Summer 2026

Skillbridge Intern

Platform Engineer

Defense Unicorns

Defense Unicorns

51-200 employees

Secure DevSecOps platform for defense

No salary listed

No H1B Sponsorship

Remote in USA

Remote

US Citizenship, US Top Secret Clearance Required

Category
DevOps & Infrastructure (1)
Required Skills
Kubernetes
Docker
Go
DevOps

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Requirements
  • U.S. citizenship is required.
Responsibilities
  • Transform cybersecurity applications into a Kubernetes-friendly format and deploy them within a Kubernetes environment hosted on a bare-metal platform.
  • 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.
  • 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.
Desired 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 Information Assurance Technical 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 and Cybersecurity as Code.
  • Experienced with automated testing.
  • Proficient with technologies such as Kubernetes deployment and security, hardware familiarity, full-stack experience, transforming applications into Kubernetes-friendly formats, and scripting languages like Python, Go, or Ansible.
  • Proficient with YAML.

Defense Unicorns provides secure, open-source DevSecOps solutions and related services for defense and federal customers. Its platform is designed to be infrastructure-agnostic, integrating development, security, and operations to deliver software quickly while meeting strict federal security and accreditation standards. The company differentiates itself by focusing on mission-driven government and defense programs, leveraging open-source tooling, and offering training and consulting to help organizations upskill, transform digitally, and navigate DoD SBIR/STTR programs. The goal is to help government agencies and defense contractors deliver secure software at speed, acquire and integrate software solutions efficiently, and achieve compliance in complex procurement environments.

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

Series B

Total Funding

$171.5M

Headquarters

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Founded

2021

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • UDS Tactical Edge delivers minutes-updates to drones, submarines, and aircraft via Starlink or offline[1][4][14].
  • $300M DoD contract covers software and GenAI in classified, air-gapped environments[3][5].
  • 300% year-over-year growth in military system adoption post-$136M Series B at $1B valuation[1][5].

What critics are saying

  • Red Hat/IBM open-source dominance erodes UDS moat with 45–60% probability in 12–18 months[1][2].
  • DoD may cede Airgap App Store to AWS/Azure Government Airgap marketplaces within 9–15 months[1].
  • BAE Systems/SIAC tactical edge platforms with embedded ATO undercut UDS Fleet in 12–24 months[3][6].

What makes Defense Unicorns unique

  • UDS is airgap-native, open-source, and infrastructure-agnostic for secure military software delivery[1][2].
  • UDS Fleet enables centralized tactical edge fleet management via Fleet Connect and Fleet Command[3][13].
  • UDS Army cuts Authorization to Operate time from 18 months to 2 weeks[5][11].

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

401(k) Company Match

Unlimited Paid Time Off

Paid Parental Leave

Home Office Stipend

Conference Attendance Budget

Professional Development Budget

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

-1%

1 year growth

-1%

2 year growth

4%
PR Newswire
Mar 18th, 2026
F-22 Raptor receives software updates in minutes via Defense Unicorns delivery system

Defense Unicorns, in partnership with the Air Force Sustainment Center Software Directorate, has successfully demonstrated rapid software deployment on the F-22 Raptor at Edwards Air Force Base. The technology enabled software installation and upgrades in the aircraft's open mission system in minutes, compared to the months traditionally required. The demonstration used Defense Unicorns' Unicorn Delivery Service (UDS), which allows secure deployment of modern software to military systems. The technology will eventually enable pilots and maintainers to update software capabilities directly on the aircraft, ensuring they have the latest tools for each mission. The F-22 joins several other Department of War aircraft using UDS. The system's open, modular design allows software capabilities to be readily installed on other fourth, fifth and sixth-generation aircraft with compatible environments.

PR Newswire
Feb 19th, 2026
Defense Unicorns and US Army slash software security approval time from 18 months to 2 weeks

Defense Unicorns has partnered with the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command C5ISR Center to launch UDS Army, a platform designed to accelerate secure software delivery to soldiers. The system aims to reduce the Authorization to Operate process from 12-18 months to as little as two weeks whilst cutting compliance costs by over 70%. UDS Army provides commercial vendors with pre-authorised Microsoft Azure Government cloud environments at Impact Levels 4 and 5, combining automated security scanning with continuous compliance monitoring. The platform includes an Army App Marketplace and sandbox trial environments, enabling programme managers to test applications before acquisition. Six companies, including HERE, Kana Systems and Sandtable, are already onboarding. Defense Unicorns, founded in 2021, specialises in airgap software delivery for national security systems.

PR Newswire
Jan 13th, 2026
Defense Unicorns reaches $1B valuation with $136M Series B to modernise US military software delivery

Defense Unicorns, a provider of airgap software delivery systems for military applications, has raised $136 million in a Series B round led by Bain Capital, achieving unicorn status with a valuation exceeding $1 billion. The company has experienced 300% year-over-year growth in military system adoption. Founded in 2021, Defense Unicorns develops open-source technology enabling secure software deployment across disconnected military environments, including submarines, ships and forward operating bases. Its Unicorn Delivery Service platform allows rapid software updates in environments with limited or no connectivity. Participants in the round include Ansa Capital, Sapphire Ventures, Valor Equity Partners and former CIA Director David Petraeus. The funding will support scaling of three strategic products: UDS runtime platform, UDS Registry for software supply chain security, and UDS Army for commercial vendor integration.

Cheyenne Ventures
Aug 22nd, 2025
Defense Unicorns Accelerates Secure Software Delivery with RapidFort

Defense Unicorns has partnered with RapidFort to accelerate secure software delivery for national security missions.

PR Newswire
May 13th, 2025
Defense Unicorns Crushes Cmmc Level 2 Certification With Zero Findings

Defense Unicorns Crushes CMMC Level 2 Certification with Zero POAMsOperating The Way They Preserve Speed, Delivery, and Mission ImpactCOLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., May 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Defense Unicorns, a veteran-owned defense tech startup focused on making software a strategic deterrent, announced it has earned final CMMC Level 2 certification, with zero Plans of Action and Milestones (POAMs). This milestone authorizes the company to manage Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) under 32 CFR and prepares it for forthcoming 48 CFR enforcement. More significantly, it demonstrates Defense Unicorns' commitment to protecting the nation by securing mission-critical data and ensuring secure operations across all mission environments. "Achieving our certification with modern tools and a good unicorn experience is massive and puts us at the forefront of defense companies," said Jeff McCoy, CTO of Defense Unicorns. "There have only been about 130 CMMC assessments across the DIB this year, and they have a 50 percent pass rate. The DoD estimates there are 76,000 companies that need to attain CMMC, and many 3PAOs are booked for a year