Linux Kernel Engineer

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Linux Kernel Engineer based in Canada.

Join a globally distributed engineering team working across stable and cutting-edge Linux kernels and the wider open-source ecosystem.
This role offers the opportunity to contribute to Ubuntu kernels across platforms ranging from embedded devices and developer boards to cloud systems, mainframes, and supercomputers.
You will work at the intersection of hardware, virtualization, security, reliability, and performance.
The position involves diagnosing complex kernel issues, developing and reviewing patches, improving automation, and supporting production-ready kernel releases.
You will collaborate closely with silicon, cloud, and hardware partners while contributing to projects spanning security, networking, storage, containers, and real-time computing.
The team welcomes engineers at different career stages, with opportunities to develop deep technical expertise and take on broader technical leadership responsibilities.
This is a fully remote position within a distributed environment, with opportunities to meet colleagues at global engineering events.

• Collaborate proactively with a globally distributed Linux kernel engineering team across multiple time zones.
• Work closely with silicon, cloud, and hardware manufacturers to enable and optimize Linux on their platforms.
• Diagnose, debug, and resolve complex Linux kernel issues across different architectures and hardware environments.
• Take ownership of a specific Ubuntu Linux kernel flavor, supporting its development, testing, reliability, and production readiness.
• Improve tooling, automation, benchmarking, stress testing, and delivery processes for Linux kernel releases.
• Submit, review, apply, and maintain Linux kernel patches in line with upstream development and release processes.
• Contribute to kernel initiatives spanning hardware enablement, virtualization, confidential computing, security, networking, storage, containers, and real-time systems.
• Support performance engineering and security improvements across kernel and low-level system components.
• Work on technologies such as Kernel Livepatch, AppArmor, SECCOMP, namespaces, Ceph, DRBD, and other kernel and infrastructure projects.
• Contribute to open-source projects and upstream communities where appropriate.
• Participate in technical discussions, reviews, and knowledge-sharing activities within a distributed engineering organization.
• Travel internationally approximately twice a year for company engineering events, typically lasting up to two weeks.

Requirements:

• Significant professional programming experience in C, with strong knowledge of low-level software engineering.
• Solid understanding of the Linux kernel, its architecture, and major kernel subsystems.
• Demonstrated experience with Linux kernel patching, debugging, testing, and troubleshooting.
• Understanding of Linux kernel upstream processes, development practices, and release cycles.
• Strong knowledge of device drivers, Board Support Packages (BSPs), hardware enablement, and other low-level system engineering concepts.
• Experience working with Linux, with Debian or Ubuntu experience preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of Git and modern software development workflows.
• Excellent academic results and an undergraduate degree in Computer Science, STEM, or a comparable technical discipline; equivalent experience may also be considered.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with curiosity and enthusiasm for tackling technically complex challenges.
• Self-motivated, well-organized, accountable, and comfortable delivering against defined schedules and commitments.
• Professional communication skills and the ability to work effectively with colleagues, technical partners, and open-source communities.
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Strong interpersonal, presentation, and collaboration skills within a distributed and multicultural environment.
• A proactive mindset and demonstrated ability to take ownership and exceed expectations.
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally for engineering events approximately twice per year.
• Additional experience with Python and Bash scripting is advantageous.
• Experience with Ubuntu/Debian/Snap packaging is a plus.
• Background in performance engineering or Linux security is also beneficial.

Benefits:

• Geographically adjusted compensation based on location, experience, and performance.
• Performance-driven annual bonus.
• Annual compensation reviews, with additional reviews where appropriate for graduates and associates.
• Fully distributed, remote-first work environment.
• Twice-yearly in-person team sprints and opportunities to collaborate with colleagues globally.
• USD 2,000 annual personal learning and development budget.
• Recognition rewards.
• Annual holiday leave.
• Maternity and paternity leave.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Opportunities to travel internationally and meet colleagues in different locations.
• Priority Pass and travel upgrades for long-haul company engineering events.
• Opportunity to work on Linux kernel engineering across embedded systems, cloud infrastructure, mainframes, supercomputers, and other platforms.
• Exposure to advanced areas including security, virtualization, networking, storage, real-time computing, confidential computing, and performance engineering.

We use an AI-powered matching process to ensure your application is reviewed quickly, objectively, and fairly against the role's core requirements. Our system identifies the top-fitting candidates, and this shortlist is then shared directly with the hiring company. The final decision and next steps (interviews, assessments) are managed by their internal team.

We appreciate your interest and wish you the best!

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