Role Description: 

As a People Operations Lead, you will serve as the operational backbone and strategic right hand of the Chief People Officer, owning the infrastructure that makes our people programs run while serving as a trusted partner to leaders and employees across every department.

This is a company-wide role that lives at the intersection of HR operations, people strategy, and organizational partnership. You will build and improve the systems, processes, and programs that shape the Defense Unicorns employee experience from day one through every milestone that follows. This is not a support role — it is a high-trust, high-visibility position for someone who moves fast, thinks critically, and takes action: identifies gaps, takes ownership, and drives solutions forward without waiting to be directed.

At Defense Unicorns, the order of priority is: 1) People 2) Culture 3) Process 4) Technology.

We champion our values, are open to experimentation, take ownership, and have fun doing it. As a fast-growing company, policies and processes are continuously being defined and refined and this person will be a key architect of that work, not just a follower of it.

Responsibilities: 

Company-Wide People Leadership

• Navigate complex employee situations with sound judgment, ensuring outcomes are fair, timely, and compliant with applicable laws and regulations.
• Support managers in building high-performing teams through guidance on goal-setting, coaching, performance conversations, and development planning.
• Build trusted relationships across the organization, serving as a knowledgeable resource on people matters including employee relations, compensation guidance, and career growth.
• Collaborate with leaders across functions to support workforce planning efforts, including headcount forecasting and partnership with Talent Acquisition on hiring execution.
• Support processes around career planning, learning and development, and overall performance management  in coordination with the CPO.
• Cultivate a positive, engaging work environment that reflects Defense Unicorns’ values. 

HR Operations & Employee Lifecycle

• Lead and continuously improve HR operational processes across the full employee lifecycle, onboarding, offboarding, promotions, transfers, leaves, and everything in between.
• Manage employee data in Rippling with an obsession for accuracy and data integrity across hires, transfers, promotions, and terminations.
• Partner with the team to enhance the onboarding process end-to-end, from recruiter handoff through pre-employment screenings, I-9 verification, orientation, and onboarding survey.
• Support leave administration from preparation through return, in coordination with People Ops, Payroll, and Finance.
• Support employees and managers on HR questions across the full employee lifecycle, escalating complex matters appropriately.
• Ensure HR practices comply with applicable federal, state, and international employment laws; maintain audit-ready documentation and employee records.
• Partner with Legal, Finance, and Security to support compliance initiatives, audits, and tracking of compliance training.

Process Improvement & Systems

• Identify inefficiencies and implement scalable, standardized processes and workflows across HR functions, globally and domestically.
• Develop, document, and maintain HR SOPs, policies, and internal knowledge bases (Notion, Rippling, and beyond).
• Drive HR operational excellence through automation, system enhancements, and best practices, refining processes to be scalable and AI-ready.
• Actively identify and implement AI-powered tools and workflows to automate repetitive tasks, surface insights faster, and improve the overall employee experience.
• Ensure data integrity, accuracy, and reporting consistency across HR systems (HRIS, ATS) in partnership with the broader People Ops team.

Project & Program Management

• Lead and execute People Ops projects including process redesigns and cross-functional initiatives, owning timelines, stakeholders, and deliverables.
• Partner with People Ops leadership to prioritize and drive strategic people initiatives; track and report on progress, risks, and outcomes.
• Manage programs across the People Ops team, anything from vendor management to build new workflows to meet emerging business needs.
• Create, implement, and own operational people initiatives such as internal transfer processes, triage workflows, and HRIS process improvements.
• Optimize performance management processes, including HRIS cycles and compensation planning support.

Analytics & Reporting

• Analyze HR metrics, including turnover, headcount, engagement, time-to-hire, to identify trends and drive data-informed decisions.
• Build and maintain dashboards and reporting to support business decisions; provide ad hoc insights to the CPO and leadership.
• Dive into People data to answer questions from the business and proactively surface stories the data is telling.
• Provide monthly reporting to People Ops and department leaders on workforce updates and program outcomes.

Travel Expectations/Requirements: 5% - 10%

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• 5+ years of progressive HR experience spanning both HR operations and HR generalist responsibilities.
• Demonstrated ability to serve as a trusted partner to leaders and employees across multiple functions simultaneously.
• Demonstrated AI fluency, including hands-on use of Claude/ChatGPT for building reports, automating workflows, and driving projects. Comfortable experimenting with AI tools and integrating them into HR operations.
• Proven ability to design and implement scalable HR processes in a fast-growing, ambiguous environment.
• Strong experience supporting global HR functions (U.S. required; Europe is a plus).
• Proficiency in HRIS and ATS systems; Rippling and Greenhouse experience strongly preferred.
• Strong analytical skills and experience working with HR data and reporting; comfortable building dashboards and telling stories with data.
• Solid understanding of performance management, employee relations, and compensation planning.
• Strong knowledge of HR laws, regulations, and compliance requirements (federal, state, and international).
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and build trust at all levels of the organization.
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities without losing sight of the details.
• Trusted to handle sensitive and confidential information with professionalism and discretion.
• Proactive, solutions-oriented mindset with a bias toward action and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated track record of driving process improvements and identifying ways to optimize workflows.
• Adept at navigating challenging, nuanced situations with tact and sound judgment.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, fully remote environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field preferred.

EMPLOYER IS A CONTRACTOR FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. THIS POSITION WILL REQUIRE U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND ACTIVE SECRET CLEARANCE.

Role Description: 

As a Product Manager for Navy, you will collaborate with Navy Tech Leads to establish a technical roadmap for Mission outcomes with Mission Heroes, and facilitate feedback from Delivery to Product. 

Responsibilities: 

• Serves as a Product Manager for the Navy Domain. 
  • Collaborates with Navy Tech Leads to establish technical roadmap for Mission Outcomes with Mission Heroes 
  • Aligns Defense Unicorns’ Product Roadmaps to technical roadmap for your Hero and provides feedback to Product segment on Mission Need dates for features to drive adoption 
  • Share and facilitate feedback from Delivery segment with Product segment regarding Defense Unicorns’ OSS projects and productized services 
  • Work with Tech Leads to establish an aligned Delivery roadmap, using Product roadmaps 
  • Follow company best practices in strategies for building Delivery solutions
  • Balance priorities from users, customers, stakeholders, and the team to deliver mission value in a scalable way
• Fosters an environment for Unicorn growth, mentorship, and coaching within the team
• Fosters an environment for Defense Unicorns values and principles to thrive

Travel Expectations: 4-12 times per year

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• US Citizenship and active SECRET clearance
• Proficient in translating pain points to root cause problems and working with engineers to build a roadmap for value delivery
• Proficient in modern software development processes and practices, including DevSecOps, Continuous Delivery, and User-Centered Design
  • Expertise with modern software development processes and practices, including DevSecOps, Continuous Delivery, User-Centered Design, and Value Stream Architecture, and varying Agile frameworks; able to apply and adapt principles and ceremonies from different frameworks to suit the team, the product, and the mission objectives
• Experience managing cross functional engineering teams
• Skilled in expectation management across different personas
• Experience and passion for software delivery for Mission Success within the tech industry or Department of Defense
• Exhibit enough technical depth to understand architectural decisions and translate in a way that stakeholders, users, and the team can understand and be aligned on

Role Description: 

Defense Unicorns seeks a Front End Engineer to join our UDS Army Platform team and be responsible for designing and implementing scalable UI solutions, owning end-to-end feature delivery, and ensuring the usability of a compliance and workflow application used to package, evaluate, and authorize software for DoD mission environments. In this role, you will work closely with other software engineers, end users, designers, and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities: 

• Continually implement features and functionality to enhance the user experience
• Collaborate with UX/UI designers and product managers to architect and design an innovative Interface that meets the needs of our users
• Write and maintain unit and integration tests to support UI reliability  
• Apply modern front-end best practices to improve usability, accessibility, and performance 
• Stay abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in UI development, and apply this knowledge to improve our products.
• Communicate and execute in an asynchronous, all remote environment

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• 3+ years of experience working on full-stack product teams (partnering effectively across front end, back end, and design)  
• Production experience with JavaScript/TypeScript + Svelte to build UI components using Tailwind CSS; experience with Flowbite is a plus 
• Experience debugging across the stack, with strong familiarity with Golang backend services and APIs. 
• Familiarity with UI/UX design principles, tools, and systems such as Figma and Carbon Design System
• Experience working in CI/CD environments and shipping code through automated pipelines  
• Exposure to Kubernetes-based deployments (deploying, troubleshooting, or operating apps in K8s) is a plus 
• Familiarity with DoD security and accreditation processes (e.g., ATO, IL2–IL5) is a plus
• Proven ability to analyze complex problems, propose innovative solutions, and implement them effectively
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to convey technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and adapt to changing priorities

EMPLOYER IS A CONTRACTOR FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. THIS POSITION WILL REQUIRE U.S. CITIZENSHIP.

Role Description: 

Defense Unicorns is seeking a Senior Platform Engineer to join our Fleet team, focused on building and operating product-aligned platform capabilities that enable how our software is developed, validated, and experienced.

This role is responsible for creating and owning persistent, always-on environments and integration layers across the UDS platform, including Fleet Management, Edge Management, and system-level components. These environments power internal dogfooding, UX validation, and customer demos, reducing reliance on ad-hoc local setups and enabling scalable, repeatable and delightful product experiences.

Today, engineers are frequently pulled into demo setup and environment management of the suite of products, creating context switching and slowing product delivery.  This role exists to solve that problem by establishing reliable, self-service environments and tighter system integration, allowing engineering teams to focus on building product capabilities while improving overall product quality and usability. 

You will operate at the intersection of platform engineering and product development, ensuring that the systems we build can be continuously exercised, validated, and experienced in real-world conditions. You will be responsible for advocating for a delightful customer product experience as the integrator of the product portfolio.

What You'll Work On: 

• Designing and operating always-on product environments for customer demos, internal use, and stakeholder access
• Building feature branch / preview environments to support UX and rapid feedback loops
• Enabling internal dogfooding through real, long-running deployments of UDS products
• Integrating core system components across Fleet Management, Edge Management, OS, and related services
• Reducing reliance on local environments by creating shared, reproducible infrastructure
• Supporting pathways toward self-service demo and trial environmentsImproving system reliability by enabling continuous, real-world usage and validationPartnering with engineering, product, and UX to ensure environments reflect real user scenarios

Responsibilities: 

• Design, build, and maintain scalable platform environments that support development, testing, and demos
• Own the reliability and usability of shared environments used across the team
• Collaborate closely with software engineers to integrate platform and product components
• Identify and close gaps in system integration across services and infrastructure layers
• Build and maintain infrastructure as code for reproducible environments
• Improve developer experience by reducing friction in environment setup and usage
• Support product demos and stakeholder access through stable, well-understood systems
• Contribute to platform and product architecture decisions where environments and integration are concerned

Travel Expectations/Requirements: 10-20%

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• Strong experience in platform engineering, DevOps, or infrastructure-focused software engineering
• Deep familiarity with Kubernetes and container-based systems
• Experience building and operating shared or multi-tenant environments
• Proficiency with infrastructure as code (e.g., Terraform, Pulumi, etc.)
• Strong understanding of CI/CD, GitOps, and deployment pipelines
• Experience integrating distributed systems across multiple services
• Comfortable working across system boundaries (application, infrastructure, networking)
• Proficiency with Linux/Unix systems
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to operate independently in ambiguous environments
• Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate across engineering, product, and UX

Role Description: 

Defense Unicorns is seeking a Product Designer for UDS Fleet Management, with a specific focus on our remote deployment tools, designed for disconnected field operations. You'll shape mobile and tablet experiences for operators managing Kubernetes infrastructure in high-stakes environments — from submarines to forward operating bases to tactical vehicles. This role requires expertise in designing mission-critical interfaces that work seamlessly across device types and form factors, serving users ranging from non-technical mission operators to field technicians.

Responsibilities: 

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to conceptualize and execute high-fidelity prototypes for mobile and tablet interfaces, translating concepts into user-friendly designs that align with our brand and business objectives.
• Conduct comprehensive UX research and testing methodologies to gather user feedback, identify pain points, and iterate on UI design solutions for optimal user satisfaction on mobile, tablet, and desktop.
• Help define early product concepts, flesh out the high-level workflow and micro-interactions of a feature, and execute on an effective visual design for mobile and tablet applications.
• Cultivate empathy for end-users across product teams & stakeholders by creating and maintaining user personas for mission operators..
• Collaborate with developers to design and build data-centered tools with intuitive mobile and tablet interfaces that improve operator and user experience.
• Create, collaborate, and iterate on user flows, user personas, user roles, user journeys, and other UXI design artifacts.
• Plan iterative UI design improvements that improve the mission user experience
• Document UI solutions and contribute to the team's shared component library.
• Work closely with other product teams and designers to ensure seamless cross-product integration with all other UDS platform tools..
• Develop a deep understanding of disconnected operations, classification boundaries, and DoD operational constraints.

Required Experience and Qualifications: 

• Portfolio requirement: Must demonstrate proven experience designing mobile and tablet versions of enterprise software with clear examples of:
• Web-to-tablet responsive design with specific UX/UI decisions clearly articulated
• Complex workflows adapted for smaller screens while maintaining functionality
• Adaptive layouts that work across different device sizes and orientations
• Information architecture optimized for mobile contexts

Core Design Capabilities: 

• 3-5 years of product design experience with at least 1-2 years designing enterprise mobile/tablet applications
• Strong domain knowledge of both Android (Material Design) and iOS (HIG) design patterns — demonstrated understanding of platform conventions and when to diverge
• Solid proficiency across system design, UX/interaction design, and visual design
• Proficiency in Figma — component libraries, auto-layout, variables, responsive design techniques, and developer handoff
• Understanding of accessibility fundamentals (WCAG 2.1 AA minimum) with specific attention to mobile contexts: contrast for outdoor viewing, touch target sizing, one-handed operation
• Ability to explore different solutions, identify trade-offs, and articulate a strong rationale for design decisions
• Experience facilitating design critiques, user testing sessions, and stakeholder reviews

Mobile & Responsive Design Expertise: 

• Proven experience designing mobile and tablet versions of enterprise software — you've solved the challenges of translating complex workflows to smaller screens
• Experience with adaptive layouts across phones, tablets, and foldables
• Understanding of responsive design principles and breakpoint strategies
• Knowledge of mobile-specific interaction patterns: swipe gestures, pull-to-refresh, bottom sheets, floating action buttons
• Experience designing for offline-first or disconnected scenarios

Technical & Domain Knowledge: 

• Familiarity with Tailwind CSS utility-first approach and constraints — enough to have informed conversations with engineers about feasibility and implementation
• Understanding of progressive web apps (PWAs) or hybrid mobile development approaches
• Basic understanding of Kubernetes concepts or willingness to learn (containers, clusters, pods, deployments)
• Understanding of how operators interact with infrastructure management tools in field environments

Work Style & Communication:

• Excellent visual and verbal communication skills with the ability to articulate design decisions to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Proven ability to work autonomously, know when to ask for help, and actively resolve dependencies
• Strong facilitation skills for design workshops, user research sessions, and alignment meetings
• Comfort working in ambiguous problem spaces and turning vague requirements into concrete designs
• Experience working fully remote with distributed teams across time zones

Preferred Qualifications:

• Deep experience with iOS (HIG) and Android (Material Design) conventions, including when and why to diverge from platform standards
• Ability to design meaningful animations and transitions that enhance usability for task-focused users
• Prior experience with operator interfaces, command-and-control systems, field tools, or mission-critical software
• Experience building or contributing to multi-platform design systems that span web, iOS, and Android
• Prior work conducting research with pilots, operators, field workers, technicians, or other expert user groups
• Previous experience designing for government, military, or highly regulated industries (helpful but not required — the right mindset to learning is what matters most)
• Understanding of DoD classification levels, disconnected operations, or air-gapped environments
• Experience designing for rugged devices or harsh environmental conditions
• Strong understanding of one-handed mobile UI patterns and ergonomic considerations
• Experience with dark mode design and high-contrast themes for outdoor visibility
• Experience leveraging AI tools for accelerating UX processes without sacrificing quality
• Knowledge of device management systems (MDM/EMM) or enterprise mobility management

Travel Expectations: 10-15%

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive, and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise. 

EMPLOYER IS A CONTRACTOR FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. THIS POSITION REQUIRES U.S. CITIZENSHIP.

About Defense Unicorns

Defense Unicorns is veteran-founded and mission-driven. The company’s vision is to advance freedom and independence globally by transforming how the U.S. Department of War builds, buys, delivers, and sustains software. We deliver secure, scalable software and AI solutions that function in cloud, on-prem, and tactical edge / air-gapped environments — making software a strategic deterrent for warfighters.

In this role you will join a team building the backbone of modern defense software delivery — helping ensure warfighters can deploy the latest capabilities rapidly, securely, and reliably.

Role Description: 

We are seeking a skilled and adaptable Forward-Deployed Autonomy Engineer to provide direct technical support to our Peat and UDS teams operating in dynamic, field-based environments. In this role, you will be embedded alongside mission heroes during integration events, exercises, and operational demonstrations, working shoulder-to-shoulder with other engineers to ensure success.

This role requires a strong software engineering background paired with hands-on experience in autonomous systems, distributed architectures, and tactical communications. You will be a critical technical resource in the field — diagnosing issues under pressure, integrating systems across platforms, and enabling the effective deployment of robotics and drone technologies in complex, real-world environments.

You will work closely with customer engineering teams, program leads, and cross-functional internal stakeholders to ensure our autonomy solutions perform reliably and meet mission objectives.

Responsibilities: 

• Provide on-site technical support at customer sites, integration events, field exercises, and demonstrations involving autonomous systems (robots and drones)
• Develop, integrate, and troubleshoot software components across distributed systems and autonomy platforms
• Support the design, configuration, and maintenance of communications infrastructure used in field deployments
• Assist in the integration and operation of command and control (C2) systems in tactical and semi-tactical environments
• Diagnose and resolve complex software, hardware, and system-level issues in time-sensitive field conditions
• Collaborate with customer engineering teams and internal engineers to achieve integration milestones and exercise objectives
• Document field findings, issues, and resolutions to support continuous improvement of product reliability and deployment readiness
• Provide feedback to internal product and engineering teams based on field observations to drive improvements
• Support pre-deployment testing and validation activities to ensure systems are field-ready
• Serve as a trusted technical representative of the company in customer-facing settings, maintaining professional relationships with defense stakeholders
• Participate in after-action reviews and contribute to lessons-learned processes following integration events and exercises
• Adapt quickly to evolving mission requirements and operational constraints in the field

Travel Expectations/Requirements:

Travel: Up to 25-50%, including domestic and international travel to customer sites, test ranges, and exercise locations.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• 4+ years of software engineering experience, with demonstrated experience in distributed systems and/or autonomous platforms
• Hands-on experience with robotics and/or unmanned systems (ground robots, drones/UAS)
• Experience working with communications infrastructure in field or tactical environments (mesh networks, RF communications, data links, etc.)
• Familiarity with command and control (C2) systems and integration patterns
• Strong debugging and troubleshooting skills across the full stack — software, interfaces, and system-level interactions
• Experience working in fast-paced, field-based environments where adaptability and composure under pressure are essential
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to work effectively with both technical and non-technical defense customers
• Proficiency in one or more relevant languages/frameworks (Python, C++, ROS/ROS2, etc.)
• Comfortable operating in austere or field environments for extended periods
• Active security clearance (Secret or higher) or ability to obtain one
• Background in defense programs, DoD acquisition, or working directly with military end users
• Experience with DevSecOps principles and secure software delivery pipelines
• Familiarity with ATAK, MAVC, or other tactical software platforms
• Experience with simulation environments (Gazebo, AirSim, etc.) for pre-deployment testing
• Contributions to open-source robotics or autonomy projects, ROS2, or MAVLink
• Familiarity with STANAG, JAUS, or other relevant defense interoperability standards

Role Description: 

Defense Unicorns is seeking Software Engineers (Mid and Senior) to join our UDS Product Engineering team. You’ll collaborate closely with product managers, designers, and end users to ensure we’re building the right solutions, and building them well.

As a Software Engineer, you’ll operate at the intersection of product development and technical execution. You’ll contribute to and, at times, lead the design, implementation, and deployment of features and systems that have direct impact on mission outcomes. Our engineers work across a portfolio that includes

• UDS Registry — reliably manage and deploy UDS packages to any mission environment  
• Zarf — an open source tool enabling continuous software delivery on disconnected systems  
• Fleet — manage distributed systems across Denied, Disrupted, Intermittent, and Limited (DDIL) and fully airgapped environments  
• UDS Image Factory — developer tooling for composing complete, mission-ready system images (OS, Kubernetes, applications, configuration) into a single deployable artifact  
• UDS Foundation — core platform and tooling that power UDS, serving Platform Engineers building and operating UDS across environments

The UDS Product Engineering team values action, ownership, and focus, taking initiative to see work through from idea to impact.

How You’ll Contribute:

Mid-level Software Engineer:

• Deliver high-quality, production-ready code with strong testing and reliability practices
• Own well-scoped features and systems end-to-end
• Contribute to design discussions and implementation decisions
• Navigate ambiguity with increasing independence
• Build deep understanding of the systems and domains you work in

Senior Software Engineer:

• Lead design and implementation of complex systems across teams
• Own and be accountable for systems or major components end-to-end
• Drive technical direction and influence product decisions
• Operate effectively in ambiguity and define clear paths forward
• Mentor other engineers and elevate engineering standards

Responsibilities: 

• Build, ship, and maintain features and systems that support mission-critical environments
• Contribute to system design, architecture, and implementation decisions
• Collaborate with engineering, product, and design to translate requirements into scalable technical solutions
• Identify and reduce ambiguity in product and technical requirements
• Debug, optimize, and support production systems (including on-call rotation)
• Integrate with existing defense systems while ensuring interoperability and security compliance
• Contribute to and support the open source ecosystems we depend on
• Develop and maintain technical documentation (designs, runbooks, user guides)
• Participates in a shared 24x7 on-call rotation, owning incident response, troubleshooting, and coordination to ensure reliable production systems

Additionally, Senior Software Engineers will:

• Own architectural decisions and ensure technical quality across systems
• Lead cross-team initiatives and complex technical efforts
• Influence product direction through deep user and system understanding
• Provide mentorship and raise the bar for engineering practices

Travel Expectations/Requirements: 0-5%

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise. 

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• 3+ years (Mid) or 5+ years (Senior) experience in software engineering
• Proficiency in Go or other modern programming languages
• Strong understanding of system design, APIs, databases, and cloud environments (AWS, Azure, etc.)
• Experience building tools focused on software lifecycle and delivery
• Familiarity with Kubernetes concepts (Controllers, Operators, CRDs)
• Experience with supply chain security (SBOMs, signing, scanning, etc.)
• Experience contributing to open source projects (CNCF, ASF, OpenSSF, etc.) is a strong plus
• Ability to solve complex problems and deliver pragmatic, scalable solutions
• Strong communication and collaboration skills across technical and non-technical audiences

EMPLOYER IS A CONTRACTOR FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. THIS POSITION WILL REQUIRE AN ACTIVE SECRET CLEARANCE TO APPLY. 

Role Description

We are seeking a talented and experienced Platform Engineer to join our team. Possessing strong proficiency with Kubernetes, the ideal candidate will play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of our platform, demonstrating a strong understanding of system architecture, problem-solving skills, and the ability to guide junior engineers.

As a Platform Engineer within our organization, you will join a team of dedicated unicorns who are focused on advancing freedom and independence globally. Our teams work on various different technical baselines depending on specific engagements. We focus our Products on the Platform layer, but to deliver for our Heroes, we also work IaC automation, security, and implementation.

Responsibilities: 

You will help us automate and build a runtime Production Environment and serve as a link between the Applications, either custom development, COTS, or OSS, and that environment, advocating best practices and facilitating communication between the application teams and platform teams.

In this position, you will be expected to: 

• Validate Solutions/Implementations: Ensure that solutions and implementations align with the outlined tasks and business requirements. Conduct thorough validations to maintain the integrity and efficiency of the platform.
• Independently Problem Solve: Demonstrate the ability to identify and solve business problems independently. Develop small components to address specific challenges without relying on explicit architecture diagrams.
• Understand Medium-Level Tasking: Comprehend how medium-level tasks contribute to the achievement of overall goals. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate various components into a cohesive and functional platform.
• Estimate Time and Effort: Provide accurate time and effort estimates for medium-sized tasks. Assist in project planning and resource allocation based on estimated timelines.
• Demonstrate Programming Language Proficiency: Possess familiarity with at least one programming language. Exhibit a basic understanding of when to use a programming language versus a shell for efficient task execution.
• Own the bridge between the Application Development team(s) and the Production Environment

Travel Expectations: 10%-25%

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• Proven experience as a Platform Engineer or similar role, with a focus on system architecture and development.
• Demonstrated experience with cloud-native technologies such as Kubernetes, Google Cloud, and Docker.
• Familiarity with continuous delivery, distributed architectures, systems, everything-as-code, containerization, and cloud services.
• Proficiency in at least one programming language (e.g., Python, Go, Ansible) and a basic understanding of shell scripting.
• Proficient with YAML.
• Experienced in working on a team following an Agile framework in a remote environment.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Experience with security automation and familiarity with API Security, Container Security, and Cloud Security.
• Familiar with architecture security design, monitoring, and performance instrumentation in a complex enterprise environment.
• Comfort with debugging systems and reading/writing code.
• Secret Clearance required. 
• Possess a DoD 8570 IAT II certification.
• Experienced in Department of Defense work, specifically working on a production Authority to Operate (ATO'd) system.
• Knowledgeable about DevSecOps/DevOps and CI/CD theory.

Mid Platform Engineer: $123,250 - $166,750

EMPLOYER IS A CONTRACTOR FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. THIS POSITION WILL REQUIRE U.S. CITIZENSHIP.

Role Description: 

As a Product Manager for Navy, you will collaborate with Navy Tech Leads to establish a technical roadmap for Mission outcomes with Mission Heroes, and facilitate feedback from Delivery to Product.

Responsibilities: 

• Serves as a Product Manager for the Navy Domain. 
  • Collaborates with Navy Tech Leads to establish technical roadmap for Mission Outcomes with Mission Heroes 
  • Aligns Defense Unicorns’ Product Roadmaps to technical roadmap for your Hero and provides feedback to Product segment on Mission Need dates for features to drive adoption 
  • Share and facilitate feedback from Delivery segment with Product segment regarding Defense Unicorns’ OSS projects and productized services 
  • Work with Tech Leads to establish an aligned Delivery roadmap, using Product roadmaps 
  • Follow company best practices in strategies for building Delivery solutions
  • Balance priorities from users, customers, stakeholders, and the team to deliver mission value in a scalable way
• Fosters an environment for Unicorn growth, mentorship, and coaching within the team
• Fosters an environment for Defense Unicorns values and principles to thrive

Travel Expectations: 4-12 times per year

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• US Citizenship and active SECRET clearance
• Proficient in translating pain points to root cause problems and working with engineers to build a roadmap for value delivery
• Proficient in modern software development processes and practices, including DevSecOps, Continuous Delivery, and User-Centered Design
  • Expertise with modern software development processes and practices, including DevSecOps, Continuous Delivery, User-Centered Design, and Value Stream Architecture, and varying Agile frameworks; able to apply and adapt principles and ceremonies from different frameworks to suit the team, the product, and the mission objectives
• Experience managing cross functional engineering teams
• Skilled in expectation management across different personas
• Experience and passion for software delivery for Mission Success within the tech industry or Department of Defense
• Exhibit enough technical depth to understand architectural decisions and translate in a way that stakeholders, users, and the team can understand and be aligned on

Role Description:

Defense Unicorns is seeking a mission-driven Account Executive to spearhead full-lifecycle capture efforts across the Defense Industrial Base. In this high-impact role, you will shape and lead strategic pursuits that align Defense Unicorns’ unique strengths—secure software delivery, DevSecOps, tactical edge enablement, and cybersecurity—with emerging government needs.

You will own the acquisition of new Mission Heroes (what we call our customers) from early qualification through proposal, driving win strategies, forming key partnerships, and aligning technical solutions to mission outcomes. This is a pivotal role within our growth team that directly influences the company’s pipeline, revenue targets, and national security impact.

Responsibilities: 

• Drive new Mission Hero acquisition across the DIB ecosystem, ensuring alignment with Defense Unicorn’s strategic growth objectives and solution capabilities.
• Develop and execute capture plans, win strategies, and competitive positioning to secure new business.
• Engage early with government stakeholders, primes, and ecosystem partners to shape opportunities ahead of solicitation.
• Understand customer pain points, acquisition timelines, and funding paths across multiple branches of the DoD.
• Identify and lead teaming arrangements that enhance technical capabilities, socio-economic positioning, or incumbent advantage.
• Translate technical capabilities—such as the Unicorn Delivery Service (UDS), cATO acceleration, and edge deployments—into persuasive win themes.
• Support RFI/RFP responses with market intelligence, SWOT analysis, and pricing strategy input.
• Prepare regular reports on business development activities, track key performance indicators (KPIs), and analyze the effectiveness of various strategies. Use data-driven insights to refine approaches and achieve better results.
• Represent the company at industry and government events to raise visibility and gather market intelligence.

You are measured by:

• Number and quality of qualified DIB opportunities identified and advanced
• Maturity of pipeline supporting growth goals

• Development and execution of capture strategies, including capture plans, customer shaping, and teaming
• Achievement of annual bookings target
• Contribution to overall proposal win rate and contract awards
• Success in building lasting relationships that lead to competitive advantage

Travel Expectations/Requirements: 20%-30%

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• Proven ability to win complex technical pursuits through the full capture lifecycle.
• Working knowledge of acquisition processes (e.g., FAR-based contracts, OTAs, SBIR, IDIQ).
• Excellent communication, strategic thinking, and leadership skills across technical and executive audiences.
• Experience coordinating multi-disciplinary teams to deliver successful proposals.
• Familiarity with software factory environments, DevSecOps, cybersecurity, or tactical edge deployments is a strong plus.
• Deep DIB experience.
  
  
  This position offers a base salary of $145,000 - $185,000. A substantial component of total compensation is based on highly competitive commission on net new ARR, rewarding exceptional performance.

Role Description: 

As a Proposal Manager, you will be a critical driver of Defense Unicorns’ growth. Collaborating closely with business development, account executives, and technical stakeholders, you will help expand Defense Unicorns’ support of the US Department of Defense (DOD)leading the development and submission of competitive, high-quality, and compliant proposals for federal contracts. By deeply understanding Mission Hero goals, you will effectively deliver content that aligns with their needs. You will drive the proposal lifecycle from opportunity shaping through post-submission activities. As a key driver of growth, this position offers outcome based variable compensation to recognize and reward your contributions to a fast paced defense tech startup.

Responsibilities: 

• Own and manage the end-to-end proposal process for RFPs, RFIs, BAAs, OTAs, and IDIQ task orders.
• Coordinate capture, technical, pricing, and executive inputs to develop compelling, compliant responses.
• Write, edit, and review technical and management sections with a focus on clarity, compliance, and persuasion/win themes.
• Collaborate with internal teams to craft content that aligns with customer requirements and priorities.
• Develop and maintain proposal templates, checklists, calendars, compliance matrices, and style guides.
• Conduct opportunity assessments, competitive analyses, and market research.
• Manage proposal timelines, compliance, and resources while coordinating with partners and stakeholders.
• Support continuous improvement in proposal tools, processes, and strategies.
• Collaborate with marketing, finance, and customer success teams to ensure alignment and integration of revenue operations.
• Implement and manage CRM and other sales/marketing tools to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
• Develop and maintain dashboards and reports to provide visibility into key performance metrics and support data-driven decision-making.
• Implement proposal best practices (e.g., Shipley) and lessons learned to improve proposal quality and win rate.

Travel Expectations/Requirements: 25%

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• 5+ years experience writing, drafting and editing proposals for US Government contracts, ideally in support of DoD. 
• Active security clearance highly preferred (i.e., Secret or Top Secret).
• Proven experience in Proposal management, revenue operations, sales operations, or a related role.
• Proficiency in CRM systems (e.g., Monday.com, HubSpot) and other sales/marketing tools.
• Strong experience in proposal writing, business development, preferably at the intersection of federal government and technology. 
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Expert knowledge of government contracting processes, acquisition strategies and regulations.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
•  

EMPLOYER IS A CONTRACTOR FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. THIS POSITION WILL REQUIRE AN ACTIVE SECRET CLEARANCE TO APPLY. 

Role Description

We are seeking a talented and experienced Platform Engineer to join our team. Possessing strong proficiency with Kubernetes, the ideal candidate will play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of our platform, demonstrating a strong understanding of system architecture, problem-solving skills, and the ability to guide junior engineers.

As a Platform Engineer within our organization, you will join a team of dedicated unicorns who are focused on advancing freedom and independence globally. Our teams work on various different technical baselines depending on specific engagements. We focus our Products on the Platform layer, but to deliver for our Heroes, we also work IaC automation, security, and implementation.

Responsibilities: 

You will help us automate and build a runtime Production Environment and serve as a link between the Applications, either custom development, COTS, or OSS, and that environment, advocating best practices and facilitating communication between the application teams and platform teams.

In this position, you will be expected to: 

• Validate Solutions/Implementations: Ensure that solutions and implementations align with the outlined tasks and business requirements. Conduct thorough validations to maintain the integrity and efficiency of the platform.
• Independently Problem Solve: Demonstrate the ability to identify and solve business problems independently. Develop small components to address specific challenges without relying on explicit architecture diagrams.
• Understand Medium-Level Tasking: Comprehend how medium-level tasks contribute to the achievement of overall goals. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate various components into a cohesive and functional platform.
• Estimate Time and Effort: Provide accurate time and effort estimates for medium-sized tasks. Assist in project planning and resource allocation based on estimated timelines.
• Demonstrate Programming Language Proficiency: Possess familiarity with at least one programming language. Exhibit a basic understanding of when to use a programming language versus a shell for efficient task execution.

Own the bridge between the Application Development team(s) and the Production Environment

Travel Expectations: 10%-25%

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• Proven experience as a Platform Engineer or similar role, with a focus on system architecture and development.
• Demonstrated experience with cloud-native technologies such as Kubernetes, Google Cloud, and Docker.
• Familiarity with continuous delivery, distributed architectures, systems, everything-as-code, containerization, and cloud services.
• Proficiency in at least one programming language (e.g., Python, Go, Ansible) and a basic understanding of shell scripting.
• Proficient with YAML.
• Experienced in working on a team following an Agile framework in a remote environment.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Experience with security automation and familiarity with API Security, Container Security, and Cloud Security.
• Familiar with architecture security design, monitoring, and performance instrumentation in a complex enterprise environment.
• Comfort with debugging systems and reading/writing code.
• Hold a Secret clearance.
• Possess a DoD 8570 IAT II certification.
• Experienced in Department of Defense work, specifically working on a production Authority to Operate (ATO'd) system.
• Knowledgeable about DevSecOps/DevOps and CI/CD theory.

Senior Platform Engineer: $148,750 - $201,250

EMPLOYER IS A CONTRACTOR FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. THIS POSITION WILL REQUIRE U.S. CITIZENSHIP.

This position requires an active Secret Clearance. 

Role Description: 

As the Mission Director for a DoW platform modernization program, you will lead a Defense Unicorns delivery team supporting our Mission Hero through a DoW prime contractor partner. You will serve as the primary point of contact with the prime's program management, own delivery execution and financial performance on a multi-year contract, and partner with Defense Unicorns Tech Leads across the company to ensure the team delivers mission value across platform engineering, DevSecOps, cloud, and SRE disciplines.

First-Year Outcomes

Success in the first year will be measured by three primary outcomes:

• A smooth transition from the incumbent contractor with minimal disruption to ongoing delivery
• A successful architecture review with our Mission Hero, introducing UDS as a new technology in the program's core tech stack
• A foundational operational environment established to support ongoing mission delivery

Responsibilities

Prime Contractor and Mission Hero Relationship

• Serve as the primary point of contact with the prime contractor's program management
• Partner with the prime to align Defense Unicorns' scope, deliverables, and team performance with program priorities
• Build a productive working relationship with our Mission Hero in coordination with the prime

Delivery Management

• Own delivery execution across the team, ensuring commitments are met on time and to quality
• Partner with Defense Unicorns Tech Leads to align program work with broader technical direction
• Translate Mission Hero and prime requirements into actionable work, and team progress into clear stakeholder communication
• Surface delivery feedback to Defense Unicorns' Product segment to inform UDS and other product roadmaps

Team Leadership

• Lead a cross-functional team spanning platform engineering, DevSecOps, cloud, SRE, configuration management, and Zero Trust
• Foster an environment for Unicorn growth, mentorship, and coaching
• Champion Defense Unicorns' values and principles
• Balance priorities from the Mission Hero, prime, leadership, and team to deliver mission value

Contract and Financial Accountability

• Own burn rate management and monthly forecasting against the contract ceiling
• Lead staffing plans, backfills, and ramp planning across option years in coordination with the contracts team
• Partner with the contracts team on modifications, option year exercises, and contract compliance

Required Qualifications:

• Active Secret clearance
• Experience leading large (20+) cross-functional engineering or delivery teams
• Experience delivering software or platform programs in a DoW or federal environment
• Experience managing prime-sub or multi-party contractor relationships
• Financial accountability experience on federal contracts, including burn rate and staffing plan ownership

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience transitioning programs from an incumbent contractor
• Familiarity with DoW impact levels (IL2 and above) and authorization processes
• Background in DevSecOps, platform engineering, or cloud infrastructure delivery
• Familiarity with federal contracts, procurement vehicles, and the budget process
• Experience with modern software development practices including DevSecOps, Continuous Delivery, and Agile frameworks
• Technical depth sufficient to understand architectural decisions and translate them for stakeholders, users, and the team

Travel

Travel is expected 4-12 times per year, primarily to the National Capital Region.

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise.

EMPLOYER IS A CONTRACTOR FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. THIS POSITION WILL REQUIRE U.S. CITIZENSHIP.

Please note that eligible Department of Defense Service members must be within 180 days of separating from Service.

Based on the evolving needs of our fast paced startup, we recruit for SkillBridge on a rolling basis.

Role Description:

In this role, your primary responsibility will be to support how Defense Unicorns communicates the value of its platform and solutions to mission-focused customers.

You will help translate complex technical capabilities into clear, differentiated messaging and support go-to-market execution across key personas, including government, ISVs, SIs, and OEM partners.

You will work across Product, Growth, and Delivery to ensure alignment between what we build, how we position it, and how it is adopted in the field.

Responsibilities:

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive, and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on evolving business needs.

• Support the development of messaging and positioning for Defense Unicorns’ platform and solutions
• Assist in building persona-based narratives for mission owners, technical users, and ecosystem partners
• Conduct market and competitive research to inform differentiation and strategic positioning
• Help create and refine GTM assets (one-pagers, pitch decks, solution briefs, website content)
• Partner with Product and Delivery teams to translate technical capabilities into mission value
• Support product launches and releases, ensuring clear communication internally and externally
• Contribute to pricing and packaging exploration by analyzing market signals and customer needs
• Help capture and synthesize customer feedback to inform roadmap and messaging evolution
• Align with Growth and Business Development to support campaigns and pipeline generation efforts
• Contribute to social media content (primarily LinkedIn) by translating product messaging into clear, concise posts that amplify product narratives and mission value
• Support analysis of content performance to identify which messages resonate and feed those insights back into messaging and go-to-market strategy

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• Must be eligible for DOW SkillBridge program (within 180 days of separation)
• Hold or be eligible to obtain a security clearance
• Mad meme skills 😎 
• Strong interest in product marketing, go-to-market strategy, or technology commercialization
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, structured messaging
• Demonstrated analytical thinking and ability to connect market problems to product value
• Familiarity with or interest in Kubernetes, cloud platforms, DevSecOps, or platform technologies
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work across teams and synthesize multiple inputs into clear outputs
• Curiosity about how technical products are positioned, sold, and adopted
• Systems thinker who can connect product, messaging, and market outcomes

EMPLOYER IS A CONTRACTOR FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. THIS POSITION WILL REQUIRE U.S. CITIZENSHIP.

Role Description: 

We are seeking a Junior IT Security Engineer to join our team. The ideal candidate will enable Unicorn Engineers to do their best work, with a focus on balancing the Engineer experience with a strong company-wide Information Technology Security posture. A primary focus of this role is delivering Tier 1 and Tier 2 IT support,  serving as the first point of contact for technical issues and escalating or resolving more complex requests,  while contributing to broader security and compliance initiatives.

Responsibilities: 

• Serve as the primary point of contact for Tier 1 and Tier 2 user technical support requests, triaging issues and resolving or escalating as appropriate
• Provision user laptops and administer a company-wide Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution
• Manage inventory of physical and digital IT assets
• Onboard and offboard users by managing access through Google Admin Console and related tools
• Collaborate with third-party vendors and internal stakeholders to support rollout, troubleshooting, and updates of SaaS tools
• Assist with Third Party Risk Management (TPRM) reviews, including security research and audit report reviews
• Support technical implementation of security controls aligned with NIST SP 800-171, such as logging, SIEM, incident response, and configuration management
• Assist with triage of security events, log audits, and incident response processes

Travel Expectations/Requirements: 5-10%

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise. 

Minimum Experience and Qualifications

• Experience in an IT help desk, system administration, or IT operations role
• Familiarity with tools such as Google Workspace, Slack, and GitHub
• Experience with macOS, Windows, or Linux administration
• Experience with Google Admin Console or similar directory/identity management tools
• US citizenship required; must be eligible for CUI access
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams in a remote, asynchronous environment
• Ability to proactively identify issues and follow through on approved solutions

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• Defense contractor or government IT experience
• Familiarity with NIST SP 800-171, NIST SP 800-53, or CMMC 2.0 framework and compliance requirements
• Experience supporting security tooling such as SIEM platforms or MDM solutions

Role Description:

Being a Senior Sales Enablement Manager at Defense Unicorns means building the systems that help our Growth team consistently win.Our mission is to make software a strategic deterrent. The Sales Enablement role ensures that our Account Executives, Business Development Representatives, and Sales Engineers are equipped with the knowledge, tools, and processes required to communicate our value clearly and move opportunities forward.

In this role, you will report to the Business Development organization and work closely with Product Marketing, Product, and Revenue leadership to operationalize our go-to-market strategy. You will own the development and delivery of enablement programs that improve sales productivity, accelerate deal cycles, and ensure consistent execution across the revenue team.

This is an execution focused role. You will design and run repeatable enablement programs, maintain the core sales knowledge system, and ensure the field has the resources they need to succeed.

Responsibilities:

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who can build structure while operating in a dynamic environment.

• Own and execute the sales enablement strategy
• Apply prior experience supporting Defense Industrial Base (DIB) customers to ensure enablement programs align with DoD, IC, and federal sales motions
• Design and deliver onboarding programs for new Account Executives, BDRs, and Sales Architects
• Develop and maintain sales playbooks, messaging frameworks, and opportunity management guides
• Partner with Product Marketing to translate product positioning and messaging into field-ready enablement materials
• Ensure the revenue team has consistent access to current competitive positioning, product updates, and sales assets
• Design and run recurring enablement sessions, including product training, competitive updates, and sales skill development
• Support major product launches by coordinating internal training and field readiness programs
• Maintain the sales knowledge system, ensuring resources are organized, up to date, and easy for the field to access
• Partner with Revenue leadership to identify skill gaps and develop targeted enablement programs
• Measure and improve the effectiveness of enablement programs through feedback, usage metrics, and sales outcomes
• Work cross-functionally with Product, Product Marketing, Marketing, and Revenue Operations to ensure alignment between strategy and field execution
• Operate effectively in a remote, fast paced environment with high cross functional collaboration

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• 5+ years Sales/Revenue Enablement experience with clear ownership of onboarding, playbooks, training, and enablement systems
• Experience designing and running sales enablement programs in B2B/B2G technology company
• Experience supporting enterprise software sales teams, including Account Executives and Sales Architects
• Strong ability to translate complex technical products into clear sales narratives and playbooks
• Experience building onboarding and training programs for growing revenue teams
• Familiarity with modern sales tools and systems such as HubSpot, Slack, Notion, Google Workspace, and enablement platforms
• Strong organizational discipline and ability to maintain structured knowledge systems
• Comfortable presenting and facilitating training sessions for sales teams
• Experience working cross functionally with Product Marketing, Marketing, and Product teams
• Strong communication and collaboration skills in a remote first environment

EMPLOYER IS A CONTRACTOR FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. THIS POSITION WILL REQUIRE U.S. CITIZENSHIP.

Role Description: 

We are seeking a dedicated and experienced Platform Engineer with strong Kubernetes proficiency to join our Customer Success team. This role involves managing Unicorn Delivery Service (UDS) deployments, generating training documentation, and training customers on our software tools. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in customer relationship management, technical expertise, demonstrating a strong understanding of system architecture, and a passion for helping customers achieve their goals with the UDS platform.

Responsibilities: 

• Possess strong proficiency with Kubernetes, Helm, and containerized applications, enabling robust platform deployment and management.
• Deploy and manage UDS environments across AWS EKS, Azure AKS, and on-prem for government-backed commercial vendors.
• Build and maintain custom UDS packages and application-specific modules, enabling streamlined deployment of customer environments.
• Implement and manage Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) modules to reliably provision and configure customer environments.
• Adhere to SLA commitments, including on-call support for critical UDS issues in customer environments.
• Serve as the primary technical interface for customers, providing guidance, troubleshooting, and resolution of complex UDS issues.
• Develop and deliver technical training content tailored to customer needs, including remote and on-site sessions demonstrating platform features and best practices.
• Coordinate customer onboarding and ensure smooth adoption of UDS deployments.
• Gather feedback from customers and the community to provide actionable insights to internal teams, improving products, services, and deployment processes.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to experiment with new tools, techniques, and strategies for improving deployment efficiency and customer outcomes.
• Analyze operational and usage data to identify trends, optimize delivery strategies, and drive process improvement.
• Experiment with new tools, techniques, and technologies to improve growth outcomes.
• Contribute to a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within the organization.

Travel Expectations/Requirements: Less than 25% expected

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive, and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise. 

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• Proven experience as a Platform Engineer or similar role, with a focus on system architecture and development.
• Strong knowledge of hybrid cloud architectures, including networking, RBAC, and storage for cloud and on-prem clusters.
• Hands-on experience with Azure AKS, AWS EKS, or on-perm Kubernetes (e.g RKE2, K3s, OpenShift). 
• Experience with Helm, GitOps, and Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform, OpenTofu) for infrastructure, cluster provisioning and lifecycle management. 
• Knowledgeable about DevSecOps/DevOps and CI/CD pipelines running on GitLab or GitHub.
• Comfortable serving as the primary technical interface for customers, providing architecture guidance, production support, and platform expertise.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to interpret complex data for informed decision-making.
• Excellent communication skills and effectiveness in a remote team environment.
• Self-motivated, proactive, and able to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Willingness to travel as needed for on-site training and support.
• DoD IAT Level II certification (such as Security+).
• A DoD Secret or higher clearance is not required but preferred.

Full compensation packages are based on candidate experience. Compensation ranges are established using national benchmarking data and apply across all geographic locations within the United States. 

*Please note that this is an evergreen posting for future Army Account Executive opportunities at Defense Unicorns. We will reach out to highly qualified candidates as openings arise. 

Role Description:

Defense Unicorns is seeking mission-driven Account Executives to spearhead full-lifecycle capture efforts across the Army ecosystem. In this high-impact role, you will shape and lead strategic pursuits that align Defense Unicorns’ unique strengths—secure software delivery, DevSecOps, tactical edge enablement, and cybersecurity—with emerging government needs.

You will own the acquisition of new Mission Heroes (what we call our customers) from early qualification through proposal, driving win strategies, forming key partnerships, and aligning technical solutions to mission outcomes. This is a pivotal role within our growth team that directly influences the company’s pipeline, revenue targets, and national security impact.

Responsibilities: 

• Drive new Mission Hero acquisition across the Army ecosystem, ensuring alignment with Defense Unicorn’s strategic growth objectives and solution capabilities.
• Develop and execute capture plans, win strategies, and competitive positioning to secure new business.
• Engage early with government stakeholders, primes, and ecosystem partners to shape opportunities ahead of solicitation.
• Understand customer pain points, acquisition timelines, and funding paths across multiple branches of the DoD.
• Identify and lead teaming arrangements that enhance technical capabilities, socio-economic positioning, or incumbent advantage.
• Translate technical capabilities—such as the Unicorn Delivery Service (UDS), cATO acceleration, and edge deployments—into persuasive win themes.
• Support RFI/RFP responses with market intelligence, SWOT analysis, and pricing strategy input.
• Prepare regular reports on business development activities, track key performance indicators (KPIs), and analyze the effectiveness of various strategies. Use data-driven insights to refine approaches and achieve better results.
• Represent the company at industry and government events to raise visibility and gather market intelligence.

You are measured by:

• Number and quality of qualified Army opportunities identified and advanced.
• Maturity of pipeline supporting growth goals.

• Development and execution of capture strategies, including capture plans, customer shaping, and teaming.
• Achievement of annual bookings target.
• Contribution to overall proposal win rate and contract awards.
• Success in building lasting relationships that lead to competitive advantage.

Travel Expectations/Requirements: 20%-30%

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• Proven ability to win complex technical pursuits through the full capture lifecycle.
• Working knowledge of Army acquisition processes (e.g., FAR-based contracts, OTAs, SBIR, IDIQ).
• Excellent communication, strategic thinking, and leadership skills across technical and executive audiences.
• Experience coordinating multi-disciplinary teams to deliver successful proposals.
• Familiarity with software factory environments, DevSecOps, cybersecurity, or tactical edge deployments is a strong plus.
• Deep Army operational experience.
  
  
  This position offers a base salary of $145,000 - $185,000. A substantial component of total compensation is based on highly competitive commission on net new ARR, rewarding exceptional performance.

*Please note that this is an evergreen posting for future Space Account Executive opportunities at Defense Unicorns. We will reach out to highly qualified candidates as openings arise. 

Role Description:

Defense Unicorns is seeking mission-driven Account Executives to spearhead full-lifecycle capture efforts across the Space ecosystem. In this high-impact role, you will shape and lead strategic pursuits that align Defense Unicorns’ unique strengths—secure software delivery, DevSecOps, tactical edge enablement, and cybersecurity—with emerging government needs.

You will own the acquisition of new Mission Heroes (what we call our customers) from early qualification through proposal, driving win strategies, forming key partnerships, and aligning technical solutions to mission outcomes. This is a pivotal role within our growth team that directly influences the company’s pipeline, revenue targets, and national security impact.

Responsibilities: 

• Drive new Mission Hero acquisition across the Space ecosystem, ensuring alignment with Defense Unicorn’s strategic growth objectives and solution capabilities.
• Develop and execute capture plans, win strategies, and competitive positioning to secure new business.
• Engage early with government stakeholders, primes, and ecosystem partners to shape opportunities ahead of solicitation.
• Understand customer pain points, acquisition timelines, and funding paths across multiple branches of the DoD.
• Identify and lead teaming arrangements that enhance technical capabilities, socio-economic positioning, or incumbent advantage.
• Translate technical capabilities—such as the Unicorn Delivery Service (UDS), cATO acceleration, and edge deployments—into persuasive win themes.
• Support RFI/RFP responses with market intelligence, SWOT analysis, and pricing strategy input.
• Prepare regular reports on business development activities, track key performance indicators (KPIs), and analyze the effectiveness of various strategies. Use data-driven insights to refine approaches and achieve better results.
• Represent the company at industry and government events to raise visibility and gather market intelligence.

You are measured by:

• Number and quality of qualified Space opportunities identified and advanced.
• Maturity of pipeline supporting growth goals.

• Development and execution of capture strategies, including capture plans, customer shaping, and teaming.
• Achievement of annual bookings target.
• Contribution to overall proposal win rate and contract awards.
• Success in building lasting relationships that lead to competitive advantage.

Travel Expectations/Requirements: 20%-30%

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• Proven ability to win complex technical pursuits through the full capture lifecycle.
• Working knowledge of Space Force acquisition processes (e.g., FAR-based contracts, OTAs, SBIR, IDIQ).
• Excellent communication, strategic thinking, and leadership skills across technical and executive audiences.
• Experience coordinating multi-disciplinary teams to deliver successful proposals.
• Familiarity with software factory environments, DevSecOps, cybersecurity, or tactical edge deployments is a strong plus.
• Deep Cyber operational experience.
  
  
  This position offers a base salary of $145,000 - $185,000. A substantial component of total compensation is based on highly competitive commission on net new ARR, rewarding exceptional performance.

*Please note that this is an evergreen posting for current and future Cyber Operations Account Executive opportunities at Defense Unicorns. We will reach out to highly qualified candidates as openings arise. 

Role Description:

Defense Unicorns is seeking mission-driven Account Executives to spearhead full-lifecycle capture efforts across the Cyber national security enterprise. In this high-impact role, you will shape and lead strategic pursuits that align Defense Unicorns’ unique strengths—secure software delivery, DevSecOps, tactical edge enablement, and cybersecurity—with emerging government needs.

You will own the acquisition of new Mission Heroes (what we call our customers) from early qualification through proposal, driving win strategies, forming key partnerships, and aligning technical solutions to mission outcomes. This is a pivotal role within our growth team that directly influences the company’s pipeline, revenue targets, and national security impact.

Responsibilities: 

• Drive new Mission Hero acquisition across the Cyber ecosystem, ensuring alignment with Defense Unicorn’s strategic growth objectives and solution capabilities.
• Develop and execute capture plans, win strategies, and competitive positioning to secure new business.
• Engage early with government stakeholders, primes, and ecosystem partners to shape opportunities ahead of solicitation.
• Understand customer pain points, acquisition timelines, and funding paths across multiple branches of the DoD.
• Identify and lead teaming arrangements that enhance technical capabilities, socio-economic positioning, or incumbent advantage.
• Translate technical capabilities—such as the Unicorn Delivery Service (UDS), cATO acceleration, and edge deployments—into persuasive win themes.
• Support RFI/RFP responses with market intelligence, SWOT analysis, and pricing strategy input.
• Prepare regular reports on business development activities, track key performance indicators (KPIs), and analyze the effectiveness of various strategies. Use data-driven insights to refine approaches and achieve better results.
• Represent the company at industry and government events to raise visibility and gather market intelligence.

You are measured by:

• Number and quality of qualified Cyber opportunities identified and advanced
• Maturity of pipeline supporting growth goals

• Development and execution of capture strategies, including capture plans, customer shaping, and teaming
• Achievement of annual bookings target
• Contribution to overall proposal win rate and contract awards
• Success in building lasting relationships that lead to competitive advantage

Travel Expectations/Requirements: 20%-30%

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• Proven ability to win complex technical pursuits through the full capture lifecycle.
• Working knowledge of Cyber acquisition processes (e.g., FAR-based contracts, OTAs, SBIR, IDIQ).
• Excellent communication, strategic thinking, and leadership skills across technical and executive audiences.
• Experience coordinating multi-disciplinary teams to deliver successful proposals.
• Familiarity with software factory environments, DevSecOps, cybersecurity, or tactical edge deployments is a strong plus.
• Deep Cyber operational experience.
  
  
  This position offers a base salary of $145,000 - $185,000. A substantial component of total compensation is based on highly competitive commission on net new ARR, rewarding exceptional performance.

EMPLOYER IS A CONTRACTOR FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. THIS POSITION WILL REQUIRE AN ACTIVE SECRET CLEARANCE. 

Role Description: 

We are seeking a talented and experienced Platform Engineer to join our team. Possessing strong proficiency with Kubernetes, the ideal candidate will play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of our platform, demonstrating a strong understanding of system architecture, problem-solving skills, and the ability to guide junior engineers.

As a Platform Engineer within our organization, you will join a team of dedicated unicorns who are focused on advancing freedom and independence globally. Our teams work on various different technical baselines depending on specific engagements. We focus our Products on the Platform layer, but to deliver for our Heroes, we also work IaC automation, security, and implementation.

Responsibilities: 

You will help us automate and build a runtime Production Environment and serve as a link between the Applications, either custom development, COTS, or OSS, and that environment, advocating best practices and facilitating communication between the application teams and platform teams.

In this position, you will be expected to: 

• Validate Solutions/Implementations: Ensure that solutions and implementations align with the outlined tasks and business requirements. Conduct thorough validations to maintain the integrity and efficiency of the platform.
• Independently Problem Solve: Demonstrate the ability to identify and solve business problems independently. Develop small components to address specific challenges without relying on explicit architecture diagrams.
• Understand Medium-Level Tasking: Comprehend how medium-level tasks contribute to the achievement of overall goals. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate various components into a cohesive and functional platform.
• Estimate Time and Effort: Provide accurate time and effort estimates for medium-sized tasks. Assist in project planning and resource allocation based on estimated timelines.
• Demonstrate Programming Language Proficiency: Possess familiarity with at least one programming language. Exhibit a basic understanding of when to use a programming language versus a shell for efficient task execution.
• Own the bridge between the Application Development team(s) and the Production Environment

Travel Expectations: 10%-25%

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise. 

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• Proven experience as a Platform Engineer or similar role, with a focus on system architecture and development.
• Demonstrated experience with cloud-native technologies such as Kubernetes, Google Cloud, and Docker.
• Familiarity with continuous delivery, distributed architectures, systems, everything-as-code, containerization, and cloud services.
• Proficiency in at least one programming language (e.g., Python, Go, Ansible) and a basic understanding of shell scripting.
• Proficient with YAML.
• Experienced in working on a team following an Agile framework in a remote environment.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Experience with security automation and familiarity with API Security, Container Security, and Cloud Security.
• Familiar with architecture security design, monitoring, and performance instrumentation in a complex enterprise environment.
• Comfort with debugging systems and reading/writing code.
• Hold a security clearance/Eligible to apply for a security clearance.
• Possess a DoD 8570 IAT II certification.
• Experienced in Department of Defense work, specifically working on a production Authority to Operate (ATO'd) system.
• Knowledgeable about DevSecOps/DevOps and CI/CD theory.

Salary Ranges:
Platform Engineer: $123,250 - $166,750
Senior Platform Engineer: $148,750 - $201,250

About the Role

We are seeking a mission-driven Rust Software Engineer to build resilient software systems that enable human-machine-AI teaming and autonomous capabilities for military operators at the tactical edge.

In this role, you will design and implement high-performance systems in Rust that operate in constrained, contested environments. You will contribute across the full system lifecycle — from architecture and hardware integration through simulation, testing, and field deployment.

You will work alongside engineers, researchers, and operators to develop systems that fuse sensing, autonomy, and decision support while ensuring traceable, deterministic builds and reliable deployments in mission-critical environments.

This role is ideal for engineers who enjoy systems programming, autonomy, and solving real-world problems for national security missions.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement high-performance, distributed, software systems in Rust, targeting cloud-native as well as resource-constrained and edge computing environments
  
  
• Participate in system architecture, network topologies, hardware part evaluation, and engineering reviews for both existing product revisions and new systems
  
  
• Develop software/models systems that supports human-in-the-loop and human-on-the-loop autonomy workflows for distributed operations
  
  
• Build infrastructure enabling deterministic builds, reproducible environments, and configuration management to ensure traceability and maintainability
  
  
• Implement and maintain systems with over-the-air (OTA) update mechanisms for field-deployed systems - virtual machines, containers, and embedded packages
  
  
• Integrate software with microcontroller peripherals and hardware buses (SPI, I2C, UART, Ethernet, USB, AXI, etc.)
  
  
• Develop and execute comprehensive experiment and test strategies including:
  
  
• Unit testing
• Software-in-the-Loop (SITL)
• Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL)
• Functional, end-to-end system/field/scale testing
  
  
• Collaborate with mission heroes and multidisciplinary teams to deploy and sustain systems, supporting integration and various exercises and operational events
  
  
• Optimize systems for performance, reliability, power consumption, and maintainability
  
  

Required Qualifications

• Professional experience in software engineering, embedded systems, or firmware development - delivering production-grade product
  
  
• Strong proficiency in Rust - experience in low-level, embedded or no_std environments a bonus
  
  
• Experience integrating with microcontroller peripherals and hardware interfaces (SPI, I2C, UART, Ethernet, USB, etc.)
  
  
• Familiarity with software design, algorithm implementation, debugging/testing/profiling, and performance optimization
  
  
• Working knowledge of:
  
  
• Distributed systems, data-distribution and network architectures
• Networking protocols and technologies (TCP/UDP, BLE/LoRa, routing)
• Trust systems, certificate management, and encryption schemes
• Modern data patterns, CRDTs, offline-first, synchronization/replication

• Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate across engineering disciplines
  
  
• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret / SCI security clearance
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing autonomy, robotics, or human-machine-AI teaming systems
  
  
• Experience applying machine learning techniques, including supervised/unsupervised learning, clustering, and classification
  
  
• Experience with software-defined radio, MANET, and industrial/robotics communications systems
  
  
• Experience optimizing systems for speed, size, power consumption, and cost
  
  
• Experience contributing to open-source projects or industry standards bodies
  
  
• Experience deploying systems in contested or disconnected edge environments
  
  

What You’ll Work On

• Distributed autonomy platforms that assist operators in decision-making and mission execution
  
  
• Human-machine-AI collaboration systems operating around the globe
  
  
• Real-time sensor integration, edge processing, and data distribution
• Robust deployment infrastructure enabling secure, trusted/traceable updates in fielded systems
  
  
• Systems that must operate reliably in degraded, disconnected, or adversarial environments

EMPLOYER IS A CONTRACTOR FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. THIS POSITION WILL REQUIRE U.S. CITIZENSHIP.

Please note that eligible Service members must be within 180 days of separating from Service. Based on the evolving needs of our fast paced startup, we recruit for SkillBridge on a rolling basis. Opportunities will be posted as they become available. If no SkillBridge Intern roles are currently posted that are aligned with your experience, no internships are presently available. Please check back periodically to see when relevant opportunities arise.

Role Description

We are seeking a talented and experienced Platform Engineer to join our team. Possessing strong proficiency with Kubernetes, the ideal candidate will play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of our platform, demonstrating a strong understanding of system architecture, problem-solving skills, and the ability to guide junior engineers.

As a Platform Engineer within our organization, you will join a team of dedicated unicorns who are focused on advancing freedom and independence globally. Our teams work on various different technical baselines depending on specific engagements. We focus our Products on the Platform layer, but to deliver for our Heroes, we also work IaC automation, security, and implementation.

Responsibilities: 

You will help us automate and build a runtime Production Environment and serve as a link between the Applications, either custom development, COTS, or OSS, and that environment, advocating best practices and facilitating communication between the application teams and platform teams.

In this position, you will be expected to: 

• Validate Solutions/Implementations: Ensure that solutions and implementations align with the outlined tasks and business requirements. Conduct thorough validations to maintain the integrity and efficiency of the platform.
• Independently Problem Solve: Demonstrate the ability to identify and solve business problems independently. Develop small components to address specific challenges without relying on explicit architecture diagrams.
• Understand Medium-Level Tasking: Comprehend how medium-level tasks contribute to the achievement of overall goals. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate various components into a cohesive and functional platform.
• Estimate Time and Effort: Provide accurate time and effort estimates for medium-sized tasks. Assist in project planning and resource allocation based on estimated timelines.
• Demonstrate Programming Language Proficiency: Possess familiarity with at least one programming language. Exhibit a basic understanding of when to use a programming language versus a shell for efficient task execution.

Own the bridge between the Application Development team(s) and the Production Environment

Travel Expectations: 10%-25%

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• Proven experience as a Platform Engineer or similar role, with a focus on system architecture and development.
• Demonstrated experience with cloud-native technologies such as Kubernetes, Google Cloud, and Docker.
• Familiarity with continuous delivery, distributed architectures, systems, everything-as-code, containerization, and cloud services.
• Proficiency in at least one programming language (e.g., Python, Go, Ansible) and a basic understanding of shell scripting.
• Proficient with YAML.
• Experienced in working on a team following an Agile framework in a remote environment.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Experience with security automation and familiarity with API Security, Container Security, and Cloud Security.
• Familiar with architecture security design, monitoring, and performance instrumentation in a complex enterprise environment.
• Comfort with debugging systems and reading/writing code.
• Active Secret clearance required; must be eligible to obtain a TS/SCI clearance.
• Possess a DoD 8570 IAT II certification.
• Experienced in Department of Defense work, specifically working on a production Authority to Operate (ATO'd) system.
• Knowledgeable about DevSecOps/DevOps and CI/CD theory.

EMPLOYER IS A CONTRACTOR FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. THIS POSITION REQUIRES U.S. CITIZENSHIP.

About Defense Unicorns

Defense Unicorns is veteran-founded and mission-driven. The company’s vision is to advance freedom and independence globally by transforming how the U.S. Department of War builds, buys, delivers, and sustains software. We deliver secure, scalable software and AI solutions that function in cloud, on-prem, and tactical edge / air-gapped environments — making software a strategic deterrent for warfighters.

In this role you will join a team building the backbone of modern defense software delivery — helping ensure warfighters can deploy the latest capabilities rapidly, securely, and reliably.

What You’ll Do

• Embed with strategic customers as a technical partner, working from problem discovery to solution implementation and customer adoption.
  
  
• Architect, build, deploy, and operate agentic Generative AI systems: APIs, data processing ETL pipelines, integration layers, Retrieval Augmented Generation, and context engineering.
  
  
• Work in cloud, on-prem, and edge/air-gapped environments to ensure software can run where the mission demands.
  
  
• Prototype and deploy systems leveraging the core products and design patterns of the Unicorn Delivery Service (UDS); bring back insights from the field for continuous product improvement .
  
  
• Scope, sequence, and lead delivery of solutions: define living roadmaps, set priorities, trade off speed vs quality vs scope, work across internal teams and customer stakeholders to drive clarity and remove blockers early.
  
  
• Codify reusable patterns for mission environments: build tools, internal frameworks, playbooks so future deployments are faster, safer, and repeatable.
  
  
• Act as the technical face to customer leadership: communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, build trust, manage expectations, and ensure successful scale and mission adoption.  This is a customer-facing role.
  
  
• Ability and interest to travel up to 25%, as needed to client sites, but flexible based on personal preferences.
  
  

What You’ll Bring

• 3+ years of engineering or technical deployment experience (backend or full-stack), ideally in customer-facing or government environments (DoD, intelligence, public sector) or analogous high-assurance contexts.
  
  
• Strong backend engineering skills: production-grade code in Python or TypeScript; deep familiarity with designing services, APIs, data pipelines, integrations, and backend frameworks.
  
  
• Familiarity with LLMs or generative AI systems — be able to explain the fundamentals of Context Engineering and understand how model behavior connects to product/mission experience, and how AI capabilities integrate into larger system architectures.
  
  
• Strong ability to work in ambiguity: define scope, sequence work, make trade-offs between speed, quality, and scope; remove blockers; deliver under pressure in dynamic mission-driven settings.
  
  
• Excellent communication skills: able to translate complex technical details into clear messaging for non-technical stakeholders; work cross-functionally; build relationships with customers and internal teams.
  
  
• Mission-oriented mindset.  Have an understanding that our work is supporting the defense and freedom of the nation.
  
  
• U.S. Citizenship required; active TS/SCI clearance or eligibility strongly preferred.
  
  

Nice to Have

• Experience with deploying applications on Kubernetes inside of air-gapped or secure environments.  
• Experience with Information Retrieval fundamentals including knowledge of keyword and vector based search, document parsing and chunking, document reranking, and SQL/NoSQL search engines.  
• Experience with developing, executing, and maintaining LLM evaluations. 
• Experience with open source LLM or SLM models (Llama3, Mixtral, Gemma, Phi) including inference frameworks, structured output, fine-tuning, and model architecture reconfiguration. 

Why This Role Matters

As a Forward Deployed AI Engineer at Defense Unicorns, you will directly contribute to accelerating warfighter capability. By working at the intersection of backend software engineering, secure delivery platforms, and mission-driven deployments, you’ll help deliver software updates in minutes instead of months — enabling operational advantage, agility, and freedom for the nation. You will not just build code — you’ll deploy impact where it matters most.

EMPLOYER IS A CONTRACTOR FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. THIS POSITION WILL REQUIRE U.S. CITIZENSHIP.

Please note that eligible Service members must be within 180 days of separating from Service. Based on the evolving needs of our fast paced startup, we recruit for SkillBridge on a rolling basis. Opportunities will be posted as they become available. If no SkillBridge Intern roles are currently posted that are aligned with your experience, no internships are presently available. Please check back periodically to see when relevant opportunities arise.

Role Description: 

We are seeking Platform Engineer SkillBridge interns to join our team in a remote capacity. The ideal candidate will play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of our platform, demonstrating a strong understanding of system architecture, problem-solving skills, and the ability to guide junior engineers. We are seeking an experienced professional who can not only fulfill technical responsibilities but also contribute to the strategic vision and innovation of our products.

You will join a team of talented and dedicated Unicorns who are focused on advancing freedom and independence globally. Our teams are working on architecting, building, and deploying an on-premises platform for hosting cybersecurity applications. 

Responsibilities: 

In this role, your primary responsibilities will include transforming cybersecurity applications into a Kubernetes-friendly format and deploying them within a Kubernetes environment hosted on a bare-metal platform. You will be a crucial link between the Application Development team and the Production Environment, advocating best practices and facilitating communication between the application development teams and platform teams.

In this position, you will be expected to: 

• Contribute to the Strategic Vision: Envision and articulate the long-term vision for our products, creating a path for their evolution. Contribute to the strategic planning that aligns technological advancements with the mission objectives.
• Innovate and Problem Solving: Evaluate and weigh different methods for solving complex business problems with a keen focus on product excellence. Identify innovative solutions and contribute to Defense Unicorns’ open source projects and product repositories.
• Evaluate Products: Assess new products, quickly gaining a deep understanding to make informed decisions on their potential to meet mission needs. Contribute expertise in recognizing gaps in our current processes, articulating these insights for the product backlog.
• Demonstrate Technical Mastery: Solve highly technical problems that span 2-3 knowledge domains, showcasing a broad understanding of diverse technological landscapes. Demonstrate expert knowledge in 1-2 key technologies such as pipelines, GitOps, Kubernetes, Go, or others, contributing to the team's technical excellence.

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise. 

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• Hold or eligible to obtain a Top Secret security clearance.
• Demonstrated ability to contribute to the product vision, strategically aligning technical solutions with long-term objectives.
• Proven track record of evaluating and selecting optimal methods for solving complex business problems.
• Active participant in open source projects and product repositories, showcasing a commitment to industry innovation.
• Experienced at assessing and making decisions on new products, understanding their potential impact on mission objectives.
• Proficient in identifying and articulating gaps in existing processes, shaping the product backlog strategically.
• Expertise in solving highly technical problems that span multiple knowledge domains.
• Deep knowledge in 1-2 key technologies, demonstrating proficiency in areas such as pipelines, GitOps, Kubernetes, Go, or others.
• A critical thinker capable of weighing various methods for solving business problems with a focus on product excellence.
• Experienced in Department of Defense work, specifically working on an Authority to Operate (ATO'd) system.
• Familiar with DoD Weapon Systems and/or Program Management Offices (PMOs).
• Knowledgeable about Cyberspace Operations or Incident Response tools/systems.
• Possess a DoD 8570 IAT II certification.
• Experienced with Big Bang, Iron Bank, and/or C-ATO processes.
• Knowledgeable about DevSecOps/DevOps and CI/CD theory.
• Experienced in working on a team following an Agile framework.
• Comfortable and experienced in working on projects with compliance requirements.
• An advocate for Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and Cybersecurity as Code (CaC).
• Experienced with automated testing.
• Proficient with technologies such as K8s deployment & security, hardware familiarity, full-stack experience, transforming applications into K8s friendly formats, and scripting languages like Python, Go, or Ansible.
• Proficient with YAML.

*Please note that this is an evergreen posting for current and future Air Force Account Executive opportunities at Defense Unicorns. We will reach out to highly qualified candidates as openings arise. 

Role Description:

Defense Unicorns is seeking mission-driven Account Executives to spearhead full-lifecycle capture efforts across the US Air Force. In this high-impact role, you will shape and lead strategic pursuits that align Defense Unicorns’ unique strengths—secure software delivery, DevSecOps, tactical edge enablement, and cybersecurity—with emerging government needs.

You will own the acquisition of new Mission Heroes (what we call our customers) from early qualification through proposal, driving win strategies, forming key partnerships, and aligning technical solutions to mission outcomes. This is a pivotal role within our growth team that directly influences the company’s pipeline, revenue targets, and national security impact.

Responsibilities: 

• Drive new Mission Hero acquisition across the USAF ecosystem, ensuring alignment with Defense Unicorn’s strategic growth objectives and solution capabilities.
• Develop and execute capture plans, win strategies, and competitive positioning to secure new business.
• Engage early with government stakeholders, primes, and ecosystem partners to shape opportunities ahead of solicitation.
• Understand customer pain points, acquisition timelines, and funding paths across multiple branches of the DoD.
• Identify and lead teaming arrangements that enhance technical capabilities, socio-economic positioning, or incumbent advantage.
• Translate technical capabilities—such as the Unicorn Delivery Service (UDS), cATO acceleration, and edge deployments—into persuasive win themes.
• Support RFI/RFP responses with market intelligence, SWOT analysis, and pricing strategy input.
• Prepare regular reports on business development activities, track key performance indicators (KPIs), and analyze the effectiveness of various strategies. Use data-driven insights to refine approaches and achieve better results.
• Represent the company at industry and government events to raise visibility and gather market intelligence.

You are measured by:

• Number and quality of qualified USAF opportunities identified and advanced
• Maturity of pipeline supporting growth goals

• Development and execution of capture strategies, including capture plans, customer shaping, and teaming
• Achievement of annual bookings target
• Contribution to overall proposal win rate and contract awards
• Success in building lasting relationships that lead to competitive advantage

Travel Expectations/Requirements: 20%-30%

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• Proven ability to win complex technical pursuits through the full capture lifecycle.
• Working knowledge of USAF acquisition processes (e.g., FAR-based contracts, OTAs, SBIR, IDIQ).
• Excellent communication, strategic thinking, and leadership skills across technical and executive audiences.
• Experience coordinating multi-disciplinary teams to deliver successful proposals.
• Familiarity with software factory environments, DevSecOps, cybersecurity, or tactical edge deployments is a strong plus.
• Deep USAF operational experience.
  
  
  This position offers a base salary of $145,000 - $185,000. A substantial component of total compensation is based on highly competitive commission on net new ARR, rewarding exceptional performance.

*Please note that this is an evergreen posting for current and future USSOCOM Account Executive opportunities at Defense Unicorns. We will reach out to highly qualified candidates as openings arise. 

Role Description:

Defense Unicorns is seeking mission-driven Account Executives to spearhead full-lifecycle capture efforts across USSOCOM. In this high-impact role, you will shape and lead strategic pursuits that align Defense Unicorns’ unique strengths—secure software delivery, DevSecOps, tactical edge enablement, and cybersecurity—with emerging government needs.

You will own the acquisition of new Mission Heroes (what we call our customers) from early qualification through proposal, driving win strategies, forming key partnerships, and aligning technical solutions to mission outcomes. This is a pivotal role within our growth team that directly influences the company’s pipeline, revenue targets, and national security impact.

Responsibilities: 

• Drive new Mission Hero acquisition across the USSOCOM ecosystem, ensuring alignment with Defense Unicorn’s strategic growth objectives and solution capabilities.
• Develop and execute capture plans, win strategies, and competitive positioning to secure new business.
• Engage early with government stakeholders, primes, and ecosystem partners to shape opportunities ahead of solicitation.
• Understand customer pain points, acquisition timelines, and funding paths across multiple branches of the DoD.
• Identify and lead teaming arrangements that enhance technical capabilities, socio-economic positioning, or incumbent advantage.
• Translate technical capabilities—such as the Unicorn Delivery Service (UDS), cATO acceleration, and edge deployments—into persuasive win themes.
• Support RFI/RFP responses with market intelligence, SWOT analysis, and pricing strategy input.
• Prepare regular reports on business development activities, track key performance indicators (KPIs), and analyze the effectiveness of various strategies. Use data-driven insights to refine approaches and achieve better results.
• Represent the company at industry and government events to raise visibility and gather market intelligence.

You are measured by:

• Number and quality of qualified USSOCOM opportunities identified and advanced
• Maturity of pipeline supporting growth goals

• Development and execution of capture strategies, including capture plans, customer shaping, and teaming
• Achievement of annual bookings target
• Contribution to overall proposal win rate and contract awards
• Success in building lasting relationships that lead to competitive advantage

Travel Expectations/Requirements: 20%-30%

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• Proven ability to win complex technical pursuits through the full capture lifecycle.
• Working knowledge of USSOCOM  acquisition processes (e.g., FAR-based contracts, OTAs, SBIR, IDIQ).
• Excellent communication, strategic thinking, and leadership skills across technical and executive audiences.
• Experience coordinating multi-disciplinary teams to deliver successful proposals.
• Familiarity with software factory environments, DevSecOps, cybersecurity, or tactical edge deployments is a strong plus.
• Deep USSOCOM operational experience.
  
  
  This position offers a base salary of $145,000 - $185,000. A substantial component of total compensation is based on highly competitive commission on net new ARR, rewarding exceptional performance.

EMPLOYER IS A CONTRACTOR FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. THIS POSITION WILL REQUIRE U.S. CITIZENSHIP.

Role Description: 

We are seeking a dynamic and driven Business Development Representative (BDR) to join our team. Highly qualified candidates will have a background in Cyber Operations or Intelligence.

The BDR will play a critical role in identifying, nurturing, and securing new business opportunities within the defense sector. This role requires a strong understanding of the defense tech industry, excellent communication skills, and a passion for building lasting relationships with our customers; Mission Heroes.

Responsibilities: 

• Prospecting and Lead Generation: Identify and research potential customers within the defense sector. Develop and maintain a robust pipeline of qualified leads through various channels, including industry events, online research, and networking.
• Customer Outreach: Initiate contact with potential customers via phone calls, emails, and social media. Engage in meaningful conversations to understand their needs, pain points, and how our solutions can address them.
• Relationship Building: Build and maintain strong relationships with key decision-makers and stakeholders within target organizations. Foster trust and credibility through consistent follow-up and value-added interactions.
• Product Knowledge: Gain a deep understanding of our products and services. Effectively communicate the features, benefits, and value propositions to potential clients.
• Collaboration: Work closely with the business development, marketing, product, and finance teams to develop and execute targeted strategies for entering government markets. Provide feedback and insights to improve sales and marketing efforts.
• Sales Process Management: Manage the sales process from initial contact to qualified opportunity. Track and report on sales activities, pipeline status, and progress toward targets.
• Market Intelligence: Stay informed about industry trends, competitive landscape, and market conditions. Use this information to refine and adapt sales strategies.

Travel Expectations/Requirements: 20%-35%

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise. 

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• 4+ years of experience in business development, sales, or a related role within the defense tech industry.
• 7+ years of experience within the DoD as a Cyber or Intelligence practitioner. 
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills. Ability to articulate complex technical concepts to a variety of audiences.
• Strong understanding of the defense tech industry, including key players, market trends, and procurement processes.
• Proven ability to build and maintain relationships with clients and stakeholders. Strong networking skills.
• Highly motivated, proactive, and results-oriented. Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Familiarity with CRM software and sales tools. 

Why You’ll Love This Role

Impact: Your work directly helps teams deliver secure software faster by creating opportunities that wouldn’t exist otherwise.

Mission-driven team: Work alongside technologists, veterans, and operators united by a shared mission.

Flexibility: Remote-first culture with the autonomy to work where you’re most effective.

Growth: Opportunities to expand your skills across business development, partnerships, and strategy.

Culture: We lead with kindness, trust, and speed—and we mean it.

*Please note that this is an evergreen posting for future Navy Account Executive opportunities at Defense Unicorns. We will reach out to highly qualified candidates as openings arise. 

Role Description:

Defense Unicorns is seeking mission-driven Account Executives to spearhead full-lifecycle capture efforts across the Navy ecosystem. In this high-impact role, you will shape and lead strategic pursuits that align Defense Unicorns’ unique strengths—secure software delivery, DevSecOps, tactical edge enablement, and cybersecurity—with emerging government needs.

You will own the acquisition of new Mission Heroes (what we call our customers) from early qualification through proposal, driving win strategies, forming key partnerships, and aligning technical solutions to mission outcomes. This is a pivotal role within our growth team that directly influences the company’s pipeline, revenue targets, and national security impact.

Responsibilities: 

• Drive new Mission Hero acquisition across the Navy ecosystem, ensuring alignment with Defense Unicorn’s strategic growth objectives and solution capabilities.
• Develop and execute capture plans, win strategies, and competitive positioning to secure new business.
• Engage early with government stakeholders, primes, and ecosystem partners to shape opportunities ahead of solicitation.
• Understand customer pain points, acquisition timelines, and funding paths across multiple branches of the DoD.
• Identify and lead teaming arrangements that enhance technical capabilities, socio-economic positioning, or incumbent advantage.
• Translate technical capabilities—such as the Unicorn Delivery Service (UDS), cATO acceleration, and edge deployments—into persuasive win themes.
• Support RFI/RFP responses with market intelligence, SWOT analysis, and pricing strategy input.
• Prepare regular reports on business development activities, track key performance indicators (KPIs), and analyze the effectiveness of various strategies. Use data-driven insights to refine approaches and achieve better results.
• Represent the company at industry and government events to raise visibility and gather market intelligence.

You are measured by:

• Number and quality of qualified Navy opportunities identified and advanced.
• Maturity of pipeline supporting growth goals.

• Development and execution of capture strategies, including capture plans, customer shaping, and teaming.
• Achievement of annual bookings target.
• Contribution to overall proposal win rate and contract awards.
• Success in building lasting relationships that lead to competitive advantage.

Travel Expectations/Requirements: 20%-30%

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• Proven ability to win complex technical pursuits through the full capture lifecycle.
• Working knowledge of Navy acquisition processes (e.g., FAR-based contracts, OTAs, SBIR, IDIQ).
• Excellent communication, strategic thinking, and leadership skills across technical and executive audiences.
• Experience coordinating multi-disciplinary teams to deliver successful proposals.
• Familiarity with software factory environments, DevSecOps, cybersecurity, or tactical edge deployments is a strong plus.
• Deep Cyber operational experience.
  
  
  This position offers a base salary of $145,000 - $185,000. A substantial component of total compensation is based on highly competitive commission on net new ARR, rewarding exceptional performance.

EMPLOYER IS A CONTRACTOR FOR THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. THIS POSITION REQUIRES U.S. CITIZENSHIP.

Role Description: 

As a Solutions Architect at Defense Unicorns, you'll serve as the primary technical point of contact during customer engagements, working closely with business development, engineering, and product teams to ensure that our offerings are both compelling and relevant to our government and defense customers.

This role combines deep technical knowledge with strong communication and problem-solving skills. You’ll be responsible for delivering live product demos, maintaining infrastructure for proof-of-concept environments, and supporting the long and complex sales cycles typical in the defense sector. Your mission is to ensure that prospective customers not only understand what our technology does, but believe in what it can do for them.

This is a hands-on, customer-facing role ideal for someone who thrives in fast-paced, evolving environments and is passionate about making a tangible impact on national security through technology.

Responsibilities: 

• Act as a trusted advisor for customers and their technical needs, challenges, and goals during pre-sales engagements
• Participate in sales calls and business development meetings, often as the primary technical contact; travel as required to support on-site engagements
• Discover real mission needs beyond surface-level requirements; ask probing questions to understand the core mission challenges and align our solutions accordingly
• Architect solutions based on potential customer requirements and articulate those solutions
• Maintain technical demo environments and lead live, hands-on demonstrations of our UDS Core platform and capabilities
• Build and deliver technical proof-of-concepts, including live installations and technical walkthroughs to validate platform capabilities in real time
• Support the long defense sales process by staying engaged by delivering small proof-of-concepts, follow-up demos, and ongoing pre-sales technical support

The listed responsibilities are not exhaustive and additional responsibilities may be assigned based on the evolving needs of the organization. We are seeking a dynamic individual who is able to adapt and take on new responsibilities as they arise. 

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• Strong understanding of Kubernetes, cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure), and automation tools (Terraform, OpenTofu, etc.)
• Ability to clearly explain complex systems to a variety of audiences, from deeply technical engineers to non-technical stakeholders
• Comfortable doing live deployments, troubleshooting in real time, and adjusting depth on the fly depending on the room’s technical background
• Able to read the room, admit mistakes, pivot as needed, and keep demos engaging and informative
• Collaborative by nature to play well with cross-functional teams and prepare with your sales counterparts to tailor your approach for every engagement
• Proactive and self-directed in building and maintaining infrastructure, finding answers, and pushing opportunities forward even when it gets hard
• Passionate about the national security mission and motivated by the opportunity to make a real impact, solving real problems for people in mission-critical roles