diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index bab19f1a6a..d38ac51aa8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -248,8 +248,12 @@ This backend is under active development and must be explicitly enabled.
 uv pip install "hermes-agent[nomad]"
 
 # Start Nomad (dev mode)
+# Docker driver:
 nomad agent -dev -config=nomad-dev.hcl
 
+# Apptainer/raw_exec driver (draft):
+# nomad agent -dev -config=nomad-singularity.hcl
+
 # Build sandbox-server image
 docker build -t hermes-sandbox:local -f tools/sandbox/Dockerfile .
 
@@ -258,9 +262,14 @@ export TERMINAL_ENV=nomad
 export TERMINAL_NOMAD_ADDRESS=http://localhost:4646
 export TERMINAL_NOMAD_JOB_ID=hermes-sandbox
 export TERMINAL_NOMAD_IMAGE=hermes-sandbox:local
+export TERMINAL_NOMAD_DRIVER=docker        # or: raw_exec (Apptainer draft)
 export TERMINAL_NOMAD_SLOTS=10
 export TERMINAL_NOMAD_MIN=1
 export TERMINAL_NOMAD_MAX=10
+
+# raw_exec only:
+# export TERMINAL_NOMAD_APPTAINER_IMAGE=/path/to/hermes-sandbox.sif
+# export TERMINAL_NOMAD_RAW_EXEC_PORT=8080
 ```
 
 **Sudo Support:** If a command needs sudo, you'll be prompted for your password (cached for the session). Or set `SUDO_PASSWORD` in `~/.hermes/.env`.
diff --git a/nomad-singularity.hcl b/nomad-singularity.hcl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..97150de4db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nomad-singularity.hcl
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# Nomad Configuration for Singularity/Apptainer Sandbox
+# Run with: nomad agent -dev -config=nomad-singularity.hcl
+#
+# This enables the raw_exec driver, which can be used to run Apptainer
+# commands on hosts where Docker is unavailable.
+#
+# NOTE: Hermes-Agent's Nomad backend support is draft; this file is provided
+# as a starting point for local testing.
+
+client {
+  enabled = true
+
+  options {
+    "driver.raw_exec.enable" = "1"
+  }
+}
+
+plugin "raw_exec" {
+  config {
+    enabled = true
+  }
+}
+
+# If you have a dedicated Nomad Singularity/Apptainer driver plugin installed,
+# you can configure that instead of raw_exec.
diff --git a/tools/nomad_slotpool.py b/tools/nomad_slotpool.py
index 75581cf9dd..d8070874ef 100644
--- a/tools/nomad_slotpool.py
+++ b/tools/nomad_slotpool.py
@@ -173,8 +173,62 @@ def create_sandbox_job(
     memory: int,
     port: int = 8080,
     datacenter: str = "dc1",
+    driver: str = "docker",
 ) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-    """Create a basic sandbox-server Nomad job spec (docker driver)."""
+    """Create a sandbox-server Nomad job spec.
+
+    driver:
+      - docker: runs tools/sandbox_server.py inside a Docker container image.
+      - raw_exec: runs Apptainer/Singularity via raw_exec on the host.
+
+    raw_exec is provided as a draft option for HPC-like hosts without Docker.
+    """
+
+    if driver == "raw_exec":
+        # For raw_exec, we bind to a fixed port. This is intended for dev/testing
+        # on a single host. Scaling to multiple allocations requires more robust
+        # service discovery.
+        apptainer_image = os.getenv("TERMINAL_NOMAD_APPTAINER_IMAGE", "")
+        if not apptainer_image:
+            raise RuntimeError(
+                "TERMINAL_NOMAD_APPTAINER_IMAGE is required for raw_exec driver"
+            )
+
+        cmd = (
+            "apptainer exec "
+            "--bind \"$NOMAD_ALLOC_DIR/data:/data\" "
+            f"{apptainer_image} "
+            f"python /sandbox_server.py --port {port} --slots {slots_per_container} --data-dir /data"
+        )
+
+        return {
+            "ID": job_id,
+            "Name": job_id,
+            "Type": "service",
+            "Datacenters": [datacenter],
+            "TaskGroups": [
+                {
+                    "Name": "sandbox",
+                    "Count": count,
+                    "Update": {"HealthCheck": "task_states", "MinHealthyTime": 0},
+                    "Networks": [{"Mode": "host"}],
+                    "Tasks": [
+                        {
+                            "Name": "sandbox-server",
+                            "Driver": "raw_exec",
+                            "Config": {
+                                "command": "bash",
+                                "args": ["-lc", cmd],
+                            },
+                            "Env": {"PYTHONUNBUFFERED": "1", "NOMAD_ALLOC_DIR": "${NOMAD_ALLOC_DIR}"},
+                            "Resources": {"CPU": cpu, "MemoryMB": memory},
+                        }
+                    ],
+                }
+            ],
+        }
+
+    # Default: docker
     return {
         "ID": job_id,
         "Name": job_id,
@@ -328,6 +382,10 @@ class SlotPoolConfig:
     job_id: str = "hermes-sandbox"
     datacenter: str = "dc1"
     image: str = "hermes-sandbox:local"
+
+    # Driver selection: docker (default) or raw_exec (for Apptainer/Singularity)
+    driver: str = "docker"  # docker | raw_exec
+
     slots_per_container: int = 10
     privileged: bool = False
     cpu: int = 500
@@ -336,6 +394,9 @@ class SlotPoolConfig:
     max_containers: int = 10
     acquire_timeout: float = 30.0
 
+    # raw_exec: fixed port (dynamic ports are harder to discover reliably)
+    raw_exec_port: int = 8080
+
 
 class SlotPool:
     def __init__(self, cfg: SlotPoolConfig):
@@ -365,6 +426,8 @@ class SlotPool:
                 cpu=self.cfg.cpu,
                 memory=self.cfg.memory,
                 datacenter=self.cfg.datacenter,
+                driver=self.cfg.driver,
+                port=self.cfg.raw_exec_port,
             )
             res = await self.nomad.submit_job(spec)
             if "error" in res:
@@ -387,16 +450,29 @@ class SlotPool:
             net = (detail.get("Resources") or {}).get("Networks") or []
             address = None
             port = None
-            if net and isinstance(net, list):
-                n0 = net[0]
-                address = n0.get("IP")
-                ports = n0.get("DynamicPorts") or []
-                for p in ports:
-                    if p.get("Label") == "http":
-                        port = p.get("Value")
-            if not address or not port:
-                # Fall back: allocation has an Address field
-                address = detail.get("NodeName") or detail.get("NodeID")
+
+            if self.cfg.driver == "raw_exec":
+                # raw_exec: use fixed port and best-effort node address discovery
+                port = self.cfg.raw_exec_port
+                address = (
+                    detail.get("NodeAddress")
+                    or detail.get("NodeName")
+                    or detail.get("NodeID")
+                )
+            else:
+                # docker: discover dynamic port mapping
+                if net and isinstance(net, list):
+                    n0 = net[0]
+                    address = n0.get("IP")
+                    ports = n0.get("DynamicPorts") or []
+                    for p in ports:
+                        if p.get("Label") == "http":
+                            port = p.get("Value")
+
+                if not address or not port:
+                    # Fall back: allocation node identity
+                    address = detail.get("NodeAddress") or detail.get("NodeName") or detail.get("NodeID")
+
             if not address or not port:
                 # Can't use this alloc
                 continue
diff --git a/tools/terminal_tool.py b/tools/terminal_tool.py
index b775f9948f..2774061732 100644
--- a/tools/terminal_tool.py
+++ b/tools/terminal_tool.py
@@ -1273,6 +1273,8 @@ def _create_environment(env_type: str, image: str, cwd: str, timeout: int, task_
             nomad_address=os.getenv("TERMINAL_NOMAD_ADDRESS", "http://localhost:4646"),
             job_id=os.getenv("TERMINAL_NOMAD_JOB_ID", "hermes-sandbox"),
             image=os.getenv("TERMINAL_NOMAD_IMAGE", "hermes-sandbox:local"),
+            driver=os.getenv("TERMINAL_NOMAD_DRIVER", "docker"),
+            raw_exec_port=int(os.getenv("TERMINAL_NOMAD_RAW_EXEC_PORT", "8080")),
             slots_per_container=int(os.getenv("TERMINAL_NOMAD_SLOTS", "10")),
             min_containers=int(os.getenv("TERMINAL_NOMAD_MIN", "1")),
             max_containers=int(os.getenv("TERMINAL_NOMAD_MAX", "10")),