Principal DevOps Engineer

The future of aerospace and defense starts here. 

Ursa Major was founded to revolutionize how America and its allies access and apply high-performance propulsion, from hypersonics to solid rocket motors, satellite maneuvering and launch. We design and deliver propulsion and defense systems that solve the most urgent and critical national security demands. 

Ursa Major is bringing a new model to propulsion and defense technology: one where performance and access are no longer constrained by legacy systems. We design, build, and deploy advanced propulsion systems that power national security missions, hypersonic capabilities, and the future of space access. 

Our mission requires an extraordinary team-one that will mold tomorrow’s critical technologies while deploying today’s best. We are an intrinsically motivated team with a passion for solving complex technical problems and empowering each other every day, knowing that there is always room for growth. 

As a Principal DevOps Engineer  within our Digital Operations team, you won’t just be managing servers or responding to deployment tickets. You will be a principal technical leader and system architect responsible for owning and shaping Ursa Major’s platform engineering, infrastructure automation, and software deployment strategies across cloud, on-premise, and manufacturing environments. 

Sitting at the vital intersection of Software Engineering, IT, Zero-Trust Networking, Digital Manufacturing, and Cybersecurity, you will build the foundational platforms that empower our engineering and manufacturing teams to design, test, and deliver mission-critical systems faster and more reliably. As Ursa Major expands, you will decompose complex technical challenges, author clear architecture designs, and drive pragmatic, high-impact solutions that connect our cloud environments directly to physical manufacturing and test-bench hardware. 

Responsibilities:  

• Platform Architecture & Developer Experience  

• Lead the research, design, and continuous improvement of platform infrastructure, software deployment, and Developer Experience (DX) across the enterprise. 

• Decompose complex infrastructure problems into maintainable systems; author clear technical design documents and lead cross-functional teams through execution. 

• Act as a strategic connector between Software Engineering, IT, and Networking to unify tooling, share infrastructure patterns, and eliminate operational silos. 

• Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC), GitOps & High Availability (HA)  

• Advance our declarative Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) and GitOps practices (using Terraform, Helm, and ArgoCD/Flux) to deliver fully automated, drift-free application lifecycles across Azure GovCloud and AWS GovCloud. 

• Extend containerization and orchestration (Kubernetes, Docker) beyond cloud environments into on-premise test benches, shop-floor PCs, and edge manufacturing hardware in alignment with our CMMC Level 2 hybrid strategy. 

• Own Disaster Recovery (DR) and Business Continuity (BC) architecture-maintaining automated backup and failover capabilities that keep critical system recovery times measured in minutes, not days. 

• DevSecOps & AI Pipeline Integration  

• Partner with Cybersecurity and Zero-Trust teams to integrate automated vulnerability scanning, secrets management, and policy-as-code guardrails directly into CI/CD workflows without introducing developer friction. 

• Architect and support automated pipelines for hosted and private AI models, enabling software and engineering teams to leverage high-throughput AI capabilities safely within our secure compliance boundary. 

• Maintain continuous telemetry, metrics, and alerting frameworks (Prometheus, Grafana) to give engineers real-time visibility into application performance and pipeline health. 

• Leadership, Mentorship & Impact  

• Frame all technical initiatives in terms of maximum impact on overall business health, execution speed, and system reliability. 

• Mentor and elevate engineers across the software and IT organizations, fostering a culture of analytical, value-driven problem-solving. 

• Function as a top-level technical decision-maker, managing high-ambiguity challenges with high autonomy while maintaining psychological safety and clear standards of excellence 

Minimum Qualifications:  

• 8+ years of professional DevOps, SRE, or Infrastructure/Platform Engineering experience, with a proven track record of principal-level technical leadership and system architecture. 

• Hands-on mastery of Azure GovCloud and/or AWS GovCloud environments, with deep expertise in VPC networking, IAM, and cloud-native security controls. 

• Advanced proficiency in Terraform, Docker, Kubernetes, Helm, and continuous delivery via GitOps patterns (ArgoCD, GitHub Actions, or Flux). 

• Direct experience architecting high-availability systems, automated DR solutions, and telemetry suites (Prometheus, Grafana). 

• Practical experience configuring automated container/code and centralized secrets management (AWS/Azure Key Vaults, HashiCorp Vault). 

• Experience automating, deploying, or supporting hosted AI model integrations within production CI/CD pipelines. 

• A proactive problem solver who builds trust across teams, rejects black-and-white thinking, and focuses on enabling business outcomes. 

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Familiarity with NIST SP 800-171 / CMMC Level 2 compliance standards and securing CUI data flows. 

• Experience with Artifactory, SonarQube, Open Policy Agent (OPA), Kyverno, or automated Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) tooling. 

• Experience automating physical hardware, edge nodes, or shop-floor environments using Packer, Ansible, K3s, or Rancher. 

• Experience orchestrating self-hosted or private AI model execution frameworks. 

• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance. 

Colorado law requires us to tell you the base compensation range of this role, which is $175,000 - $215,000, determined by your education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities. The salary range for this role is intentionally wide as we are evaluating individuals based on their unique experience and abilities to fit our needs. Most importantly, we are excited to meet you and see if you are a great fit for our team. What we can’t quantify for you are the exciting challenges, supportive team, and amazing culture we enjoy. 

Classification: Full-Time, Exempt 

Benefits Include: (Please note, Interns are not eligible for benefits)

• Unlimited PTO - Vacation, Sick, Personal, and Bereavement
• Paid Parental and Adoptive Leave
• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Tax Advantage Accounts (HSA/FSA)
• Employer Paid Short and Long Term Disability, Basic Life, AD&D
• Additional Benefit Options Including Voluntary Life and Emergency Medical Transport
• EAP Program
• Retirement Savings Plan - 401k with Company Match

How To Apply: 

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply by filling out the application below and clicking "Submit Application". This position will be posted for a minimum of 3 days and will remain open until filled or adjusted based on the volume of applicants.

NOTE: Research suggests that women and BIPOC individuals may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage anyone who believes they have the skills and the drive necessary to succeed here to apply for this role.

Must be a U.S. Person (this includes U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents).

Eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance. 

We’re an equal-opportunity employer. You will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.

No outside recruiters, please.