Initial ideas on how to get sshd into a Ubuntu server install

To add packages for the installation, add a %package section to the ks.cfg kickstart file, append to the end of ks.cfg file something like this.

%packages
@ ubuntu-server
openssh-server
ftp
build-essential

The above is from:

system installation - How do I create a completely unattended install of Ubuntu? - Ask Ubuntu

A skeleton kickstart file looks like this:

#
#Generic Kickstart template for Ubuntu
#Platform: x86 and x86-64
#

#System language
lang en_US

#Language modules to install
langsupport en_US

#System keyboard
keyboard us

#System mouse
mouse

#System timezone
timezone America/New_York

#Root password
rootpw --disabled

#Initial user (user with sudo capabilities) 
user ubuntu --fullname "Ubuntu User" --password root4me2

#Reboot after installation
reboot

#Use text mode install
text

#Install OS instead of upgrade
install

#Installation media
cdrom
#nfs --server=server.com --dir=/path/to/ubuntu/

#System bootloader configuration
bootloader --location=mbr 

#Clear the Master Boot Record
zerombr yes

#Partition clearing information
clearpart --all --initlabel 

#Basic disk partition
part / --fstype ext4 --size 1 --grow --asprimary 
part swap --size 1024 
part /boot --fstype ext4 --size 256 --asprimary 

#Advanced partition
#part /boot --fstype=ext4 --size=500 --asprimary
#part pv.aQcByA-UM0N-siuB-Y96L-rmd3-n6vz-NMo8Vr --grow --size=1
#volgroup vg_mygroup --pesize=4096 pv.aQcByA-UM0N-siuB-Y96L-rmd3-n6vz-NMo8Vr
#logvol / --fstype=ext4 --name=lv_root --vgname=vg_mygroup --grow --size=10240 --maxsize=20480
#logvol swap --name=lv_swap --vgname=vg_mygroup --grow --size=1024 --maxsize=8192

#System authorization infomation
auth  --useshadow  --enablemd5 

#Network information
network --bootproto=dhcp --device=eth0

#Firewall configuration
firewall --disabled --trust=eth0 --ssh 

#Do not configure the X Window System
skipx

Taken from here: 4.6. Automatic Installation