Additional Information
Location : Onsite - Austin, TX
Employment Type : Direct Hire, Full‑Time
Job Title : Range Safety Officer (RSO) / Armory Manager
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 automated, belt-fed shotgun weapon systems. Designing, building, and demonstrating those systems requires a working armory and a working range, both run to a professional standard. This role owns both.
The Range Safety Officer / Armory Manager is the single point of accountability for safe handling of firearms, ammunition, and live-fire activity at 9 Mothers. You write the range SOPs, run the safety brief, call cease-fire when warranted, and ensure every round we fire is fired under controlled, documented conditions. When the range is cold, you own the armory: storage, accountability, maintenance, ammunition logistics, and ATF regulatory compliance.
This is not a part-time RSO role bolted onto something else. The role requires deep weapons experience and serious administrative discipline around federally regulated equipment.
Essential Duties
Range Safety (Primary)
Serve as Range Safety Officer for all 9 Mothers live-fire activity - internal R&D shoots, function-checks, qualification, and customer demonstrations
Author and maintain range SOPs, surface danger zone diagrams, and emergency procedures for every fixed and field site the company operates at
Run the safety brief at the start of every shoot; confirm PPE, comms plan, hot/cold range state, line of fire, and downrange clearance with every participant before going hot
Hold cease-fire authority and exercise it without hesitation; you are the final word on whether a shoot continues
Maintain medical readiness on site: stocked trauma kits, tourniquets, comms, evac plan, and awareness of the nearest Level I trauma center
Investigate and document any safety incident, near-miss, or unplanned discharge; brief leadership and update SOPs to prevent recurrence
Armory Management
Own physical security and accountability for the company's firearms, weapon system components, NFA items, and ammunition stockpile
Maintain a current, auditable inventory of every weapon, receiver, suppressor, and serialized component - tracked by serial number and location
Run check-in / check-out procedures for any weapon or controlled component leaving the armory; reconcile after every use
Manage ammunition procurement, storage, rotation, and consumption forecasting - belt-fed shotguns burn through ammo, and the schedule cannot wait on a supply hiccup
Maintain the armory environment: humidity control, secure storage, fire suppression, and access control
Oversee armorer-level maintenance schedules and parts inventory for all weapon assets
Regulatory Compliance
Own ATF compliance for the company's FFL and SOT operations: bound book accuracy, NFA paperwork (Form 1, 2, 3, 4), inter-state transfer documentation, and registered item tracking
Prepare for and host ATF compliance inspections; remediate findings and close them out
Ensure local, state, and federal compliance for all range operations, including any required notifications for off-site live-fire events
Maintain familiarity with ITAR as it intersects with weapon system handling, customer demonstrations, and visitor access controls
Weapon System Support
Perform gunsmithing and armorer-level maintenance on belt-fed shotguns and other weapon assets: barrel inspection, headspace checks, function checks, and parts replacement
Diagnose weapon malfunctions and communicate root cause to engineering - feed issue, ammunition issue, control issue, or maintenance issue
Coordinate with the engineering team on test fixtures, instrumentation, and any modifications that affect serviceability or safety of a weapon
Track round count per weapon and platform; flag parts for proactive replacement before failures occur
9-mothers · Austin