Linux Kernel Engineer

Canonical is a leading provider of open source software and operating systems to the global enterprise and technology markets. Our platform, Ubuntu, is very widely used in breakthrough enterprise initiatives such as public cloud, data science, AI, engineering innovation, and IoT.

The company is founder-led, profitable, and growing. Canonical has a large and rapidly growing kernel team that underpins Ubuntu and open source more widely across a very wide range of hardware and use cases.

We care most about hardware and virtualization enablement, security, reliability and performance. Kernel Team projects include but are not limited to:

• Ubuntu Linux kernel plan, execution, benchmarking and stress testing
• Optimized kernels for key silicon and cloud partners
• Confidential computing and next-generation security primitives
• Developer platforms such as Raspberry Pi and RISC-V
• Enabling Ubuntu on a wide range of embedded systems
• Kernel Livepatch, which delivers critical kernel fixes without rebooting
• FIPS compliance
• Real-Time and Low Latency kernel variants and patch-sets
• Virtualization or abstraction engines
• Container technology
• Security with AppArmor, SECCOMP, namespaces and more
• Networking - in particular performance and security
• Storage - we are particularly interested in Ceph and DRBD

We hire candidates of all experience levels from recent university graduates through seasoned industry experts. You must have outstanding academic results, a background in software engineering, be motivated to work in a distributed team and willing to travel globally twice a year for company engineering events.

Location: Working from home, worldwide. We have kernel teams and openings in every time zone and – with the notable exception of Taipei, Taiwan – have no offices and therefore no pressure to work from an office.

What the role entails

• Collaborate regularly and proactively with a globally distributed team
• Work closely with external silicon, cloud, or hardware manufacturer delivery teams on bleeding-edge platforms
• Diagnose and resolve issues in the kernel reported by customers, the community, and discovered by your own rigorous testing
• Take personal responsibility for the delivery of a flavour of the Ubuntu Linux kernel
• Improve tooling and automation for delivery and test of Ubuntu Linux kernels
• Submit, review, and apply kernel patches, working with both internal and external upstream maintainers

What we are looking for in you

• Significant programming experience in C, with Python, Golang, or other like languages is also highly regarded
• Experience with operating system kernel internals and concepts, Linux would be highly regarded but not essential
• Solid background with git
• Experience with Linux (Debian or Ubuntu preferred)
• Professional written and spoken English with excellent presentation skills
• Ability to travel twice a year, for company events up to two weeks each

Nice-to-have skills

• Strong grasp of device drivers, BSP's, and other low level system engineering
• Prior experience developing with software packaging formats, with direct Ubuntu/Debian/Snap experience being highly regarded
• Understanding of Linux kernel upstream processes and release cycle
• Performance engineering and security experience
• Solid background in CI/CD and process automation
• Prior public involvement with an open source project

What we offer colleagues

We consider geographical location, experience, and performance in shaping compensation worldwide. We revisit compensation annually (and more often for graduates and associates) to ensure we recognize outstanding performance.

• Distributed work environment with twice-yearly team sprints in person
• Personal learning and development budget of USD 2,000 per year
• Annual compensation review
• Recognition rewards
• Annual holiday leave
• Maternity and paternity leave
• Team Member Assistance Program & Wellness Platform
• Opportunity to travel to new locations to meet colleagues
• Priority Pass and travel upgrades for long-haul company events

Canonical is an equal opportunity employer. We are proud to foster a workplace free from discrimination. Diversity of experience, perspectives, and background create a better work environment and better products.