Sustaining Engineering Intern - RHEL Kernel (Waterford office, Ireland)

Red Hat, Inc.; Waterford; Hybrid; EUR 13,000 - 20,000; Full time

Job summary

Red Hat Sustaining Engineering internship in Waterford, Ireland, invites a motivated intern to work on RHEL kernel fixes in stable streams within a hybrid schedule at the Waterford office. The paid, full-time role starts January 2027 and runs through August 2027, offering exposure to backporting, testing, and release processes.

You will collaborate with cross-functional teams, improve enterprise-quality fixes, and learn the Linux project lifecycle while practicing secure coding standards in an

Qualifications

• Enrolled in a university program in the Republic of Ireland for the full duration of the internship.
• English language proficiency, written and spoken.
• Interest in open-source software and development.
• Basic knowledge of Linux and C or C++.
• Familiarity with Bash or Python scripting.
• Understanding of Git (cherry-picking, merging, rebasing).
• Ability to collaborate within a global team.
• Interest in learning new technologies and problem-solving.

Responsibilities

• Work on Red Hat Enterprise Linux security vulnerabilities and bugs and be responsible for the updates in the stable streams.
• Backport selected security and other bug fixes into the stable release streams and help with tracking of upstream patches for backport.
• Configure or backport tests, set up test environment, run tests and verify fixes.
• Help with the development of the tests and test framework.
• Help with development and integration efforts of the test environment.
• Troubleshoot any potential issues, and collaborate with the engineering team on resolving them.
• Collaborate with various teams (product engineering, quality engineering, program management, release engineering, product security) to deliver updates in a timely manner and with appropriate quality.
• Possibility to participate in several internal and cross-functional projects for automation, integration and efficiency

Skills

C/C++

Git

Bash/Python scripting

Linux basics

Open source enthusiasm

English communication

Team collaboration

Education

University enrollment in ROI

Tools

Git

Job description

## Sustaining Engineering Intern - RHEL Kernel (Waterford office, Ireland)Apply: Hybrid: Waterford City: Full time: Posted Today: R-059205The Red Hat Sustaining Engineering team is looking for a motivated Intern with a focus on Red Hat Enterprise Linux to join us in the Waterford office. In this role, you'll have the opportunity to work on critical fixes for Kernel components in stable streams. You will make sure that our solutions fulfil the highest possible enterprise quality, performance, usability, and supportability criteria. You will gain a deep understanding of a variety of technologies from Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) as backporting, testing and release processes. This will give you the opportunity to gain a wide range of knowledge about the project lifecycle, our business and the open-source culture.To succeed in this role, you’ll need to be detail-oriented and committed to secure coding practices and standards, as you’ll be working on stable, business-critical streams. In addition, you’ll have the opportunity to engage with older streams that have their own specifics and challenges, requiring troubleshooting and problem-solving skills of potential issues. At Red Hat, you’ll work in an environment that welcomes diverse perspectives, values great ideas, and empowers individuals to contribute meaningfully. Freedom and courage are two of our core values — which means you’ll have the space to take risks, explore the unknown, and grow your strengths. But being a Red Hatter is not just about bravery; it’s also about commitment and follow-through.Red Hat’s Intern Program is a collaborative effort between the Emerging Talent team and our intern managers. The program is designed to offer a meaningful and well-rounded experience — combining professional development, networking opportunities, social engagement, and impactful work. This is a paid, full-time internship based in the Waterford office, with flexible working hours. The expected start date is January 2027.What you will do:* Work on Red Hat Enterprise Linux security vulnerabilities and bugs and be responsible for the updates in the stable streams* Backport selected security and other bug fixes into the stable release streams and help with tracking of upstream patches for backport* Configure or backport tests, set up test environment, run tests and verify fixes* Help with the development of the tests and test framework* Help with development and integration efforts of the test environment* Troubleshoot any potential issues, and collaborate with the engineering team on resolving them* Collaborate with various teams (product engineering, quality engineering, program management, release engineering, product security) in order to deliver updates in a timely manner and with appropriate quality* Possibility to participate in several internal and cross-functional projects for automation, integration and efficiencyWhat you will bring:* You must be enrolled in an accredited university program in the Republic of Ireland during the full duration of the internship and must be able to join us full time from January till August 2027* Working knowledge of written and spoken English* Interest in open-source software and development* Basic knowledge of Linux and any programming languages, especially C or C++* Familiarity with scripting using Bash or Python* Understanding of Git (cherry-picking, merging, rebasing, etc.)* Ability to collaborate and communicate effectively within a global team* Interest in learning new technologies and problem-solving skillsExperience with the following are considered a plus:* Open Source contributions to upstream linux projects or interaction with the open source community.* Familiar with kernel internals, including but not limited to: + Structure and its subsystems* Familiar with userspace low-level internals such as Kernel interface (syscalls, ioctl, etc.)* Experience with building code from source and debug compilation failures, mainly with C language code.Due to the limited number of internship opportunities and the high volume of applications, we may not be able to speak with every candidate. To maximize your chances of moving forward in the process, please ensure your CV clearly outlines your education, relevant projects (link to your git.hub account), and extracurricular activities.