Linux Embedded Development Expert

Sandisk; Illinois; On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Sandisk is seeking a Senior Linux Kernel Systems Engineer to advance kernel subsystems, storage stacks, and low-level OS internals. The role demands deep expertise in the Linux kernel, memory management, block/IO, and device drivers, paired with a track record of solving performance-critical challenges.

Collaboration with cross-functional teams and upstream communities is essential. The ideal candidate will work directly in kernel source, diagnose complex issues across application to hardware

Qualifications

• 10+ years of hands-on low-level systems or Linux kernel development.
• Direct kernel-space work with drivers or subsystem code.
• Experience with storage stacks (NVMe, block layer) and high-performance I/O.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize Linux kernel subsystems such as block/IO, memory management, or storage stack.
• Profile and tune system performance under production workloads to reduce latency and improve throughput.
• Debug complex multi-layer issues using kernel tracing tools (ftrace, perf, eBPF).
• Contribute patches upstream and engage with the open-source community.

Skills

C programming

Kernel internals

Linux kernel

Performance analysis

Git

Debugging tools

Tools

Git

ftrace

perf

eBPF

Job description

Sandisk understands how people and businesses consume data and we relentlessly innovate to deliver solutions that enable today’s needs and tomorrow’s next big ideas. With a rich history of groundbreaking innovations in Flash and advanced memory technologies, our solutions have become the beating heart of the digital world we’re living in and that we have the power to shape.

Sandisk meets people and businesses at the intersection of their aspirations and the moment, enabling them to keep moving and pushing possibility forward. We do this through the balance of our powerhouse manufacturing capabilities and our industry-leading portfolio of products that are recognized globally for innovation, performance and quality.

Sandisk has two facilities recognized by the World Economic Forum as part of the Global Lighthouse Network for advanced 4IR innovations. These facilities were also recognized as Sustainability Lighthouses for breakthroughs in efficient operations. With our global reach, we ensure the global supply chain has access to the Flash memory it needs to keep our world moving forward.

We are seeking a highly skilledSenior Linux Kernel Systems Engineerwith deep expertise in low-level OS internals, storage and memory subsystems, and the hardware/software boundary. The ideal candidate has production experience with Linux kernel subsystems such as the block/IO layer, memory management, or device drivers - and a track record of solving hard systems problems in performance-critical environments.

The ideal candidate has a deep understanding of kernel internals, strong problem-solving skills, and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team.

The candidate should be comfortable working directly in kernel source code - reading, modifying, and contributing to kernel subsystem code - and have demonstrated experience solving complex, multi-layer system problems from application down to hardware.

A research-oriented mindset, curiosity about emerging systems technologies (tiered memory, CXL, high-bandwidth interconnects), and the ability to evaluate and integrate new approaches into a Linux kernel development workflow are essential. Familiarity with AI-assisted development tooling (code review, static analysis) is a plus, though not a prerequisite.

Key Responsibilities:

• Linux Kernel Subsystem Work:Develop and optimize within Linux kernel subsystems - block/IO layer, memory management, device drivers, or storage stack. Engage with kernel internals at the source level, including subsystem APIs, locking models, and performance-critical paths.
• Performance Analysis & Optimization:Profile and tune system behavior under production workloads; identify bottlenecks across the full stack from application to hardware; optimize for latency, throughput, and resource efficiency.
• Complex Full-Stack Debugging:Debug hard, multi-layer system problems - from application behavior through kernel internals to hardware - using kernel tracing, hardware counters, and low-level analysis tools (ftrace, perf, eBPF).
• Open Source Collaboration:Engage with upstream kernel and storage communities; contribute patches; participate in mailing-list design discussions; stay updated with the latest developments and best practices in the open-source ecosystem.
• Version Control:Use Git at depth - patch series management, bisect-based debugging, and clean commit history suited for upstream submission, following kernel coding style and review conventions.
• Team Collaboration:Work closely with hardware, algorithm, and platform teams. Contribute to design reviews and architectural decisions. Participate in code reviews, design discussions, and team meetings.
• Independent Work:Demonstrate the ability to work independently on complex kernel projects, manage tasks efficiently, and solve problems with minimal supervision.

• Experience:10+ years of hands-on low-level systems or Linux kernel development, with at least 5 years working directly in kernel space (drivers, subsystem code, or kernel-adjacent infrastructure).
• Programming Skills:Proficiency in C; working knowledge of C++. Comfort with kernel coding style, memory safety, and lock-ordering discipline.
• Kernel Subsystem Depth:Demonstrated expertise in at least one major Linux kernel subsystem — memory management (reclaim, swap, page migration), block/IO layer, device drivers, or high-performance networking (DPDK/RDMA). Surface-level exposure does not qualify.
• Storage Stack:Hands-on experience with the Linux block layer, NVMe, or storage backend technologies (SPDK, Ceph/RBD, or similar). Familiarity with IO path internals - submission queues, completion, and caching layers - is strongly preferred. This is a core requirement, not an advantage.
• Full-Stack Debugging:Proven ability to debug complex system issues across the application-kernel-hardware boundary, including use of kernel tracing infrastructure (ftrace, perf, eBPF) or hardware-level analysis.
• Open-Source Involvement:Proven experience engaging with the open-source kernel or storage community (upstream contributions, mailing-list participation, or public patch history).
• Version Control:Deep Git proficiency - patch series, bisect, rebase workflows, and managing review cycles for upstream-quality commits.
• Collaboration and Communication:Ability to work effectively in a team environment as well as independently. Excellent communication skills to interact with cross-functional teams and contribute to discussions and documentation.

Differentiating Skills (strong plus):

• Virtualization / Hypervisor Internals:Experience with x86 VT-x/AMD-V, KVM, IOMMU, device pass-through, or distributed SMP systems.
• High-Bandwidth Interconnects:Familiarity with RDMA, InfiniBand, DPDK, or RoCE in storage or networking contexts.
• Tiered Memory & Caching:Experience with CXL, DRAM/NVMe tiering, block-layer caching, or cache-tier design (OpenCAS or similar).
• ARM Architecture:AArch64 experience including SIMD/NEON optimization or KVM stage-2 memory virtualization on ARM-based servers.
• Upstream Kernel Contributions:Patches accepted to mainline, sustained mailing-list engagement, or subsystem maintainer interaction.
• Academic Background:B.Sc. or M.Sc. in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering from a research-oriented institution.

Sandisk thrives on the power and potential of diversity. As a global company, we believe the most effective way to embrace the diversity of our customers and communities is to mirror it from within. We believe the fusion of various perspectives results in the best outcomes for our employees, our company, our customers, and the world around us. We are committed to an inclusive environment where every individual can thrive through a sense of belonging, respect and contribution.

Sandisk is committed to offering opportunities to applicants with disabilities and ensuring all candidates can successfully navigate our careers website and our hiring process. Please contact us at [e-mail] to advise us of your accommodation request. In your email, please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.