Software Engineer - packaging - Optimize Ubuntu for Next-Gen Silicon

Canonical; London; Remote; GBP 59,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading open-source software company is seeking a Software Engineer to optimize Ubuntu for next-gen silicon. The ideal candidate has strong fundamentals in C, C++, and Python, along with a passion for open-source technology. This role allows for global remote work and requires collaboration within a distributed team. Additional skills in virtualization and containers are a plus.

Benefits

Personal learning and development budget of USD 2,000 per year

Recognition rewards

Annual holiday leave

Maternity and paternity leave

Qualifications

• Exceptional academic track record from both high school and university.
• You love technology and working with brilliant people.
• Passionate about open source maintenance or contribution.

Responsibilities

• Collaborating proactively within a distributed team.
• Debugging issues on open source code and team maintained code.
• Fostering a software ecosystem with seamless user experience for all Ubuntu users.

Skills

C

C++

Python

Curiosity

Flexibility

Articulation

Accountability

Education

Undergraduate degree in a technical subject

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

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Software Engineer - packaging - Optimize Ubuntu for Next-Gen Silicon, London

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Client:

Canonical

Location:

London, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Reference:

158b28c7d67a

Job Views:

5

Posted:

12.08.2025

Expiry Date:

26.09.2025

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Job Description:

Canonical is a leading provider of open source software and operating systems to the global enterprise and technology markets. Our platform, Ubuntu, is very widely used in breakthrough enterprise initiatives such as public cloud, data science, AI, engineering innovation and IoT. Our customers include the world's leading public cloud and silicon providers, and industry leaders in many sectors. The company is a pioneer of global distributed collaboration, with + colleagues in 75+ countries and very few office-based roles. Teams meet two to four times yearly in person, in interesting locations around the world, to align on strategy and execution.

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

Canonical’s Partner Engineering Team is looking for open-source enthusiasts to work across the full Linux stack to ensure new silicon technologies, such as new hardware accelerators, AI stacks, confidential computing, networking, virtualization, and containerization stacks, are optimized for new silicons.

Partner Engineering works closely with worldwide silicon companies to optimize Ubuntu for their new silicon, from x86, ARM, RISC-V, PowerPC and sx architectures.

Location: This is a Globally remote role

The role entails

• Collaborating proactively within a distributed team
• Fostering a software ecosystem with seamless user experience for all Ubuntu users
• Evaluating contributions of other engineers to maintain high-quality software standards.
• Playing a role in shaping the future of Ubuntu via both - new ideas in your areas of interest and advising on work being done elsewhere
• Collaborating with other teams in the Ubuntu and Debian communities, with upstream projects, and commercially supported customers
• Debugging issues on open source code and team maintained code.
• Helping our our customers to integrate their apps, SDKs, build OS images, optimize applications with Ubuntu Core, Desktop and Server
• Working with a team to maintain Ubuntu, silicon features, and silicon-optimized packages across platforms and technologies such as:
• Servers, HPC and AI systems, IoT devices, PCs, SmartNICs and automotive systems
• AI stacks
• Graphics, audio and multimedia stacks
• Virtualisation and Containers
• Hardware enablement stacks
• New architectures, architecture variants and optimized toolchains
• Package management and dependencies
• Platform security (secure boot, FDE, Ubuntu Core, Confidential Computing)
• Work from home with global travel 2 to 4 weeks for internal events

What we are looking for in you

• Exceptional academic track record from both high school and university
• Undergraduate degree in a technical subject or a compelling narrative about your alternative chosen path
• You love technology and working with brilliant people
• You are curious, flexible, articulate, and accountable
• You value soft skills and are passionate, enterprising, thoughtful, and self-motivated
• You value building partnerships with a diverse set of internal and external groups
• Strong fundamentals in C, C++ and Python
• Experience or interest in learning Linux distribution packaging
• Experience or Interest in open source maintenance or contribution and licenses
• Fundamental understanding of package management and dependency resolution

Additional skills that you might also bring

• Experience with one or more of the following:
• Graphics, audio, or multimedia stacks
• Virtualization and containers (Docker, OCI, Kubernetes)
• Hardware enablement for platforms and devices, including SmartNICs, NVMe storage, GPUs, audio components, and sensors
• Performance optimization
• Toolchain development and maintenance
• Networking protocols and technologies (TCP/IP, DHCP,
• Security best practices
• IoT and embedded systems, including board-level hardware, SoCs, BMCs, bootloaders, firmware, operating systems, applications, and services

What we offer colleagues

We consider geographical location, experience, and performance in shaping compensation worldwide. We revisit compensation annually (and more often for graduates and associates) to ensure we recognize outstanding performance. In addition to base pay, we offer a performance-driven annual bonus or commission. We provide all team members with additional benefits which reflect our values and ideals. We balance our programs to meet local needs and ensure fairness globally.

• Distributed work environment with twice-yearly team sprints in person
• Personal learning and development budget of USD 2, per year
• Annual compensation review
• Recognition rewards
• Annual holiday leave
• Maternity and paternity leave
• Team Member Assistance Program & Wellness Platform
• Opportunity to travel to new locations to meet colleagues
• Priority Pass and travel upgrades for long-haul company events