DevOps Engineer

Location: Onsite — Austin, TX

Employment Type: Direct Hire, Full-Time

Job Title: DevOps Engineer

About 9 Mothers

The modern battlefield has changed. Cheap, autonomous suicide drones have turned the tactical advantage upside down, and the world is looking for a solution. At 9 Mothers, we aren’t just "innovating"—we are building the shield.

Backed by top-tier investors, we develop AI powered machines designed to intercept and neutralize Group 1/sUAS threats in real-time. Our flagship product is a low-power, counter-drone system built for the edge—on vehicles, at bases, or in a soldier's pack.

Why 9 Mothers?

While others build for "awareness" or "long-term research," we build for the immediate survival of those in harm’s way. We are a team of hackers, engineers, and mission-driven builders who value field-ready capability over polished slide decks. If you want to see your code or hardware in the field next month—not next year—this is your playground.

Position Summary

9 Mothers is hiring a DevOps Engineer to support a rapidly growing defense engineering team. In this broad-scope IC role, you will automate fleet deployment activities, build low-latency CI/CD pipelines, and manage internal tooling to keep our software, hardware, and mechanical engineers operating at maximum velocity.

From configuring AI-driven internal workflows and custom LLM agent tools to managing build runners, edge deployment targets (NVIDIA Jetson), and infrastructure environments, you will serve as a resourceful problem solver capable of tackling dynamic priorities in a fast-moving defense startup environment.

Essential Duties

• Fleet Deployment & Hardware/Software Integration: Automate hardware fleet deployment activities and troubleshoot complex software, hardware, edge compute, and networking issues across our platform.

• Automated CI/CD & Build Infrastructure: Create and maintain modern GitHub Actions workflows, manage organizational repositories and rulesets, and build composable test environments, simulation harnesses, and release pipelines.

• AI Tooling & Workflow Automation: Automate traditional IT and engineering tasks using AI-based workflows, build internal AI agents, and configure custom Claude skills and plugins to boost cross-functional staff productivity.

• SaaS, Identity & Access Management: Manage internal system integrations, configure SSO/SAML policies, and oversee identity and access controls.

• Infrastructure as Code & Environments: Provision and maintain infrastructure using composable configurations across cloud environments, internal lab setups, and developer workstations.

• Compliance & Security Hardening: Enforce security best practices, access controls, and repository governance compliant with defense and export control standards.

Requirements

• Core Systems Experience: 5+ years of hands-on technical experience in DevOps, infrastructure, or systems administration.

• Linux Shell & Networking: Highly comfortable working in a Linux shell environment with a strong understanding of TCP/IP networking, routing, and system diagnostics.

• Build & Automation Tooling: Solid experience with configuration management tools, modern build pipelines, and GitHub Actions workflow development. Experience building or integrating custom LLM tools, Claude skills, or AI agents into daily workflows.

• Independence & Problem Solving: Resourceful self-starter comfortable operating independently, taking ownership of ambiguous tasks, and navigating changing priorities with limited oversight.

• Familiarity with NVIDIA Jetson: Hands-on experience with NVIDIA Jetson platforms (Orin, JetPack) or embedded Linux edge targets.

• Compliance: This position requires access to export-controlled information under ITAR. Only U.S. citizens are permitted. Must be willing to submit a background check.

Nice-to-Have

• Experience in a regulated, ITAR, CMMC, or compliance-bound defense environment.

• Cloud administration experience on Azure and familiarity with Entra ID (formerly Azure AD).

• Active security clearance or eligibility to obtain one.

Benefits

• Meaningful Early Equity: You aren't just an employee; you are a foundational owner. Your contributions directly drive the value of your stake in the company.

• Direct Roadmap Influence: Forget the bureaucracy of big defense. You will have a seat at the table, directly shaping our product and technology trajectory from day one.

• Mission-Critical Work: We don't build for "what if." We build systems the Department of War actively needs to counter immediate, real-world threats.

• The Builder's Playground: Work in a brand-new lab fully optimized for rapid prototyping, equipped with NVIDIA Jetsons, high-end scopes, and 3-D printers.

• 100% Employer-Paid Premiums: We cover 100% of your medical, dental, and vision insurance premiums and cover 50% of healthcare premiums for your dependents.

• Unlimited PTO: We value results, not clock-watching. Take the time you need to stay sharp and recharge.

• Zero Red Tape: You report to the founders. You have the autonomy to make technical decisions that would take months of committee approval at a larger firm.

• Austin-Based Culture: Join an onsite team in Austin, TX, where we prioritize high-bandwidth collaboration and rapid field-testing.

• Relocation Assistance: We want the best talent in the room. If you aren't in Austin yet, we’ll help you get here, to make your transition to the Silicon Hills seamless.

About the Interview

1. Phone call with recruiter (30 min)

2. First Round Virtual Interview (2 hour 15 min total) via MS Teams

   • Part 1 (1 hour) - An evaluation of your core technical skills to confirm alignment with the required technical knowledge for this role.

   • Interview Break (15 min) - A quick pause to step away and grab a glass of water.

   • Part 2 (1 hour) - A deep dive into your hands-on experience with relevant technologies to explore your specific domain expertise.

3. 2nd/Final Round Interview (6 hours) onsite in Austin, TX

   • Hands-on Working Session (3 hours) - You’ll work through a small project alongside our team. We’ll look at how you approach problem-solving, leverage resources, and collaborate with team members to reach a solution.

   • Architecture Discussion (1-2 hours) - A discussion focused on big-picture thinking—evaluating how components interact, system design considerations, and architectural recommendations.

   • Wrap-up Conversations (30 min-1 hr) - Two 1:1 individual conversations to discuss team fit and address any questions you have for us.

4. Reference Checks & Offer

Export Control

This position may require access to information or technology subject to U.S. export control laws and regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). U.S. citizenship is required.