Graduate Software Engineer for Open Source and Ubuntu

Canonical; Remote; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading open-source software provider is seeking Graduate Software Engineers to join their teams. Candidates should have exceptional academic records, an undergraduate degree in a STEM discipline, and be proficient in programming languages such as Python, Rust, or C/C++. The role is remote, with a focus on writing high-quality software and contributing to open-source projects. Opportunities for international travel and professional development are offered, along with a competitive compensation package.

Benefits

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

Performance-driven annual bonus

Distributed work environment with team sprints twice a year

Qualifications

• Strong programming experience in one or more languages: Python, Rust, C/C++, Golang, JavaScript or Java.
• Ability to work in a globally distributed team environment.
• Capability to travel internationally for company events.

Responsibilities

• Shape the product roadmap during global sprints every six months.
• Write high quality, resilient, and performant code.
• Engage with users through code reviews and issue trackers.

Skills

Confidence to deliver high quality code in Python, Rust, C/C++, Golang, JavaScript or Java

Exceptional academic track record

Excellent interpersonal skills

Organizational skills

Education

Undergraduate degree in Computer Science, Business Informatics, Mathematics or another STEM discipline

Tools

Ubuntu or another Linux distribution

Job description

Overview

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 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 1200+ 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.

We are hiring 2025 and 2026 Graduate Software Engineers into engineering teams around the world. As a global platform company we offer a wide range of software engineering challenges, in both open source products and commercial business systems. We have teams that work in a variety of languages, typically Python, Golang, Rust, C/C++, JavaScript and of course... Bash. We work from the very lowest levels of the Linux system – BIOS and boot loaders, firmware, kernel and drivers, all the way up to desktop applications and containers. We work on tiny devices like the Raspberry Pi and new RISC-V boards, all the way up to supercomputers, clouds and Kubernetes clusters. We work on compilers and toolchains, and we work on security, cryptography, performance and documentation. Some of our teams focus on packaging thousands of pieces of software, others focus on deep contributions to a single body of code.

If you are excited about the potential that open source has for humanity and the enterprise, you have outstanding results in your academic career, and you are excited to contribute to the open source stack, this is the best way to apply to Canonical. We will work with you to identify teams and projects that would be interesting and a good fit for your skills and motivations. The process is highly competitive, it will require effort and excellence to succeed if you apply here.

Location

This is a globally remote role.

Responsibilities

• Shaping the roadmap for your product at global sprints every six months
• Focusing on design and user experience, even for developer tooling and command line apps
• Writing high quality, resilient and performant code, potentially serving millions of demanding daily users
• Working towards mastery of key programming languages and Linux system knowledge
• Engaging with users and the open source community through code reviews and issue trackers
• Responding to customer issues as a priority, develop an understanding of enterprise requirements
• Developing skills and awareness of security in software design and implementation

What we are looking for in you

• Exceptional academic track record from both high school and university
• Undergraduate degree in Computer Science, Business Informatics, Mathematics or another STEM discipline with programming courses
• Confidence to get started and deliver high quality code in one of Python, Rust, C/C++, Golang, JavaScript or Java
• Experience with Ubuntu or another Linux distribution
• Track record of going above-and-beyond expectations to achieve outstanding results
• Result-oriented and organized, with the drive to meet commitments
• Personal projects in technology and software engineering beyond the curriculum
• Professional written and spoken English
• Excellent interpersonal skills, curiosity, flexibility, and accountability
• Personal responsibility and accountability
• Thoughtfulness, self-awareness and the ability to reflect and develop
• Ability to travel internationally twice a year for company events up to two weeks long

Nice-to-have skills

• Upstream open source contributions
• Packaging and Linux distribution contributions - Debian, Fedora, Arch, Nix or another
• Leadership and organization skills
• Presentation and writing skills
• Business and commercial interests

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 2,000 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

About Canonical

Canonical is a pioneering tech firm at the forefront of the global move to open source. As the company that publishes Ubuntu, one of the most important open source projects and the platform for AI, IoT and the cloud, we are changing the world of software. We recruit on a global basis and set a very high standard for people joining the company. We expect excellence - in order to succeed, we need to be the best at what we do. Most colleagues at Canonical have worked from home since its inception in 2004. Working here is a step into the future, and will challenge you to think differently, work smarter, learn new skills, and raise your game.

Canonical is an equal opportunity employer

We are proud to foster a workplace free from discrimination. Diversity of experience, perspectives, and background create a better work environment and better products. Whatever your identity, we will give your application fair consideration.