR&D Test Engineer, Senior
at 9 Mothers
Austin, United StatesOn-site
Responsibilities
- Essential Duties Test Planning & Execution - Plan and execute high-speed imaging campaigns for mechanism analysis (firearms cycling, feeding, extraction) and ballistic pattern capture (projectile trajectory relative to aerial targets) - Design test setups including camera positioning, field of view, working distance, and trigger architecture - Select operating parameters — frame rate, resolution, exposure time, pre-trigger buffer — appropriate to each test objective - Configure and operate Photron Fastcam
Requirements
- Backed by top-tier investors, we develop AI powered machines designed to intercept and neutralize Group 1/sUAS threats in real-time.
- experience operating scientific high-speed cameras (Photron Fastcam, Phantom, or equivalent) in a test or research environment - Demonstrated
- experience extracting quantitative kinematic data from high-speed footage — velocity, acceleration, displacement — not just producing video - Proficiency with motion analysis software: PFA (Photron FASTCAM Analysis), ProAnalyst (Xcitex), or equivalent -
- Experience designing and implementing external trigger systems for ballistic or mechanical test events - Practical understanding of lighting for high-speed scientific imaging — exposure times, continuous vs. pulsed sources, avoiding flicker artifacts - Ability to assess data quality in the field and make real-time setup adjustments to recover a test session - Familiarity with data acquisition systems and multi-channel sensor integration Nice‑to‑Have -
- Experience in a ballistics, weapons systems, or terminal effects test environment (government range, defense contractor, or national lab) - Familiarity with firearms mechanics — action types, cycling dynamics, feed system behavior -
- Experience with MIL-STD test documentation and defense program T&E workflows - Background in test fixture design and fabrication -
- Experience with Schlieren or shadowgraph imaging for ballistic diagnostics - Active Secret clearance or ability to obtain one - M.S. in a relevant engineering or physics discipline - Passion for building robots or engineering projects as a hobby.
- - 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.