Containerization & Virtualisation Engineer

Canonical; Atlanta (GA); Remote; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative company is seeking a talented Containerization & Virtualisation Engineer to join their dynamic team. This remote role offers the opportunity to work on cutting-edge projects in open source software, focusing on virtualization and container technology. You will engage with upstream communities, design new features, and contribute to high-performance, security-critical software. With a commitment to excellence and a distributed work environment, this position provides a unique chance to be part of a global team dedicated to shaping the future of technology. If you are passionate about open source and eager to make an impact, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Benefits

USD 2,000 annual learning and development budget

Annual salary reviews

Paid holiday, maternity, and paternity leave

Employee Assistance Program

Travel opportunities

Biannual in-person team sprints

Qualifications

• Strong academic background and degree in Computer Science or related field.
• Experience with open source virtualization or container technology.

Responsibilities

• Design and specify new features while building consensus.
• Collaborate with a distributed team and engage with upstream communities.

Skills

C/C++

Go

Rust

Python

Performance Engineering

Security Expertise

Education

Degree in Computer Science or STEM

High School Diploma

Tools

Linux (Debian/Ubuntu)

Docker

Kubernetes

OpenStack

Job description

Join to apply for the Containerization & Virtualisation Engineer 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 top public cloud and silicon providers, and industry leaders across sectors. We are a founder-led, profitable, and growing company with a global distributed team of over 1000 colleagues in 70+ countries. We value in-person team meetings a few times a year in interesting global locations.

This process targets software engineers specialized in virtualization and container technology, from kernel to userspace. We welcome applications from exceptional Go, Rust, or C/C++ engineers interested in next-generation open source VMM, container technology, or related networking and storage projects.

Key Projects at Canonical

• RustVMM: Developing a high-performance, secure Linux hypervisor using Rust.
• Docker Images: Improving quality, security, and consistency of Docker images for open source community use.
• LXD: A system container and VM manager working across the software stack from kernel to API.
• Kubernetes: Building MicroK8s and Charmed Kubernetes for various deployment needs.
• OpenStack: Delivering Charmed OpenStack, OVN/OVS, and Ceph for large-scale cloud environments.

We seek system-level C/C++, Golang, Rust, and Python developers to work on security-critical, performance-critical, and mission-critical software, focusing on security, containers, sandboxing, and orchestration.

Location

Remote roles available in every time zone.

Responsibilities

1. Design and specify new features, building consensus on approaches.
2. Engage with upstream communities.
3. Perform security analyses and reviews.
4. Create and monitor performance benchmarks.
5. Collaborate with a distributed team.
6. Write, debug, and review high-quality code.
7. Participate in discussions to find optimal solutions.

Candidate Requirements

• Strong academic background from high school and university.
• Degree in Computer Science or STEM, or a compelling alternative career narrative.
• Proven drive and ability to exceed expectations.
• Experience with open source virtualization or container tech.
• Experience working at kernel or low system levels.
• Proficiency in English, Linux (Debian/Ubuntu preferred), interpersonal skills, curiosity, flexibility, and accountability.
• Passion, motivation, and excellent communication skills.
• Result-oriented with a commitment to meet deadlines.
• Ability to travel twice a year for company events, up to two weeks each time.

Additional Skills

• Performance engineering and security expertise.

What We Offer

• Distributed work environment with biannual in-person team sprints.
• USD 2,000 annual learning and development budget.
• Annual salary reviews and recognition rewards.
• Paid holiday, maternity, and paternity leave.
• Employee Assistance Program and travel opportunities.

About Canonical

Canonical is a pioneer in open source, behind Ubuntu, a key platform for AI, IoT, and cloud. We operate globally, hire worldwide, and uphold high standards of excellence. Since 2004, we have been a remote-first company, fostering innovation and continuous learning.

We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity and fairness in our hiring practices.