Automation Engineer ($150K–$200K + Equity) Modular Automated Machine Shops

CoffeeSpace; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

CoffeeSpace in Austin, Texas is recruiting its first Automation Engineer for an anonymous early-stage startup building modular automated machine shops to rebuild the US manufacturing base.

You will be on the shop floor daily, working with CNC machines, robotic cells, and manufacturing equipment, designing the machining cell strategy and tooling standards. This role offers meaningful equity and a chance to shape national defense manufacturing capabilities.

Qualifications

• Hands-on CNC machining on the shop floor.
• Experience with 5-axis milling capabilities.
• Systems-level thinking for tooling and process optimization.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced, hands-on environment.

Responsibilities

• Define tool sets and wear parameters to optimize tooling and coverage.
• Design a standard vise and workholding system to maximize part range.
• Develop and manage the pallet strategy for continuous operation, nights and weekends.
• Implement machine monitoring hardware to detect issues before scrapped parts.
• Lead the selection of machines and equipment for future cell iterations.
• Collaborate with software engineers to integrate automation workflows.

Skills

CNC machining

5-axis milling

Manufacturing engineering

Shop floor operations

Job description

This role is being recruited by CoffeeSpace on behalf of an anonymous early-stage startup backed by top-tier investors, building modular automated machine shops to rebuild the US industrial manufacturing base.

We’re identifying a small number of exceptional automation engineers from our network. If there’s a strong fit, we’ll introduce you directly to the founding team.

Location: Austin, Texas, United States

Compensation: $150K–$200K base + meaningful equity

Employment type: Full-time

About the company

This company is focused on rebuilding the US industrial manufacturing base through the development of modular automated machine shops. They are targeting a $50B market with a significant number of unfilled manufacturing jobs projected by 2030. The team is small, currently around three people, and is backed by $9M in funding. Their operations are critical to defense manufacturing, producing parts for rockets, jets, drones, submarines, and munitions.

About the role

As the first Automation Engineer, you will play a foundational role in designing the company's autonomous machining cell strategy. This is a hands-on position requiring daily presence on the shop floor to work directly with CNC machines, robotic cells, and manufacturing equipment.

What You’ll Do

• Define standardized tool sets and tool wear parameters to optimize tooling and part coverage.
• Design a standard vise and workholding system to maximize part range and minimize unique fixtures.
• Develop and manage the pallet strategy to ensure continuous operation through nights and weekends.
• Implement machine monitoring hardware to detect issues before they lead to scrapped parts.
• Lead the selection of machines and equipment for future cell iterations, from requirements to testing.
• Collaborate with software engineers to integrate automation workflows into manufacturing processes.

Why This Role Is Compelling

• You’ll architect an autonomous machining cell from scratch, defining tooling strategies and quality inspection pipelines.
• Your work directly impacts national security by strengthening US supply chains.
• As the first automation engineer, you’ll have massive ownership and autonomy.
• Your systems will be replicated across multiple facilities, offering rare leverage for an individual contributor.
• Work cross-functionally with software and robotics engineers, integrating systems at the intersection of machining, robotics, and software.

The Ideal Candidate

• 3+ years of experience in CNC machining and manufacturing engineering.
• Deep hands-on experience with 5-axis milling and a strong engineering foundation.
• Comfortable working on the shop floor and thinking at a systems level about tooling and process optimization.
• Experience with pallet systems, machining hard alloys, or aerospace and defense manufacturing is a plus.

This is a real, active role that CoffeeSpace is recruiting for in close partnership with the hiring team. We don’t post speculative roles and work directly with teams on their actual hiring needs.