Platform Engineer, Defense Unicorns
$148.8-201.3k
Software for national security systems
Be an early applicant
Software for national security systems
101-200 employees
Be an early applicant
$148.8-201.3k
101-200 employees
Company mission
To create software to solve the unique challenges experienced by the government.
Role
Who you are
- Expertise in solving technical problems that span multiple knowledge domains
- Deep knowledge in 1-2 key technologies, demonstrating proficiency in areas such as full-stack application development, GitOps, Kubernetes, Tofu, AWS, Go, or others
- Experience working with YAML to create Kubernetes manifests, Kubernetes CRDs, and pipeline configurations
- Proficient with security automation and familiarity with API Security, Container Security, and Cloud Security
- Proficient in architecture security design, monitoring, and performance instrumentation in a complex enterprise environment
- Experience with continuous delivery, distributed architectures, systems, everything-as-code, containerization, and cloud services
- Experienced in working on a team following an Agile framework in a remote environment. Comfortable leading a team, as required
- Proficient in identifying and articulating gaps in existing processes, helping us iterate to better ways of working
- Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently
- Proven track record of evaluating and selecting optimal methods for solving complex technical problems
- Experienced at assessing and making decisions on new products, understanding their potential impact on mission objectives
- Ability to mentor, develop and grow junior level engineers in their role through pairing and code reviews
- Hold a security clearance/Eligible to apply for a security clearance
- Possess or ability to obtain a DoD 8570 IAT II certification
- Experienced in Department of Defense work, specifically working on a production Authority to Operate (ATO'd) system
- Experienced with UDS Core, Iron Bank, and/or C-ATO processes
- If you are a skilled Platform Engineer looking to contribute to the growth and success of a dynamic organization, we invite you to apply and join our team
What the job involves
- We are seeking a talented Platform Engineer to join the Navy Delivery team, which translates to a mix of a DevOps and a platform application security team
- 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 other engineers
- An experienced professional who can fulfill both technical responsibilities and contribute to the strategic vision and innovation of our products will succeed in this role
- 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 may also work on CI/CD components, runner deployments and maintenance, UDS packaging, and automating processes
- You will serve as a crucial link between applications, either custom development, COTS, or OSS, and the Navy platform environment, advocating best practices and facilitating communication between application teams and platform teams
- Innovate and Solve Problems: Evaluate and weigh different methods for solving complex technical problems; identify innovative solutions
- Demonstrate Technical Skill: Solve 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 full-stack application development, CI/CD, GitOps, Kubernetes, Tofu, AWS, Go, or others, contributing to the team's technical excellence
- Influence the Strategic Vision: Contribute to the strategic planning that aligns technological advancements with the mission objectives
- Exhibit strong programming skills and deep familiarity with Linux/Unix operating systems
- Implement infrastructure as code and contribute to the build/maintenance of kubernetes clusters on various distributions (i.e EKS & RKE2)
- Apply extensive experience with cloud native technology deployments, emphasizing secure coding practices and vulnerability remediation
- Build relationships with external teams and collaborate with other platform teams
- 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
Our take
Military defence technology is having to adapt at a quickening pace. However, innovations in the tech sector, outdated technology, varied compute environments, and complex security and compliance issues create lags in new defence technology. Defense Unicorns is an open-source tech developer aiming to minimise this lag.
Founded by former Department of Defense software engineers, Defense Unicorns uses AI and innovative software to create military technology for various uses and combat landscapes. The company is particularly focused on tech that can be used in “air-gapped” areas - those that are disconnected from the internet.
In terms of the company's future position in the market, Defense Unicorns received $136 million in Series B funding in 2026. This will be used to expand its services for the US and allied military systems, and signifies a rapidly changing combat landscape set against an unpredictable global backdrop, one in which Defense Unicorns has the chance to be an important player.
Kirsty
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
Company
Funding (last 2 of 3 rounds)
Jan 2026
$136m
SERIES B
Feb 2024
$35m
SERIES A
Total funding: $171.5m
Company benefits
- Medical/Dental/Vision (premiums are 100% company paid)
- Health reimbursement account
- Life insurance & disability insurance
- 401k with employer contribution (regardless of employee contribution)
- Company stock options
- Home office setup budget
- Unlimited paid time off, with a mandatory 10 days off on top of 11 federal government holidays
- Paid parental leave
- Reimbursement for approved trainings/subscriptions
- Conferences (travel, lodging, and fees)
Company HQ
Southeast Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO
Leadership
Robert Slaughter
(Co-Founder & CEO)Works as a Trainer at Project Blue. Previously the Director of DoD Platform One, a Counselor at SpaceCAMP, and worked in DevOps for the US Airforce.
Andrew Greene
(Co-Founder & Engineer)Previously worked for DoD Platform One. Was also a Software Engineer at Omitron and at SGT.
Jeff McCoy
(Co-Founder & CTO)Previously Co-Founder and CTO at Platform One, Was also CTO at SpaceCAMP, Senior Software Engineer at Defense Innovation Unit, and Co-Founder at DDS Rogue Squadron.
Share this job
View 19 more jobs at Defense Unicorns