Senior Linux Kernel Engineer

X4 Technology; España; A distancia; EUR 90.000 - 120.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

Anonymous is seeking an experienced Linux Kernel Engineer with genuine upstream experience for a fully remote role across Europe. You will work on ARM-based SoCs and silicon enablement, spanning hardware description to upstream Linux.

Responsibilities include PCIe host-controller support, DMA, ASoC integration, and board bring-up with close collaboration with maintainers. This role emphasizes upstream contributions, kernel fundamentals, and debugging at the hardware-software boundary, with

Formación

• Must have upstream Linux contributions and genuine upstream experience.
• Strong foundation in Linux kernel fundamentals with ARM/SoC exposure.
• Experience collaborating with subsystem maintainers and guiding patches through upstream review.
• Familiarity with kernel commit conventions and patch series management.
• Ability to diagnose issues across hardware, IRQ routing, and Linux subsystems.

Responsabilidades

• Develop upstream-ready changes for ARM-based SoCs and new silicon enablement.
• Coordinate with Linux subsystem maintainers through review and patches.
• Implement PCIe host-controller support, DMA, and interrupt routing.
• Integrate ASoC/audio, SPI, Ethernet/PHY, and pinctrl functionality.
• Lead board bring-up and low-level hardware debugging.
• Drive upstreaming efforts and resolve issues across silicon and Linux.
• Work across hardware description, drivers, and Linux kernel subsystems.

Conocimientos

Linux kernel

Upstream experience

ARM/SoC

Hardware debugging

Patch review

Kernel commits

Upstream process

C

Herramientas

PCIe

Device Tree

Linux PCI subsystem

SoC bring-up

Descripción del empleo

Linux Kernel Engineer – Upstream / SoC Development | Fully Remote

I’m looking for an experienced Linux Kernel Engineer with genuine upstream experience for a fully remote role working directly on ARM SoCs and new silicon enablement.

I’m keeping the company anonymous for now, but this is with a major semiconductor organisation and the work is genuinely close to the hardware.

What makes the role interesting

This isn't primarily about maintaining an existing BSP or making small changes to an established driver.

You’ll be working on new SoC functionality, with responsibility that can span from the hardware description all the way through to upstream Linux.

The work includes:

• PCIe host-controller support, including link up/down and hotplug
• DMA and interrupt routing, including SoC-specific ICU integration
• ASoC / audio controller and codec integration
• Pinctrl and pin-function support
• SPI controller enablement and fixes
• Ethernet / PHY integration
• Thermal sensor drivers
• Board bring-up and low-level hardware debugging
• Upstreaming changes and working directly through review with Linux subsystem maintainers

The technical challenge

The work sits right at the boundary between silicon and Linux.

You might start with a hardware reference manual and need to work through:

For example, understanding a path such as:

and determining whether a problem is caused by the hardware configuration, interrupt routing, Device Tree, IRQ configuration, status register handling or the driver.

Or debugging a PCIe endpoint that won't enumerate by working across the PHY, clocks, resets, link training, controller and Linux PCI subsystem.

There is also interesting work around supporting multiple SoC variants — sharing common IP while dealing with different registers, interrupts and hardware quirks without creating a collection of duplicated drivers.

I’m specifically looking for upstream experience

This is important.

I’m looking for someone who has actually contributed to upstream Linux, not just worked on a vendor kernel or modified a BSP internally.

You should ideally have experience with:

• Working with subsystem maintainers
• Responding to review and revising patches
• Patch series and dependencies
• Kernel commit conventions
• Taking changes through the upstream review process

You don’t need to be an expert in every subsystem listed above.

Strong C / Linux kernel fundamentals, ARM/SoC experience, hardware debugging and a proven upstream track record are more important than having a long list of specific drivers on your CV.

A good fit if...

You enjoy the kind of engineering where the question isn’t just:

"Which API do I call?"

but:

"What is the hardware actually doing, how is Linux representing it, and where is the mismatch?"

And you’re comfortable getting from that question to a working implementation, testing it on real hardware and defending the design during upstream review.

The practical bits

Fully remote (work from anywhere in Europe)

Highly competitive day rate (OUTSIDE IR35) Long term 2+ years

Real silicon and low-level kernel development

Genuine upstream Linux work

If you’re already working in Linux kernel, Embedded Linux, BSP or SoC development and have upstream contributions behind you, I’d be interested in speaking.

I’m keeping the company name private on the post, but happy to share the details directly.

#LinuxKernel #UpstreamLinux #EmbeddedLinux #ARM #SoC #DeviceTree #KernelDevelopment #Linux #PCIe #DMA #Firmware #OpenSource #EmbeddedSystems