Software Engineer - packaging - optimize Ubuntu Server for public clouds

Canonical; Calgary; Remote; CAD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading open-source software provider is seeking a Software Engineer to optimize Ubuntu Server for public clouds. The role involves collaborating with various cloud partners and ensuring software quality standards. The ideal candidate will have a strong foundation in Python and a passion for technology. The position offers a remote work environment with competitive benefits.

Benefits

USD 2,000 annual learning budget

Performance bonuses

Holiday leave

Employee Assistance Programme

Travel opportunities

Qualifications

• Passion for technology and teamwork.
• Curious, flexible, and accountable.
• Interest or experience in public cloud operations.
• Comfortable with containers or VMs.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate within a distributed team.
• Maintain high-quality standards.
• Debug open source code issues.
• Work with cloud providers to optimize Ubuntu.

Skills

Python fundamentals

Interest in Linux distribution packaging

Experience in open source maintenance

Understanding of containerization/virtualization

Ability to build diverse partnerships

Tools

Docker

OCI

LXD

VirtualBox

QEMU

Job description

Software Engineer - packaging - optimize Ubuntu Server for public clouds

2 months ago Be among the first 25 applicants

Canonical is a leading provider of open source software and operating systems to the global enterprise and technology markets. Our platform, Ubuntu, is widely used in enterprise initiatives such as public cloud, data science, AI, engineering innovation, and IoT. Our customers include leading public cloud and silicon providers, and industry leaders across sectors. We are a pioneer of global distributed collaboration, with 1200+ colleagues in 75+ countries and few office-based roles. Teams meet periodically in interesting locations worldwide to align on strategy and execution.

The company is founder-led, profitable, and growing.

The Canonical Public Cloud team seeks enthusiastic engineers to serve as Ubuntu distribution engineers. These engineers will collaborate closely with the Ubuntu Engineering organization to ensure cloud-specific agents, webservers, databases, and virtualization and containerization stacks are optimized for public clouds. We work with Amazon, Microsoft, Google, IBM, Oracle, and other cloud partners to tailor Ubuntu for their infrastructure, enabling differentiation while providing a consistent user experience. Working on this team involves partnering with cloud providers and Ubuntu to optimize the OS for cloud environments.

Ubuntu Server is a platform that powers innovative technology worldwide and is the leading OS in public clouds. Applicants will contribute to evolving Ubuntu, maintaining continuous deployment operations to deliver images to end users. This role offers opportunities to learn and grow with experienced engineers.

This role entails

• Collaborating proactively within a distributed team
• Fostering a seamless software ecosystem for Ubuntu users
• Evaluating contributions to maintain high-quality standards
• Collaborating with Ubuntu and Debian communities, upstream projects, and customers
• Debugging open source and team-maintained code issues
• Working with the Ubuntu Engineering Server team to maintain and package software such as:
• Cloud agents (google guest agent, ec2-hibinit-agent, walinuxagent, etc.)
• Traditional server workloads (web servers, databases, network services, etc.)
• Working remotely with global travel 2-4 weeks for events

What we are looking for in you

• Passion for technology and teamwork with talented people
• Curious, flexible, articulate, and accountable
• Values soft skills; passionate, enterprising, thoughtful, self-motivated
• Ability to build diverse partnerships
• Interest or experience in public cloud operations or architecture
• Interest or experience in open source maintenance or contribution
• Understanding of reproducibility and testing; comfortable with containers or VMs; clear issue reporting
• Strong Python fundamentals
• Interest in Linux distribution packaging
• Basic understanding of package management and dependencies
• Interest in containerization/virtualization (Docker, OCI, LXD, VirtualBox, QEMU) or public clouds

What we offer colleagues

We consider location, experience, and performance in compensation decisions, revisiting annually. Benefits include a USD 2,000 annual learning budget, performance bonuses, holiday leave, parental leave, Employee Assistance Programme, travel opportunities, and more.

• Distributed work environment with biannual in-person team sprints
• Annual compensation review
• Recognition rewards
• Additional benefits reflecting our values

About Canonical

Canonical pioneers open source innovation, publishing Ubuntu—the platform for AI, IoT, and cloud. We hire globally, uphold high standards, and operate remotely since 2004. Join us to challenge yourself, learn new skills, and innovate.

Canonical is an equal opportunity employer

We promote diversity and offer fair consideration regardless of background or identity.

Seniority level: Entry level

Employment type: Full-time

Job function: Engineering and IT

Industries: Software Development

Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Canonical by 2x

Related roles: Graduate Software Engineer, Open Source and Linux; Software Engineer (Python / Linux / Packaging); Staff Software Engineer, Core Experience

Greater Calgary Metropolitan Area 1 day ago

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