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CanonicalPerformance Engineer - Open Source
Canonical, the publisher of the Ubuntu operating system, is hiring Performance Engineers to join engineering teams across the enterprise. The company provides open source software utilized…
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About This Role
Canonical, the publisher of the Ubuntu operating system, is hiring Performance Engineers to join engineering teams across the enterprise. The company provides open source software utilized in areas such as public cloud, artificial intelligence, data science, and the Internet of Things. Operating primarily as a distributed organization, Canonical maintains a globally dispersed workforce across numerous countries with rare office-based positions. This role focuses on software performance, correctness, and efficiency across…
Job Description
Canonical, the publisher of the Ubuntu operating system, is hiring Performance Engineers to join engineering teams across the enterprise. The company provides open source software utilized in areas such as public cloud, artificial intelligence, data science, and the Internet of Things. Operating primarily as a distributed organization, Canonical maintains a globally dispersed workforce across numerous countries with rare office-based positions.
This role focuses on software performance, correctness, and efficiency across every layer of the technology stack, from the Linux kernel to web applications and silicon architecture. Performance Engineers work on shared measurement tools, analytical frameworks, and test harnesses while collaborating with major cloud and silicon partners. Professionals in this track have the option to transition between different products every two years.
Ideal candidates are described as perfectionists and precision artists who demonstrate deep technical insight into runtimes, compilers, and system hardware. The position requires strong leadership capabilities, a drive for mentorship, and the ability to champion a culture of performance and rigorous testing.
Responsibilities
- Drive software performance and correctness within a designated project
- Collaborate with colleagues and the global open source community
- Contribute to shared tools, infrastructure, and frameworks for performance measurement, analysis, and reporting
- Teach, train, and develop team members in performance culture and design
- Strengthen testing capabilities, harnesses, and pipelines
- Analyze complex systems and codebases to evaluate performance and scalability
- Resolve technical challenges directly or by leveraging influence, leadership, and skills development
- Review technical designs and source code
Requirements
- Demonstrable personal initiatives focused on measuring and improving code performance, efficiency, and correctness
- Confidence to respectfully provide and exchange feedback and share ideas
- A track record of exceeding expectations to achieve outstanding outcomes
- Demonstrated leadership commitment to skills development and mentorship
- A passion for technology highlighted by personal projects and initiatives
- Strong work ethic and the confidence to operate alongside motivated peers
- Professional written and spoken English proficiency paired with excellent presentation skills
- Experience working with Linux, with a preference for Debian or Ubuntu
- Excellent interpersonal skills combined with curiosity, flexibility, and accountability
- Appreciation for diversity and the ability to work politely and effectively in a multicultural organization
- Self-motivation, thoughtfulness, and a results-oriented mindset
- Ability to travel internationally twice per year for company events lasting up to two weeks
Qualifications
- Exceptional academic record spanning both high school and university studies
- Undergraduate degree in Physics, Mathematics, or Computer Science
- Low-level CPU insights and assembly language familiarity
- Kernel performance knowledge covering scheduling, context switching, and hardware acceleration
- Distributed systems performance awareness in tracing and debugging
- Compiler level performance expertise including profile-guided optimization, inlining, and assembler knowledge
- Runtime performance familiarity across Golang, Python, JVM, or NodeJS
- Database performance evaluation proficiency in planning, indexing, data modeling, tracing, and monitoring
- Web browser performance insights covering JavaScript, web frameworks, tracing, and CSS
- Familiarity with performance measurement tooling such as profiling, eBPF, D-Trace, and flamegraphs
- Experience with benchmarks and measurement tools like the Phoronix Test Suite
- Test harness development skills in languages such as C, C++, Rust, Python, Golang, NodeJS, or JavaScript
Core Skills
Benefits
- Geographically adjusted compensation reviewed annually
- Performance-driven annual bonus or commission
- Distributed work environment featuring twice-yearly in-person team sprints
- Personal annual learning and development budget of USD 2,000
- Recognition rewards
- Annual holiday leave
- Maternity and paternity leave
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Priority Pass and travel upgrades for long-haul company events
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers are based only on the employer’s listing; where it doesn’t say, neither do we.
What is the remote work policy for this position?
Canonical operates as a distributed organization with very few office-based roles, and teams meet in person two to four times per year in various global locations.
What salary is offered for this role?
The source posting does not specify a salary figure, noting only that compensation is shaped by geographical location, experience, and performance.
What educational background is required?
The role looks for an exceptional academic track record and an undergraduate degree in Physics, Mathematics, or Computer Science.
Is travel required for this position?
Yes, colleagues must have the ability to travel internationally twice a year for company events that can last up to two weeks.
Sample Interview Questions
AI-generated questions tailored to this specific role — a preview of the full practice set.