Principal Linux Driver Engineer

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP; BLOOMINGTON (MN); On-site; USD 165,000 - 314,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Development programs

Inclusive culture

Job summary

Hewlett Packard Enterprise is seeking a Principal Linux Driver Engineer to lead architecture, design, and development of Linux kernel drivers and high-performance networking software for Slingshot interconnect. You will partner with ASIC, hardware, firmware, and system software teams to deliver scalable, reliable networking solutions for next‑gen HPC and AI systems.

This hands-on leadership role requires deep Linux kernel experience, driver development, and expertise in networking, RDMA, and

Qualifications

• 12+ years in software engineering with Linux kernel driver development in production environments.
• Expert-level C and low-level systems software development.
• Extensive experience developing high-performance network drivers or Linux kernel networking subsystems.
• Deep understanding of Linux kernel internals: networking, scheduling, memory management, interrupts, performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead architecture, design, and development of Linux kernel drivers and low-level networking software for Slingshot products.
• Define software interfaces and influence hardware/firmware architecture for future networking tech.
• Develop and optimize networking software for performance, scalability, reliability, and observability.
• Drive products through architecture, pre-silicon bring-up, validation, integration, and deployment.
• Lead root-cause analysis across hardware, firmware, kernel software and large-scale deployments.

Skills

Linux kernel

C programming

Networking

High-performance

Driver development

RDMA

Profiling & debugging

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in CS/CE/ECE

Tools

Slingshot

InfiniBand

RoCE

Job description

Principal Linux Driver Engineer

This role has been designed as 'Hybrid' with a requirement that you will work on average 2 days per week from an HPE office.

Who We Are

Hewlett Packard Enterprise is the global edge-to-cloud company advancing the way people live and work. We help companies connect, protect, analyze, and act on their data and applications wherever they live, from edge to cloud, so they can turn insights into outcomes at the speed required to thrive in today’s complex world. Our culture thrives on finding new and better ways to accelerate what’s next. We know varied backgrounds are valued and succeed here. We have the flexibility to manage our work and personal needs. We make bold moves, together, and are a force for good. If you are looking to stretch and grow your career our culture will embrace you. Open up opportunities with HPE.

Job Description

We are seeking a Principal Linux Driver Engineer to lead the architecture, design, and development of Linux kernel drivers and low-level networking software for the Slingshot high-performance interconnect. This role is responsible for software that enables and optimizes communication across next-generation HPC and AI systems, including network interface controllers (NICs) and fabric switching technologies. As a senior technical leader, you will work closely with ASIC, hardware, firmware, and system software teams to bring new products from architecture through deployment. You will drive software that delivers the performance, scalability, reliability, and observability required by some of the world's largest supercomputing and AI clusters. This is a hands‑on technical leadership role requiring deep expertise in Linux kernel development, network driver architecture, high-performance networking, and complex hardware/software integration.

Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture, design, and development of Linux kernel drivers and low-level networking software for Slingshot networking products.
• Define software interfaces and influence hardware and firmware architecture for future generations of networking technology.
• Develop and optimize networking software for performance, scalability, reliability, serviceability, and observability.
• Drive products through all phases of development, including architecture, pre-silicon development, bring-up, validation, integration, and production deployment.
• Lead investigation and resolution of complex issues spanning hardware, firmware, Linux kernel software, and large-scale system deployments.
• Develop telemetry, diagnostics, fault detection, and recovery capabilities to improve product quality and operational efficiency.
• Collaborate across ASIC, hardware, firmware, validation, and system software teams to deliver high-quality networking solutions.
• Provide technical leadership through architecture reviews, design reviews, mentoring, and engineering best practices.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related discipline.
• 12+ years of software engineering experience with extensive Linux kernel driver development experience in production environments.
• Expert‑level proficiency in C and low-level systems software development.
• Extensive experience developing high-performance network drivers or Linux kernel networking subsystems.
• Deep understanding of Linux kernel internals, including networking, synchronization, scheduling, memory management, interrupts, and performance optimization.
• Expert knowledge of networking technologies and protocols, including Ethernet, TCP/IP, RDMA, congestion control, network performance analysis, and packet processing.
• Strong understanding of Layer 1 and Layer 2 networking, including PHYs, SerDes, link training, FEC, flow control, and error detection and recovery mechanisms.
• Experience debugging complex hardware/software interactions and driving root‑cause analysis across multiple engineering disciplines.
• Experience with silicon bring-up, hardware validation, and production deployment of networking products.
• Demonstrated technical leadership and ownership of large, complex software projects.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing software for HPC interconnects, supercomputing systems, or large-scale AI infrastructure.
• Experience with Slingshot, InfiniBand, RoCE, RDMA, or other high-performance networking technologies.
• Experience developing software for network adapters, SmartNICs, DPUs, or switch platforms.
• Understanding of large-scale fabric architectures such as Dragonfly, Clos, and Fat Tree networks.
• Experience with congestion management, adaptive routing, fabric telemetry, observability, and fleet-scale diagnostics.
• Knowledge of switch ASIC architecture, forwarding technologies, and high-speed networking infrastructure.
• Linux kernel networking subsystem or upstream open-source contribution experience.

Accessibility

HPE is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible workplace and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including those with disabilities. If you believe you require accommodation during any stage of the application or interview process, please submit your request by completing our secure form linked here. Note: This option is reserved for applicants needing assistance/reasonable accommodation related to a disability.

What We Can Offer You

• Health & Wellbeing We strive to provide our team members and their loved ones with a comprehensive suite of benefits that supports their physical, financial and emotional wellbeing.
• Personal & Professional Development We also invest in your career because the better you are, the better we all are. We have specific programs catered to helping you reach any career goals you have — whether you want to become a knowledge expert in your field or apply your skills to another division.
• Unconditional Inclusion We are unconditionally inclusive in the way we work and celebrate individual uniqueness. We know varied backgrounds are valued and succeed here. We have the flexibility to manage our work and personal needs. We make bold moves, together, and are a force for good.
• Lets Stay Connected: Follow @HPECareers on Instagram to see the latest on people, culture and tech at HPE. #unitedstates

Job: Engineering Job Level: TCP_05

Salary

The expected salary/wage range for this position is provided below. Actual offer may vary from this range based upon geographic location, work experience, education/training, and/or skill level. - United States of America: Annual Salary USD 165,000 - 313,500 in Colorado // 178,000 - 361,000 in California // 157,000 - 361,000 in Texas & Wisconsin. The listed salary range reflects base salary. Variable incentives may also be offered.

Benefits Information

Information about employee benefits offered in the US can be found at https://myhperewards.com/main/new-hire-enrollment.html

Application Period

The estimated job application period closure is December 1 2026; this timeline is provided for transparency and internal planning purposes.

Equal Employment Opportunity

HPE is an Equal Employment Opportunity/ Veterans/Disabled/LGBT employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, or any other protected category, and all decisions we make are made on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need. Our goal is to be one global team that is representative of our customers, in an inclusive environment where we can continue to innovate and grow together.

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Hewlett Packard Enterprise is EEO Protected Veteran/ Individual with Disabilities.

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