Software Engineering Manager - Ubuntu Linux Kernel

Canonical, the publisher of Ubuntu, is growing its Linux kernel engineering capacity significantly. We have staff in Europe/Middle East/Africa (EMEA), both North and South America, and the whole Asia/Pacific regions that work holistically on the Ubuntu kernel and is therefore seeking multiple candidates to lead these efforts. Responsibilities can span multiple aspects such as upstream development and the expression of new kernel capabilities in Ubuntu, working with silicon and cloud partners to optimise the Ubuntu kernel for new CPUs, hypervisors, and environments, handling CVEs, livepatch and other security updates to released Ubuntu kernels, and they work with partners to ensure that Ubuntu works first time on every possible piece of hardware.  

This role would suit either an experienced manager of high performing software development teams, or a very proficient technical lead who is excited to take on a management responsibility. You will need to be passionate about Linux and aspire to be an integral part in it’s distribution to millions of users worldwide.

As an engineering manager at Canonical, your primary responsibility is to your team: helping them grow as engineers, do important and satisfying work, and have a great time while doing it. Technical leadership experience and a background in software engineering are necessary prerequisites for this role. You will be expected to lead, challenge, and develop strong engineers, positively influence the culture, facilitate technical delivery, and work with your team on strategy and execution.

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 your day will look like

• Lead a distributed team of engineers in your time zone

• Develop your team through coaching, mentoring, leading by example, and feedback

• Support timely delivery of core and specialised Ubuntu kernels

• Oversee commercial engagements that require custom kernel engineering

• Ensure an ongoing commitment to strict quality and reliability standards

• Engage with other teams at Canonical, the open source community and commercial partners

• Work from home with travel globally 2-3 times a year for up to two weeks, for internal and external engineering events

What we are looking for in you

• Significant programming experience in C, with Python, Golang, or other like languages also highly regarded

• Substantial experience with Linux kernel internals and concepts

• Solid understanding Linux kernel development principles

• Demonstrated experience managing or leading a team of software engineers

• Contributed to an open source project in the past

• Understanding of agile software development methodologies

• Ability to communicate effectively in English, both written and oral

What we offer you

Your base pay will depend on various factors including your geographical location, level of experience, knowledge and skills. In addition to the benefits above, certain roles are also eligible for additional benefits and rewards including annual bonuses and sales incentives based on revenue or utilisation. Our compensation philosophy is to ensure equity right across our global workforce.  

In addition to a competitive base pay, we provide all team members with additional benefits, which reflect our values and ideals. Please note that additional benefits may apply depending on the work location and, for more information on these, you can ask in the later stages of the recruitment process.

• Fully remote working environment - we’ve been working remotely since 2004!

• Personal learning and development budget of 2,000USD per annum

• Annual compensation review

• Recognition rewards

• Annual holiday leave

• Parental Leave

• Employee Assistance Programme

• Opportunity to travel to new locations to meet colleagues at ‘sprints’

• Priority Pass for travel and travel upgrades for long haul company events

About Canonical

Canonical is a pioneering tech firm that is 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 on a daily basis. 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.

Canonical has been a remote-first company since its inception in 2004.​ Work at Canonical is a step into the future, and will challenge you to think differently, work smarter, learn new skills, and raise your game. Canonical provides a unique window into the world of 21st-century digital business.

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.

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