Head of Linux Kernel Engineering — Hybrid/Remote

Akamai Technologies, Inc.; Honolulu (HI); On-site; USD 152,000 - 273,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare

401K savings plan

Paid time off (PTO)

Parental leave

Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)

Job summary

Akamai Technologies, Inc. seeks a seasoned engineering leader to head a team delivering a custom Linux kernel for Akamai's global compute, delivery, and AI platforms. You will guide performance, reliability, and security strategies while contributing hands-on when needed.

Lead efforts to design and scale kernel solutions, drive feature development, and mentor engineers across cross-functional teams and open-source communities. This role requires strong leadership and deep kernel expertise.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of relevant experience and a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field.
• Experience managing or leading technical teams within C development or Linux kernel environments.
• Solid understanding of Linux kernel internals including KVM, network stacks, memory management, and file systems.

Responsibilities

• Leading an engineering team to design, build, and scale custom Linux kernel solutions.
• Driving team execution on new feature development, performance tuning, vulnerability management, and new hardware support.
• Guiding engineers in debugging, isolating, and resolving low-level system issues across complex environments.
• Mentoring team members, setting quality standards, and fostering continuous career growth.
• Collaborating with cross-functional technical teams and open-source communities to deliver results.

Skills

Linux kernel

KVM

Network stacks

Memory management

File systems

C development

Team leadership

Performance tuning

Vulnerability management

Kernel debugging

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Job description

Akamai Technologies, Inc. seeks a seasoned engineering leader to head a team delivering a custom Linux kernel for Akamai's global compute, delivery, and AI platforms. You will guide performance, reliability, and security strategies while contributing hands-on when needed.

Lead efforts to design and scale kernel solutions, drive feature development, and mentor engineers across cross-functional teams and open-source communities. This role requires strong leadership and deep kernel expertise.