DevOps Engineer

9 Mothers • Austin, TX

15d • $100,000 - $140,000 • Onsite

About The Position

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.

Requirements

• 2+ years of hands-on technical experience in DevOps, infrastructure, or systems administration.
• Highly comfortable working in a Linux shell environment with a strong understanding of TCP/IP networking, routing, and system diagnostics.
• Solid experience with configuration management tools, modern build pipelines, and GitHub Actions workflow development.
• Resourceful self-starter comfortable operating independently, taking ownership of ambiguous tasks, and navigating changing priorities with limited oversight.
• 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 Haves

• Experience in a regulated, ITAR, CMMC, or compliance-bound defense environment.
• Hands-on experience with NVIDIA Jetson platforms (Orin, JetPack) or embedded Linux edge targets.
• Cloud administration experience on Azure and familiarity with Entra ID (formerly Azure AD).
• Experience building or integrating custom LLM tools, Claude skills, or AI agents into daily workflows.
• Active security clearance or eligibility to obtain one.

Responsibilities

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

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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed