Remote opportunity at
CanonicalSoftware Support Engineer
Canonical has an opening for a Software Support Engineer who will work on critical issues in its open source stack. The position suits technologists who love…
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About This Role
Canonical has an opening for a Software Support Engineer who will work on critical issues in its open source stack. The position suits technologists who love Linux and open source and want a long-term career with the company. It is remote, and colleagues are spread across every time zone. The engineer moves across nearly every layer of modern infrastructure: bare metal, KVM virtualisation, container tooling, Ceph and Linux filesystems, OVS…
Job Description
Canonical has an opening for a Software Support Engineer who will work on critical issues in its open source stack. The position suits technologists who love Linux and open source and want a long-term career with the company. It is remote, and colleagues are spread across every time zone.
The engineer moves across nearly every layer of modern infrastructure: bare metal, KVM virtualisation, container tooling, Ceph and Linux filesystems, OVS and OVN networking, OpenStack, Kubernetes, and the applications built on top. Typical cases involve complex customer problems on Ubuntu, the kernel, Ceph, OpenStack or Kubernetes. Resolutions may take the form of workarounds, guidance or bug fixes that must be shipped upstream and in Ubuntu. The engineer writes patches, backports them, and works with upstream communities to get them merged.
The ideal candidate has a computer science or STEM background, knows Linux and open source software well, and can program in one or more of C++, C, Go and Python on Linux. A determination to master unfamiliar technology and to investigate hard problems is expected. Reviewing colleagues' code, setting priorities, and writing concise, technical updates are part of the work. Up to 10% of working time may involve travel covering team meetings, events and conferences.
Canonical publishes Ubuntu and supplies large enterprises and public cloud partners. Its workforce counts more than 1,000 people across over 70 countries.
Responsibilities
- Fix complex customer issues across Ubuntu, the kernel, Ceph, OpenStack, Kubernetes and related open source software
- Coordinate closely with Field, Support and product engineering colleagues
- Take part in upstream projects and their communities
- Write bug fixes and backports and push them through upstream review
- Review code written by other engineers
- Exercise sound judgement over technical approaches and pick suitable techniques
- Manage personal priorities and time
- Contribute to discussions on improving processes, tools and documentation
Requirements
- Academic grounding in computing or a STEM subject
- Working familiarity with Linux and open-source projects
- Programming experience in one or more of C++, C, Go and Python on Linux
- Eagerness to learn unfamiliar technology and to dig into hard issues
- Clear, technical and concise written communication
- Readiness to travel up to four trips a year for internal events
Qualifications
- Strong academic track record
- Curiosity, flexibility, articulacy and accountability
- 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.
Where is the role based?
The posting describes it as remote, with teams in all time zones.
Which programming languages are needed?
Experience with one or more of C++, C, Go and Python on Linux is required.
How much travel is involved?
Up to 10% of working time may involve travel covering team meetings, events and conferences, and the role also asks for up to four trips a year for internal events.
Does the posting state a salary?
No salary figure is given. Base pay depends on location, experience and performance, and an annual bonus is offered.
Sample Interview Questions
AI-generated questions tailored to this specific role — a preview of the full practice set.