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CanonicalOpen Source Networking Software Engineer - ToR Switch / SmartNIC / DPU
Canonical is recruiting a software engineer for its open source networking group, which builds software for top-of-rack switches, SmartNICs and data processing units. Canonical publishes Ubuntu…
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About This Role
Canonical is recruiting a software engineer for its open source networking group, which builds software for top-of-rack switches, SmartNICs and data processing units. Canonical publishes Ubuntu and is assembling an open networking platform for data centers that spans bare metal, virtualization, containers and serverless workloads. It also plans a systematic approach to IoT networking and partners with chip makers to optimize Ubuntu for their hardware. This is a full-time, remote…
Job Description
Canonical is recruiting a software engineer for its open source networking group, which builds software for top-of-rack switches, SmartNICs and data processing units. Canonical publishes Ubuntu and is assembling an open networking platform for data centers that spans bare metal, virtualization, containers and serverless workloads. It also plans a systematic approach to IoT networking and partners with chip makers to optimize Ubuntu for their hardware.
This is a full-time, remote position. Top-of-rack switch work sits in APAC time zones, while SmartNIC and DPU work sits in the Americas. The engineer would build software-defined networking for data centers, write secure, fast and well-documented code, track down difficult faults and ship fixes, and push changes upstream into the Ubuntu SoNIC stack. Daily work also involves partnering with public cloud providers and chipmakers, writing technical documentation, and speaking for the team in open source forums.
The ideal hire is a capable engineer with a strong interest in networking and in the seam between hardware acceleration and control software. Experience with open switch projects, or upstream contributions touching routing, the Linux networking stack, eBPF, DNS, firewalls or load balancers, counts in a candidate's favor. Hiring involves six to eight interviews spread over several months. Trips to company gatherings happen twice a year and can last up to two weeks.
Responsibilities
- Participate upstream and help deliver the Ubuntu SoNIC networking stack
- Design and implement software-defined networking for data center environments
- Write quick, secure, well documented code, and debug issues to produce durable fixes
- Work with a distributed organization, public cloud providers and networking silicon partners
- Produce technical documentation and speak with authority to partners and open source communities
Requirements
- Excellent academic results, and a focus on quality, resilience, docs, security and speed
- Solid grounding in network architecture, design and protocols
- Grasp of Linux networking, spanning kernel code and user-space tooling
- Fluency in C or C++, and familiarity with Rust, Python or Go
- Business-level English, spoken and written
- Drive to exceed expectations, plus people skills, curiosity and ownership
Qualifications
- Bachelor-level study in computer science or another STEM discipline, or a well-supported non-traditional route
- Acquaintance with SONiC, SAI, AF_XDP, DPDK, Switchdev, OVN and Open vSwitch
- Exposure to RDMA, RoCE, iWARP, NVMe or SR-IOV, and to x86, ARM or RISC-V design
- Hands-on work with complex IP networks or virtualization stacks such as QEMU and KVM
- Prior open source contributions, and experience in performance or security engineering
Core Skills
Benefits
- A USD 2,000 yearly allowance for learning
- Annual bonus tied to performance
- Yearly pay review and recognition awards
- Team sprints held in person twice each year, with travel chances
- Holiday leave, parental leave for birth and non-birth parents, and an employee assistance program
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers are based only on the employer’s listing; where it doesn’t say, neither do we.
Is this role remote?
Yes. The posting describes it as remote, with the team working from home.
Which time zones does it cover?
ToR switch roles are placed in APAC and SmartNIC and DPU roles in the Americas time zones.
What is the hiring process?
The process runs six to eight interview rounds across several months.
How often is travel required?
Travel for company events happens twice a year, for up to two weeks each time.
Is a salary stated?
No figure is given. The posting says pay considers location, experience and performance, and is reviewed annually.
Sample Interview Questions
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