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

Red Hat; Waterford; On-site; EUR 17,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

Red Hat in Waterford, Ireland, invites motivated interns to join the Sustaining Engineering team and contribute to critical fixes in RHEL stable streams. You will backport security and bug fixes, configure tests, and collaborate with global teams on efficient updates.

The program emphasizes hands-on learning, professional development, and exposure to the full product lifecycle within a collaborative, inclusive culture.

Qualifications

• Must be enrolled in an accredited Irish university program for the full duration of the internship.
• Interest in open source software and development.
• Basic knowledge of Linux and programming languages (C, C++, Python, Go).

Responsibilities

• Work on Red Hat Enterprise Linux security vulnerabilities and bugs in the stable streams.
• Backport selected fixes into stable release streams and track upstream patches for backport.
• Configure or backport tests, set up test environment, run tests and verify fixes.
• Help develop tests and test framework for automation.
• Collaborate with product, quality engineering, program management and release engineering to deliver updates timely.
• Participate in internal and cross-functional projects for automation and efficiency.

Skills

English proficiency

Open source interest

Team collaboration

Tools

C

C++

Python

Go

Linux

Bash

Git

Job description

The Red Hat Sustaining Engineering team is looking for a motivated Intern with a focus on Red Hat Enterprise Linux to join our team. In this role, you'll have the opportunity to work on critical fixes for Userspace components in stable streams. You will make sure that our solutions fulfill 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. You’ll also work with older streams that have their own specifics, requiring troubleshooting of potential problems.

This role empowers you to contribute, learn and explore new solutions moving forward. This will give you the opportunity to gain a wide range of knowledge about product lifecycle, our business and the open source culture.

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, collaborate with the engineering team on resolving them
• Collaborate with various teams (product engineering, quality engineering, program management, release engineering) in order to deliver updates in a timely manner and appropriate quality
• Possibility to participate in several internal and cross-functional projects for automation, integration and efficiency

What 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
• IInterest in open source software and development
• Basic knowledge of Linux and programming languages like C, C++, Python, Go
• Familiarity with scripting using Bash or Python
• Understanding of Git (cherry-picking, merging, rebasing, etc.)
• Ability to collaborate and communicate effectively with a global team
• Interest in learning new technologies and problem-solving skills

Due to the limited number of internship opportunities and the high volume of applications, we may not be able to speak with every candidate.

About Red Hat

Red Hat is the world’s leading provider of enterprise open source software solutions, using a community-powered approach to deliver high-performing Linux, cloud, container, and Kubernetes technologies. Spread across 40+ countries, our associates work flexibly across work environments, from in-office, to office-flex, to fully remote, depending on the requirements of their role. Red Hatters are encouraged to bring their best ideas, no matter their title or tenure. We're a leader in open source because of our open and inclusive environment. We hire creative, passionate people ready to contribute their ideas, help solve complex problems, and make an impact.

Inclusion at Red Hat

Red Hat’s culture is built on the open source principles of transparency, collaboration, and inclusion, where the best ideas can come from anywhere and anyone. When this is realized, it empowers people from different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences to come together to share ideas, challenge the status quo, and drive innovation. Our aspiration is that everyone experiences this culture with equal opportunity and access, and that all voices are not only heard but also celebrated. We hope you will join our celebration, and we welcome and encourage applicants from all the beautiful dimensions that compose our global village.

Equal Opportunity Policy (EEO)

Red Hat is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and an affirmative action employer. We review applications for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, veteran status, genetic information, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, or any other basis prohibited by law.

Red Hat does not seek or accept unsolicited resumes or CVs from recruitment agencies. We are not responsible for, and will not pay, any fees, commissions, or any other payment related to unsolicited resumes or CVs except as required in a written contract between Red Hat and the recruitment agency or party requesting payment of a fee.

Red Hat supports individuals with disabilities and provides reasonable accommodations to job applicants. If you need assistance completing our online job application, email [e-mail]. General inquiries, such as those regarding the status of a job application, will not receive a reply.