Software Architect - Containers / Virtualisation

Canonical; London; Remote; USD 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a pioneering organization in open source software as a Software Architect focusing on Containers and Virtualization. In this dynamic role, you will lead the architecture and design of innovative cloud solutions, leveraging your expertise in Golang and C. You will work in a distributed environment, collaborating with a global team while enjoying a wealth of professional development opportunities. This is your chance to make a significant impact in the cloud computing landscape while enjoying the flexibility of remote work and a supportive company culture that values growth and innovation.

Benefits

Learning and development budget of USD 2,000/year

Annual pay review

Bonuses and benefits

Holiday leave

Parental leave

Employee Assistance

Travel opportunities

Qualifications

• Strong academic background in STEM with proven leadership skills.
• Experience in cloud technologies and distributed systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture of LXD and MicroCloud.
• Mentor colleagues and ensure code quality.
• Provide technical leadership within the community.

Skills

Golang

C

Technical Leadership

Distributed Systems

Virtualization

Networking

Containers

Linux (Debian/Ubuntu)

Professional Communication

Education

Degree in Computer Science

High School Diploma

Job description

Software Architect - Containers / Virtualisation

Join to apply for the Software Architect - Containers / Virtualisation role at Canonical.

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 over 80 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. We are hiring a software architect for Canonical LXD and MicroCloud. Our goal is to make clusters of compute, with system containers or virtual machines, 'just work' — enabling easy setup of small clouds across multiple servers. This involves distributed systems, virtualization, container tech, networking, and storage. Like Ubuntu desktop, our aim is to make infrastructure reliable and easy, so users can focus on what matters.

LXD is a modern Golang system container and VM orchestrator used on Ubuntu, ChromeOS, and other Linux platforms. It covers low-level kernel work to high-level management via REST API and CLI. As a software architect, you will lead the architecture, design, and evolution of LXD and Canonical MicroCloud, which combines LXD with Ceph and OVN for resilient, scalable cloud infrastructure.

We seek an outstanding software architect with Golang and C experience, leadership qualities, and knowledge of modern cloud APIs and technologies. This is an opportunity to impact cloud computing technologies, in a dynamic, learning-focused environment.

Location: Home-based in EMEA or the Americas.

Role responsibilities include:

1. Leading the architecture of LXD and MicroCloud
2. Mentoring and developing colleagues
3. Developing in Golang and C
4. Code review and ensuring security and performance
5. Providing technical leadership within Canonical and the community
6. Traveling twice annually for company events

Candidate requirements:

• Strong academic record from high school and university
• Degree in Computer Science or STEM
• Proven drive and exceeding expectations
• Technical leadership and team motivation skills
• Self-organized, reliable, and punctual
• Professional communication skills in English
• Experience with Go, C, storage, networking, virtualization, containers, distributed systems
• Linux experience (Debian/Ubuntu preferred)
• Interpersonal skills, curiosity, flexibility, accountability

What we offer:

• Distributed work environment with biannual in-person sprints
• Learning and development budget of USD 2,000/year
• Annual pay review, bonuses, benefits, and fair global compensation
• Additional perks: holiday leave, parental leave, Employee Assistance, travel opportunities, and more

About Canonical:

Canonical pioneers open source innovation, publishing Ubuntu, a key platform for AI, IoT, and cloud. We recruit globally, uphold high standards, and promote a diverse, inclusive workplace. Working remotely since 2004, we challenge you to think differently and grow professionally.

Job details:

• Seniority level: Mid-Senior
• Employment type: Full-time
• Industry: Software Development