Kernel Developer - KernelCare ELS Team (remote work, LATAM)

TuxCare Inc.; Puerto Bogotá; Remote; COP 350,107,000 - 477,418,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully remote work

Flexible working hours

Paid vacation 24 days/year

National holidays included

Private medical insurance

Education budget

Job summary

TuxCare Inc. is seeking a Kernel Developer for the KernelCare ELS Team to backport patches, build kernels, and validate patches across RPM- and Debian-based distributions. You will investigate upstream fixes, maintain reproducible builds, and collaborate with the kernel team to ensure reliability.

Strong C and Linux kernel experience is required, plus Git and GNU build tools familiarity. Remote work with flexible hours is offered, along with learning opportunities and education support.

Qualifications

• Strong C programming and Linux debugging skills.
• Practical Linux kernel development, patching, or backporting experience.
• Confident use of Git, GNU build tools, and standard Linux development utilities.
• Experience building Linux kernels or distribution packages.
• Automation experience with Python, Go, Shell, or a similar language.
• Some experience with agentic or AI-assisted development and a clear approach to validating generated output.
• English at an intermediate level or higher, both written and spoken.
• Strong ownership, careful technical judgment, and readiness to explain trade-offs.

Responsibilities

• Investigate upstream security and bug fixes and identify dependencies.
• Backport Linux kernel patches to older RPM- and Debian-based distributions.
• Resolve conflicts between upstream and target kernel versions.
• Build and rebuild kernel source and binary packages in reproducible environments.
• Validate patched kernels through tests, build checks, and regression analysis.
• Improve patch preparation, build, and validation workflows with Python, Go, or Shell.
• Use agentic development tools and contribute to code reviews with the kernel team.

Skills

C programming

Linux debugging

Linux kernel development

Git

GNU build tools

Linux development utilities

Automation (Python/Go/Shell)

Agentic/AI-assisted development

English (written and spoken)

Ownership and trade-off judgment

Tools

Docker

QEMU

Jenkins

CI systems

Job description

TuxCare offers a comprehensive portfolio of security solutions for Linux and open-source software designed for enterprise organizations. With TuxCare, companies can automate live vulnerability patching, minimize downtime, ensure security and compliance, and rely on a team with deep expertise in Linux security. The solutions cover the most popular Linux distributions, end-of-life systems, programming languages, and more.
Learn more at: https://tuxcare.com/

Product Description

KernelCare provides automated live patching for Linux kernels without requiring reboots. Our Extended Lifecycle Support products keep end-of-life Linux distributions secure by backporting important security and bug fixes to older software versions used by enterprise customers.

Role and Team

We are looking for a Kernel Developer to join the KernelCare ELS Team. The team investigates upstream Linux kernel changes, backports fixes to supported enterprise kernels, builds distribution packages, and validates that patches are safe and reproducible. The role is centered on practical patching and building work. You will also use automation and agentic development tools to accelerate investigation while retaining engineering ownership of every result.

Responsibilities

• Investigating upstream security and bug fixes and identifying their dependencies.
• Backporting Linux kernel patches to older RPM- and Debian-based distributions.
• Resolving conflicts caused by differences between upstream and target kernel versions.
• Building and rebuilding kernel source and binary packages in reproducible environments.
• Validating patched kernels through focused tests, build checks, and regression analysis.
• Improving patch preparation, build, and validation workflows with Python, Go, or Shell.
• Using agentic development tools.
• Documenting technical decisions and participating in code review with the kernel team.

Must Have

• Strong C programming and Linux debugging skills.
• Practical Linux kernel development, patching, or backporting experience.
• Confident use of Git, GNU build tools, and standard Linux development utilities.
• Experience building Linux kernels or distribution packages.
• Automation experience with Python, Go, Shell, or a similar language.
• Some experience with agentic or AI-assisted development and a clear approach to validating generated output.
• English at an intermediate level or higher, both written and spoken.
• Strong ownership, careful technical judgment, and readiness to explain trade-offs.

Nice to Have

• Experience with RPM/SRPM or Debian kernel packaging.
• Security patching, CVE analysis, or extended lifecycle maintenance experience.
• Familiarity with Docker, QEMU, Jenkins, or other CI systems.
• Experience designing kernel tests or investigating core dumps and regressions.

What's in it for you?

• A focus on professional development.
• Interesting and challenging projects.
• Fully remote work with flexible working hours, that allows you to schedule your day and work from any location worldwide.
• Paid 24 days of vacation per year, 10 days of national holidays, and unlimited sick leaves.
• Compensation for private medical insurance.
• Co-working and gym/sports reimbursement.
• Budget for education.
• The opportunity to receive a reward for the most innovative idea that the company can patent.

By applying for this position, you consent to the processing of your personal data as described in our Privacy Policy ( https://tuxcare.com/privacy-policies-hub/candidate-privacy-notice/ ), which provides detailed information on how we maintain and handle your data.