Remote opportunity at
CanonicalSecurity Software Engineer
Canonical, the publisher of Ubuntu and a provider of open-source software for enterprise technology, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, and public clouds, is seeking a Security…
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About This Role
Canonical, the publisher of Ubuntu and a provider of open-source software for enterprise technology, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, and public clouds, is seeking a Security Software Engineer for a globally remote position. The company operates as a distributed team across more than 75 countries, bringing colleagues together in person two to four times each year at international locations for strategy and planning. In this capacity, the engineer embeds within…
Job Description
Canonical, the publisher of Ubuntu and a provider of open-source software for enterprise technology, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, and public clouds, is seeking a Security Software Engineer for a globally remote position. The company operates as a distributed team across more than 75 countries, bringing colleagues together in person two to four times each year at international locations for strategy and planning.
In this capacity, the engineer embeds within product teams to enhance security practices through architecture reviews, threat modeling, fuzzing, static analysis, and table-top exercises. Responsibilities span feature development, proactive security, vulnerability response, and open-source community participation. The role suits self-motivated professionals who communicate effectively in English, demonstrate strong discipline in a distributed setting, and are prepared for mandatory international travel at least twice annually, typically for one week at a time.
Canonical reviews compensation yearly based on performance, experience, and location, and provides an annual performance-driven bonus alongside benefits such as learning stipends, annual holiday leave, and parental leave.
Responsibilities
- Define, implement, and document new security features for products
- Lead security-focused initiatives inside a product engineering team
- Analyze, fix, and test software vulnerabilities in open-source projects
- Contribute directly to Ubuntu and upstream open-source initiatives
- Audit and review source code to uncover vulnerabilities
- Integrate new tools into security infrastructure, processes, and pipelines
- Work toward achieving and retaining various security certifications
- Extend and enhance Linux cryptographic components for compliance requirements like FIPS and Common Criteria
- Collaborate with external partners to create Center for Internet Security benchmarks
- Design and build hardening automation for Ubuntu
- Provide guidance and support to other engineering teams regarding security best practices
Requirements
- Solid academic history from high school and university
- Understanding of common security vulnerability categories and remediation methods
- Knowledge of modern software engineering practices
- Familiarity with open-source development methodologies and tools
- Proficiency in one or more languages including C, C++, Python, Go, Rust, Java, Ruby, PHP, or JavaScript/TypeScript
- Experience operating as a security champion
- Background driving security across a secure software development lifecycle process
- Professional written and spoken English proficiency
- Experience utilizing Linux, with preference for Debian or Ubuntu
Qualifications
- Undergraduate degree in Computer Science or another STEM field, or an alternative path with a compelling narrative
- Clear communication skills with team and community members
- Prior experience working with the Linux kernel
- Familiarity with security certifications including FIPS and Common Criteria
- Experience using OVAL
- Knowledge of cryptographic modules such as OpenSSL and Libgcrypt
- Understanding of low-level Linux cryptography APIs
- Demonstrated ability to learn quickly
- Performance engineering background
Core Skills
Benefits
- Annual compensation reviews
- Performance-driven annual bonus
- Distributed work environment with twice-yearly in-person team sprints
- USD 2,000 annual personal learning and development budget
- 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.
Is this position remote?
Yes, this is a globally remote role with worldwide availability, though it requires mandatory international travel at least twice a year for approximately one week.
What is the employment type?
The posting specifies a full-time employment type.
What salary is offered for this role?
The salary is not stated in the job posting. Compensation is shaped by geographical location, experience, and performance, and includes a performance-driven annual bonus.
What are the core technical requirements?
Candidates need a thorough understanding of common security vulnerabilities, familiarity with modern software engineering and open-source tools, professional English skills, experience with Linux (Debian or Ubuntu preferred), and proficiency in languages such as C, C++, Python, Go, Rust, Java, Ruby, PHP, or JavaScript/TypeScript.
Sample Interview Questions
AI-generated questions tailored to this specific role — a preview of the full practice set.
