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.
We are hiring a Ubuntu Core Software Engineer to redefine the Linux experience in the embedded environments with the smallest, most secure, and updatable operating system in the IoT market. This is an opportunity for a software engineer passionate about open source software, Linux, security, and the developer experience. This challenging role demands a high degree of technical skill with low-level operating systems, kernel, and device firmware.
Our mission is to allow everyone to build robust solutions in various fields including but not limited to IoT, automotive, and aviation using the next generation secure embedded Linux operating system in a simple solution. We define a reliable and secure set of device recovery mechanisms that enable device manufacturers to simplify and standardise the field operations for fleets of heterogeneous appliances.
As an Ubuntu Core team member, you’ll be designing and implementing software that runs on various CPU architectures, such as ARM, RISC-V, and X86. You will work on boot mechanisms, bootloaders, storage partition layout, device trees, kernel and services.
Build a rewarding, meaningful career working with the best and brightest people in technology at Canonical, a growing international software company.
Location: This role will be based remotely in the EMEA region
The role entails- Write high quality code with unit tests to create new features
- Debug Linux system level issues and produce high quality code to fix them
- Collaborate proactively with a distributed team
- Review code produced by other engineers
- Discuss ideas and collaborate on finding good solutions
- Integrate diverse bootloaders and maintain gadget snaps
- Work from home with global travel 2 to 4 times a year for internal and external events
- You love technology and working with brilliant people
- You are curious, flexible, articulate, and accountable
- You value soft skills and are passionate, enterprising, thoughtful, and self-motivated
- You have a Bachelor’s or equivalent in Computer Science, STEM or similar degree
- You have experience with C or Golang, and Shell
- You have a solid understanding of Linux and a modern GNU/Linux distribution, Debian or Ubuntu preferred
- You have personal or professional experience with Linux-capable devices such as Raspberry Pi
- You have interest in learning or experience in one or more low-level systems and security facilities such as:
- Bootloaders in ARM and X86, such as piboot, uboot, grub-uefi
- Systemd and units, udev, initrd, graphics
- OS level firmware daemons and CLI applications
- Linux security implementations - TPM, FDE, LUKS, HSM, etc.
- You may have experience or knowledge of Yocto
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. In addition to base pay, we offer a performance-driven annual bonus or commission. We provide all team members with additional benefits which reflect our values and ideals. We balance our programs to meet local needs and ensure fairness globally.
- 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 a pioneering tech firm at the forefront of the global move to open source. As the company that publishes Ubuntu, one of the most important open-source projects and the platform for AI, IoT, and the cloud, we are changing the world of software. We recruit on a global basis and set a very high standard for people joining the company. We expect excellence; in order to succeed, we need to be the best at what we do. Most colleagues at Canonical have worked from home since our inception in 2004. Working here is a step into the future and will challenge you to think differently, work smarter, learn new skills, and raise your game.
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. Whatever your identity, we will give your application fair consideration.
#LI-remote
Skills Required
- Experience with C or Golang, and Shell
- Solid understanding of Linux and a modern GNU/Linux distribution
- Bachelor's or equivalent in Computer Science or STEM
- Personal or professional experience with Linux-capable devices
- Interest or experience in low-level systems and security facilities
- Experience or knowledge of Yocto
Canonical Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Canonical and has not been reviewed or approved by Canonical.
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Strong & Reliable Incentives — Performance-based bonuses/commissions and annual compensation reviews are part of the package. Feedback suggests variable-pay roles like sales and some senior positions can realize competitive total compensation.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Total time off is portrayed as generous, combining annual leave with local holidays and company-wide shutdowns. Feedback suggests this breadth is attractive for those who value extended breaks.
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Healthcare Strength — Core medical, dental, and vision coverage is available and consistently highlighted in role materials. Feedback suggests coverage quality is solid for a remote-first tech employer.
Canonical Insights
What We Do
We deliver open source to the world faster, more securely and more cost effectively than any other company. We develop Ubuntu, the world’s most popular enterprise Linux from cloud to edge, together with a passionate global community of 200,000 contributors. Ubuntu means 'humanity to others'. We chose it because it embodies the generosity at the heart of open source, the new normal for platforms and innovation. Together with a community of 200,000, we publish an operating system that runs from the tiny connected devices up to the world's biggest mainframes, the platform that everybody uses on the public cloud, and the workstation experience of the world's most productive developers. Secure and reliable, elegant and intuitive, and open for innovation - Ubuntu is the future of open source, which is why its the fastest growing Linux in the world despite already being the most widely deployed.
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