Junior Operating Systems Engineer (Embedded Linux / Yocto)

Lyntris; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

Paid Company Holidays

Optional HSA and FSA

Base and Voluntary Life Insurance

Short Term & Long-Term Disability Ins

401k Matching

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Lyntris is seeking a Junior Operating Systems Engineer to build and maintain embedded Linux images using Yocto in a high-security environment in San Diego, CA. The role focuses on immutable OS images, secure boot, and update tooling, with hands-on debugging across kernels, drivers, and userspace on real appliances. Applicants must hold an active U.S.

national security clearance or be able to obtain one. The position offers full-time employment, competitive pay, and benefits in a defense

Qualifications

• Active U.S. national security clearance or ability to obtain one.
• Build and maintain custom Linux images using the Yocto Project (recipes, layers, BitBake, kernel configuration).
• Support an immutable, A/B-updatable OS image architecture, including secure boot and update tooling.
• Package, integrate, and troubleshoot system services, drivers, and third-party software on embedded x86 hardware.
• Contribute to OS hardening efforts (FIPS mode, secure boot, compliance-driven configuration).
• Debug boot, kernel, driver, and userspace issues on real appliance hardware.
• Use generative AI tools daily to accelerate development: writing and reviewing recipes, generating test scaffolding, drafting documentation, and debugging build failures.
• Write clear documentation for build processes, image releases, and provisioning workflows.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain custom Linux images using the Yocto Project (recipes, layers, BitBake, kernel configuration).
• Support an immutable, A/B-updatable OS image architecture, including secure boot and update tooling.
• Package, integrate, and troubleshoot system services, drivers, and third-party software on embedded x86 hardware.
• Contribute to OS hardening efforts (FIPS mode, secure boot, compliance-driven configuration).
• Debug boot, kernel, driver, and userspace issues on real appliance hardware.
• Use generative AI tools daily to accelerate development: writing and reviewing recipes, generating test scaffolding, drafting documentation, and debugging build failures.
• Write clear documentation for build processes, image releases, and provisioning workflows.

Skills

Clearance eligibility

AI tooling usage

Documentation writing

Kernel debugging

Team collaboration

Tools

Yocto Project

Buildroot

Suricata

Zeek

Job description

Junior Operating Systems Engineer (Embedded Linux / Yocto)

Lyntris is a defense technology company that connects sensing to action across the connected battlespace. Lyntris brings together the talents of Accelint and Vitesse teams under one mission, with each contributing deep expertise within their domain. Combining differentiated hardware, software and mission expertise, Lyntris helps customers sense threats, make sense of complex conditions and act with greater speed, precision and confidence in contested environments.

Lyntris supports U.S. and allied defense organizations across every branch — including Navy, Army, Air Force, Space Force and allied partners — spanning strategic, operational and tactical missions and every domain: Space, Air, Land, Sea and Cyber. With more than 200 active defense programs, Lyntris works at every level of the mission, from national command authority to the tactical edge.

Solutions are designed by operators who understand the mission, engineered for the conditions that degrade or defeat standard systems, and built on an open, modular architecture that integrates into existing programs without requiring them to start over. Lyntris moves faster than the traditional defense cycle — with integrated design, build and test capabilities in-house — and delivers systems that sustain and endure long after initial fielding.

Job Description

• Junior Operating Systems Engineer (Embedded Linux / Yocto)
• Full time

*This position requires anactive U.S. national security clearance.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Build and maintain custom Linux images using the Yocto Project (recipes, layers, BitBake, kernel configuration)
• Support an immutable, A/B-updatable OS image architecture, including secure boot and update tooling
• Package, integrate, and troubleshoot system services, drivers, and third-party software on embedded x86 hardwar
• Contribute to OS hardening efforts (FIPS mode, secure boot, compliance-driven configuration)
• Debug boot, kernel, driver, and userspace issues on real appliance hardware
• Use generative AI tools daily to accelerate development: writing and reviewing recipes, generating test scaffolding, drafting documentation, and debugging build failures
• Write clear documentation for build processes, image releases, and provisioning workflows

Required Qualifications

• Currently holds an active U.S. national security clearance or be able to receive and maintain one.
• Build and maintain custom Linux images using the Yocto Project (recipes, layers, BitBake, kernel configuration)
• Support an immutable, A/B-updatable OS image architecture, including secure boot and update tooling
• Package, integrate, and troubleshoot system services, drivers, and third-party software on embedded x86 hardwar
• Contribute to OS hardening efforts (FIPS mode, secure boot, compliance-driven configuration)
• Debug boot, kernel, driver, and userspace issues on real appliance hardware
• Use generative AI tools daily to accelerate development: writing and reviewing recipes, generating test scaffolding, drafting documentation, and debugging build failures
• Write clear documentation for build processes, image releases, and provisioning workflows

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with the Yocto Project, Buildroot, or another embedded Linux build system
• Exposure to Rocky Linux / RHEL-family distributions
• Familiarity with secure boot, TPM, disk encryption, or FIPS 140-3 concepts
• Experience with network security tooling (Suricata, Zeek, packet capture)
• Exposure to compliance frameworks (CMMC, NIST 800-171)
• Basic C or Rust reading ability for kernel/driver troubleshooting
• Homelab, open-source contributions, or relevant personal projects

Clearance Requirements

Some positions will require access to U.S. National Security information. Positions that require this access will be required to receive and maintain a U.S. government personnel security clearance (PCL). In order to qualify for this position, the candidate must be a US Citizen and either currently possess this National Security eligibility or be able to complete the investigation application process with a favorable determination and maintain that eligibility throughout their employment.

EEOC & Know Your Rights

Lyntris companies are Equal Opportunity Employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, and local law. We ensure that all employment decisions, including hiring, promotion, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment, are based on merit, qualifications, and business needs. For more information about your rights, please review the "Know Your Rights" poster from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Know your Rights: English Spanish

Pay Scales & Benefits

The listed pay scale reflects the broad, minimum to maximum, pay scale for this position for the location for which it has been posted and is not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Other compensation considerations may include, but are not limited to, job responsibilities, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, or other applicable factors.

Benefits include…

• Paid Time Off
• Paid Company Holidays
• Optional HSA and FSA
• Base and Voluntary Life Insurance
• Short Term & Long-Term Disability Insurance
• 401k Matching
• Employee Assistance Program

The pay range for this role is:

100,000 - 120,000 USD per year (San Diego, CA (HDG))