Kernel Validation & Automation Lead – Virtualization & Systems Performance

MaxIT Consulting - Max Corporate Group; Massachusetts; On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

401(k) savings plan

Annual bonus

Equity opportunities

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Paid holidays and PTO

Parental and family-friendly benefits

Wellness resources

Job summary

MaxIT Consulting — Max Corporate Group is seeking an experienced Kernel Validation & Automation Lead for a Linux-based AI and compute environment. This remote role focuses on defining test strategy, automation, and system-level validation across distributed platforms.

The ideal candidate will have deep Linux kernel internals expertise, C development, virtualization experience with KVM, and strong automation skills to scale testing, performance benchmarks, and CI pipelines.

Qualifications

• 12 years of relevant experience in software engineering, development, or systems engineering.
• Strong C development experience in Linux kernel or low-level systems.
• Proficiency with Python, Shell, and/or Perl for automation.
• Deep understanding of Linux kernel internals and system-level infrastructure.
• Hands-on experience with KVM and virtualization.
• Experience with Virtio drivers and virtualized I/O environments.
• Knowledge of cgroups, memory management, file systems, and block I/O.
• Familiarity with Ethernet/network drivers and TCP/IP stack.
• Extensive Linux kernel debugging and performance benchmarking.
• Experience designing and maintaining CI and automated testing frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Lead the overall testing and validation strategy for Linux kernel infrastructure supporting AI and compute environments.
• Design, build, and scale automated test frameworks focusing on performance, reliability, and security.
• Develop comprehensive test suites for kernel enhancements and infrastructure changes.
• Support migration and validation of kernel and virtualization changes across platform versions.
• Troubleshoot and isolate complex low-level system issues across test environments.
• Perform Linux kernel debugging and performance benchmarking.
• Architect and improve build, automation, CI, and continuous testing infrastructure.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to set quality standards and improve reliability at scale.
• Provide technical direction and mentorship to other engineers.
• Identify and resolve performance, reliability, virtualization, networking, storage, and resource-management issues.

Skills

Linux kernel

C development

KVM virtualization

Python/ Shell/ Perl automation

Kernel debugging

Performance benchmarking

CI automation

System-level validation

Distributed systems

Troubleshooting complex infra

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Job description

Kernel Validation & Automation Lead — Virtualization & Systems Performance

Remote — United States | Full-Time | Direct Hire

MaxIT Consulting — Max Corporate Group is seeking an experienced Kernel Validation & Automation Lead — Virtualization & Systems Performance for a leading global technology organization.

This opportunity is focused on defining test strategy, automation, and system-level validation for a highly distributed Linux-based AI and compute environment.

The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in Linux kernel internals, C development, virtualization, debugging, performance testing, and scalable test automation. This is a highly technical role for someone comfortable solving complex infrastructure problems at the operating-system level.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the overall testing and validation strategy for custom Linux kernel infrastructure supporting AI and compute environments.
• Design, build, and scale automated test frameworks focused on performance, reliability, and security.
• Develop comprehensive test suites for Linux kernel enhancements and infrastructure changes.
• Support the migration and validation of kernel and virtualization modifications across newer platform versions.
• Troubleshoot and isolate complex low-level system issues across test and simulated production environments.
• Perform Linux kernel debugging, performance benchmarking, and system-level validation.
• Architect and continuously improve build, automation, continuous integration, and continuous testing infrastructure.
• Partner closely with engineering teams to establish quality standards and improve infrastructure reliability at scale.
• Provide technical direction and mentorship to other engineers.
• Help identify and resolve performance, reliability, virtualization, networking, storage, and resource-management issues.

Required Qualifications

• 12 years of relevant experience in software engineering, development, systems engineering, test engineering, or a closely related technical field.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Strong software development and validation experience using C, particularly in Linux kernel or low-level systems environments.
• Strong scripting and automation experience using Python, Shell, and/or Perl.
• Deep understanding of Linux kernel internals and system-level infrastructure.
• Strong hands-on experience with KVM and virtualization.
• Experience with Virtio drivers and virtualized I/O environments.
• Strong knowledge of cgroups, memory management, file systems, and block I/O.
• Knowledge of Ethernet/network drivers and the TCP/IP stack.
• Extensive experience with Linux kernel debugging and performance benchmarking.
• Experience designing, implementing, and maintaining continuous integration and automated testing frameworks.
• Proven ability to diagnose and resolve complex system-level and infrastructure issues.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills in highly technical environments.
• Ability to operate effectively in a distributed, remote engineering organization.

Technical Focus

Strong candidates should demonstrate meaningful hands-on experience across several of the following areas:

• Kernel-level development and validation
• C programming
• KVM and virtualization
• Virtio
• Memory management
• cgroups
• File systems
• Block I/O
• Network drivers
• TCP/IP
• Kernel debugging
• Performance benchmarking
• Python, Shell, or Perl automation
• Continuous integration
• Automated and continuous testing
• System-level performance and reliability validation

Ideal Background

Candidates may come from backgrounds such as:

• Kernel development
• Operating system engineering
• Systems validation
• Virtualization or hypervisor engineering
• Infrastructure test automation
• Low-level performance engineering
• Cloud infrastructure engineering
• Embedded or platform systems development
• Large-scale distributed systems validation

Experience supporting enterprise-scale, cloud, hyperscale, or geographically distributed platforms is highly valued.

Formal people management is not required. Technical leadership, ownership of testing strategy, and mentoring experience are important.

What Success Looks Like

The successful candidate should be able to demonstrate examples of solving complex low-level infrastructure problems and improving the quality, performance, or reliability of production-scale systems.

Relevant accomplishments may include:

• Designing kernel-level test strategies
• Building scalable automated testing frameworks
• Diagnosing difficult kernel or virtualization issues
• Improving performance or reliability through system-level analysis
• Porting and validating kernel modifications across platform versions
• Building or improving continuous testing infrastructure
• Developing performance benchmarks and validation methodologies
• Providing technical leadership across multiple engineering teams

Benefits

The benefits package may include:

• Comprehensive healthcare benefits
• 401(k) savings plan
• Annual bonus or incentive opportunities
• Equity opportunities
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Paid holidays and PTO
• Paid sick time
• Parental and family-friendly benefits
• Employee assistance programs
• Mental and financial wellness resources

Work Location and Authorization

This position is remote within the United States.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position, now or in the future.

Relocation is not required.

Interview Process

The selection process is expected to include:

• Technical interview with the Hiring Manager
• Technical panel interviews with discipline and technical leads
• Final non-technical interview with Operations

Candidates should be comfortable collaborating with distributed engineering teams across multiple U.S. and international time zones.