Junior Linux Kernel Engineer - Ubuntu

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. Our customers include the world's leading public cloud and silicon providers, and industry leaders in many sectors. The company is a pioneer of global distributed collaboration, with 1200+ colleagues in 75+ countries and very few office-based roles. Teams meet two to four times yearly in person, in interesting locations around the world, to align on strategy and execution.

The company is founder-led, profitable, and growing.

Every year we select new junior professionals into the Canonical Kernel Team, to work on the Linux kernel for Ubuntu. If you’ve enjoyed operating systems in your coursework or current role, you are confident in your ability to write high quality C and possibly Rust, and are ready to take the plunge and see how it all works, then this would be a great place to pursue your next career stage. We are a global team working to ship the world's most widely used Linux kernel, across the very latest silicon and cloud, where you can apply and grow your software engineering skills.

The Canonical Kernel Team builds and maintains all supported Ubuntu Linux kernels for a variety of platforms and architectures from small embedded devices to standard desktop/server systems to large-scale cloud environments. In your first year you will tackle serious initiatives, which include but are not limited to:

Optimized solutions for key Silicon and Cloud partner platforms

Developer platforms such as Raspberry Pi and RISC-V

Enabling Ubuntu on a wide range of embedded systems

Security hardening and exploit mitigation

Third-party driver integration and distribution, such as graphics

Expanded driver support for bleeding-edge PC platforms

We select candidates that are recent university graduates or early career professionals who are enthusiastic to develop kernel-level software in multiple areas including security updates, patching, and testing. The successful candidate will have a background in software engineering, be motivated to work in a distributed team and willing and able to travel globally twice a year for company engineering events.

These are full-time positions available to prospective or recently graduated students.

Location: We have home-based Kernel Teams in every timezone.

The role entails

Collaborate regularly and proactively with a globally distributed team

Learn from senior mentors to demystify the inner workings of the Linux kernel and how it is distributed

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 various flavors 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

Well-organized and motivated self-starter able to thrive in a remote work environment

Professional manner with colleagues, business partners, and the open-source community

Ability to communicate effectively in English, both written and verbal

Programming experience in C and/or Rust

Familiarity with version control practices, ideally with git

Understanding of operating system kernel fundamentals

Ability to travel twice a year for company events of up to two weeks length

Nice-to-have skills

Interest and experience in Rust

Python and Bash scripting ability

Prior experience with Ubuntu/Debian/Snap packaging

Demonstrated experience with kernel patching and debugging

Strong grasp of device drivers, BSP