Senior Software Engineer – Virtual Machines

Defense Unicorns

. Build Kubernetes tooling and APIs for orchestrating and managing virtual machine workloads .

Posted 10/22/2026full-timeRemote • United StatesSenior💰 $148,750 - $201,250 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in building and managing Kubernetes tooling and APIs, with a strong focus on virtual machine lifecycle management, security, and observability. Proficient in Go programming and experienced in designing complex software systems that integrate with distributed environments.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Kubernetes Tooling DevelopmentGo Programming LanguageAPI Design and System ArchitectureVirtual Machine Lifecycle ManagementDebugging Across System Boundaries

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

KubernetesGoAPI DesignBackend Services DevelopmentLinux SystemsVirtualization TechnologiesSoftware TestingCLI Tool DevelopmentVM Image ManagementKubernetes Operators

Soft Skills

Problem-SolvingCommunicationCollaborationMentoringNavigating Ambiguity

Tools & Technologies

KubeVirtQEMU/KVMWindows Virtual MachinesZarfOCI Artifacts

Industry Keywords

Distributed SystemsSoftware ReliabilitySecurity-Focused SoftwareObservability PlatformsAir-Gapped Environments

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

Distributed SystemsKubernetesLinuxGo

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Build Kubernetes tooling and APIs for orchestrating and managing virtual machine workloads
Build tooling to inspect, convert, prepare, and package VM images for disconnected delivery
Integrate virtual machine workloads with UDS networking, observability, and security capabilities
Create VM management workflows for inventory, status, power controls, and console access
Solve problems across VM lifecycle, persistent storage, networking, and image distribution
Make VM deployments reproducible, secure, and supportable in air-gapped environments
Work with Product, UX, and Mission Heroes to turn operational needs into useful product capabilities
Own the design, implementation, testing, and delivery of complex software features and systems
Drive technical decisions and contribute to architecture across product components
Identify and resolve ambiguity with Product, UX, and Mission Heroes
Debug complex issues across Kubernetes, virtualization, storage, networking, and operating systems
Improve software reliability, security, performance, observability, and maintainability
Review code, mentor teammates, and establish strong engineering practices
Document technical decisions and collaborate across teams

Requirements

What you’ll need

U.S. citizenship required
5+ years of professional software engineering experience
Strong proficiency in Go or another modern programming language, with an interest in developing Go-based systems
Experience designing and building software that interacts with Kubernetes or other distributed systems
Strong understanding of APIs, system design, and software architecture
Experience developing backend services, controllers, operators, or developer tooling
Familiarity with Linux systems, containers, and operating system concepts
Experience building, testing, and operating production software
Ability to navigate ambiguity, evaluate technical tradeoffs, and independently drive complex work to completion
Strong problem-solving skills and ability to debug across multiple system boundaries
Excellent communication and collaboration skills, including the ability to influence technical direction and mentor other engineers
Travel expectation/requirement: 5–10%
Great to have: experience with KubeVirt, QEMU/KVM, or other virtualization technologies
Great to have: experience developing Kubernetes operators, controllers, or CRDs
Great to have: experience configuring, managing, or troubleshooting Windows virtual machines
Great to have: familiarity with VM image formats, conversion, migration, and lifecycle management
Great to have: experience with Kubernetes networking and storage
Great to have: experience building CLI tools, particularly in Go
Great to have: familiarity with Zarf, OCI artifacts, or software packaging and distribution
Great to have: experience working in air-gapped, disconnected, or regulated environments
Great to have: contributions to Kubernetes, KubeVirt, or other CNCF open-source projects
Great to have: experience building security-focused software or integrating systems with identity, access control, and observability platforms

Benefits

Comp & perks

Medical/Dental/Vision
Premiums are 100% Company Paid
Health Savings Account
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance
401k Retirement Plan
Company Stock Options
Home Office Budget
Flexible Time Off (FTO)
Federal Holidays
One week for Thanksgiving
Two weeks for Christmas and New Year’s
Paid Parental Leave
Reimbursement for approved trainings/subscriptions
Conferences (travel, lodging, and fees)