Remote opportunity at
CanonicalSoftware Maintenance Engineer
This Software Maintenance Engineer post is about keeping enterprise-grade Linux infrastructure healthy. The engineer diagnoses and repairs faults in open source systems that large customers depend…
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About This Role
This Software Maintenance Engineer post is about keeping enterprise-grade Linux infrastructure healthy. The engineer diagnoses and repairs faults in open source systems that large customers depend on, and the posting frames it as a route for a Linux enthusiast to build a career at Canonical. The position is remote, and teams are present in every time zone. Scope runs from bare metal and KVM through containers, Ceph and storage, OVS…
Job Description
This Software Maintenance Engineer post is about keeping enterprise-grade Linux infrastructure healthy. The engineer diagnoses and repairs faults in open source systems that large customers depend on, and the posting frames it as a route for a Linux enthusiast to build a career at Canonical. The position is remote, and teams are present in every time zone.
Scope runs from bare metal and KVM through containers, Ceph and storage, OVS and OVN networking, OpenStack, Kubernetes, and the applications that sit on them. The engineer often has to drive a customer issue to resolution, which may mean a workaround, advice, or a fix released upstream and through Ubuntu. Depending on the problem, the work can reach as deep as the kernel and may involve several programming languages.
Good fits bring a love of troubleshooting, clear communication, and persistence with difficult problems. Applicants should have a computer science or STEM background, genuine familiarity with Linux and open-source work, and practical skill in C++, C, Go or Python on Linux. The engineer reviews peers' code, collaborates with product and support teams, and contributes to upstream communities. Travel of up to 10% of working hours may be required for meetings, events and conferences.
Canonical is a global software company that publishes Ubuntu and serves large enterprises and public cloud partners. It employs more than 1,000 people in more than 70 countries.
Responsibilities
- Resolve intricate customer problems in Ubuntu, the kernel, Ceph, OpenStack, Kubernetes and adjacent open source software
- Stay in close contact with Field, Support and product-engineering colleagues
- Engage with upstream communities
- Create bug fixes and backported patches, then work with upstream to get them included
- Review code that other engineers have written
- Make sound technical choices and manage workload against priorities
- Help refine processes, tooling and documentation during team discussions
- Write technical updates that are clear and to the point
Requirements
- Academic grounding in computing or a STEM subject
- Familiarity with Linux and open-source projects
- Experience with one or more of C++, C, Go and Python on Linux
- Appetite for new technology and for digging deep into difficult faults
- Willingness to travel up to four trips a year for internal events
Qualifications
- Excellent academic record
- Good judgement and an interest in troubleshooting
- Interest in Ubuntu kernel and userspace, Ceph, OpenStack, Kubernetes, QEMU/KVM, LXC/LXD, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Debian packaging or distributed systems
Core Skills
Benefits
- Remote working, with in-person team sprints twice a year
- USD 2,000 yearly budget for learning and development
- Yearly pay review and recognition awards
- Annual holiday leave, plus maternity and paternity leave
- Employee assistance and wellness programme
- Opportunities to visit new cities to meet colleagues
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers are based only on the employer’s listing; where it doesn’t say, neither do we.
Is this a remote job?
Yes, the posting describes a remote role with teams in all time zones.
What does the role focus on?
It focuses on resolving complex customer issues in Ubuntu, the kernel, Ceph, OpenStack and Kubernetes, including upstream bug fixes and backported patches.
What experience is required?
The posting lists a computer science or STEM background, familiarity with Linux and open-source work, and experience with C++, C, Go or Python on Linux.
Does the posting state a salary?
No salary figure is given. Base pay depends on location, experience and performance.
Sample Interview Questions
AI-generated questions tailored to this specific role — a preview of the full practice set.