Senior Engineer - User Space (Austin, TX)

Aptiv; United States; Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Health insurance

Disability coverage

RRSP matching

Flexible time-off

Learning benefits

Job summary

Wind River is seeking a Senior Engineer to sustain and enhance user space libraries and applications on embedded Linux. You will mentor juniors, lead technical decisions, and collaborate with distributed teams across the US, Romania, and India.

You will maintain glibc/musl, optimize performance, ensure backward compatibility, participate in code reviews, and drive best practices in design and debugging.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of software engineering experience
• 3+ years of embedded Linux or systems programming
• Experience with C/C++ in production systems
• Authorization to work in the United States without sponsorship

Responsibilities

• Development & Implementation
• Maintain and enhance user space libraries and applications
• Fix bugs and address customer issues in production code
• Integrate new features while maintaining backward compatibility
• Optimize application performance and resource usage
• Write high-quality, maintainable code following team standards
• Debug and resolve complex technical issues
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineers
• Participate in code reviews and technical discussions
• Contribute to architecture and design decisions
• Drive technical improvements and best practices
• Lead technical initiatives and small projects
• Collaborate effectively with team members and cross-functional partners
• Work with distributed teams across US, Romania, and India
• Share knowledge through documentation and technical discussions
• Participate in sprint planning, estimation, and retrospectives
• Contribute to team process improvements
• Maintain and enhance user space libraries (glibc, musl, etc.)
• Support application frameworks and middleware
• Address compatibility issues across different Linux distributions
• Optimize application performance and resource usage
• Design solutions for complex user space problems
• Work with customers on critical issues and escalations
• Guide technical direction for user space components
• Experience with Yocto Project
• Experience with user space debugging tools (gdb, valgrind, etc.)
• Understanding of application security
• Open source contributions
• Experience in automotive, aerospace, or industrial sectors
• Knowledge of real-time system debugging and troubleshooting

Skills

C/C++ programming

Embedded Linux

Systems programming

Performance optimization

Debugging

Git version control

Agile/Scrum

Code reviews

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field

Tools

Yocto Project

Buildroot

GDB

Valgrind

Git

Job description

Senior Engineer - User Space

ABOUT WIND RIVER

Wind River is a global leader in delivering software for mission-critical intelligent systems. For more than four decades, the company has been an innovator and pioneer, powering billions of systems that require the highest levels of security, safety, and reliability. Wind River helps customers across automotive, aerospace, defense, industrial, medical, and telecommunications industries solve complex technology challenges on their journey toward the new intelligent machine economy. The company’s software powers generation after generation of the safest, most secure systems in the world. Examples include playing a key role in NASA space missions such as Artemis I, the James Webb Space Telescope, and multiple Mars rovers. We’ve achieved recent 5G milestones including the world’s first successful 5G data session with Verizon and building one of the largest Open RAN networks in the world with Vodafone. The company has received industry recognition for its technology innovation and leadership, and for its workplace culture, including global Great Place to Work certification and being named a "Top Workplace" for ten consecutive years. If you want to be part of a unique culture where the lived experience is based on our cultural attributes of growth mindset, customer-focus, and diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging, come join us and help advance the future software defined world.

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

The Senior Engineer - Systems (User Space Sustaining) provides technical expertise and leadership for maintaining and enhancing user space libraries and applications. Senior Engineers work independently on complex technical problems, mentor junior engineers, and contribute to technical decisions within the user space sustaining team. In your daily job you will:

• Development & Implementation


• Maintain and enhance user space libraries and applications


• Fix bugs and address customer issues in production code


• Integrate new features while maintaining backward compatibility


• Optimize application performance and resource usage


• Write high-quality, maintainable code following team standards


• Debug and resolve complex technical issues

• Technical Leadership


• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineers


• Participate in code reviews and technical discussions


• Contribute to architecture and design decisions


• Drive technical improvements and best practices


• Lead technical initiatives and small projects

• Team Collaboration


• Collaborate effectively with team members and cross-functional partners


• Work with distributed teams across US, Romania, and India


• Share knowledge through documentation and technical discussions


• Participate in sprint planning, estimation, and retrospectives


• Contribute to team process improvements

User Space Sustaining Specific

• Maintain and enhance user space libraries (glibc, musl, etc.)


• Support application frameworks and middleware


• Address compatibility issues across different Linux distributions


• Optimize application performance and resource usage


• Design solutions for complex user space problems


• Work with customers on critical issues and escalations


• Guide technical direction for user space components

HOW YOU WILL CONTRIBUTE

Key skills and competencies for succeeding in this role are:

• Bachelor degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field


• 5+ years of software engineering experience


• 3+ years of experience with embedded Linux or systems programming


• Experience with C/C++ programming in production systems


• Strong background in software development lifecycle


• Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis - without requirement for any type of visa sponsorship/transfer, now, or at any time in future. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.


• Must be a local resident of Greater Austin, TX, Walnut Creek, CA or San Diego, CA.


• Technical Skills


• Strong proficiency in C/C++ programming


• Solid understanding of Linux user space architecture


• Experience with embedded systems development


• Knowledge of build systems (Yocto, Buildroot, or similar)


• Strong debugging and problem-solving skills


• Experience with version control (Git) and code review


• Understanding of software development methodologies (Agile, Scrum)


• Domain Knowledge


• Linux user space application development


• System libraries (glibc, musl, etc.)


• Application frameworks and middleware


• Cross-platform compatibility


• Performance optimization

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Yocto Project


• Experience with user space debugging tools (gdb, valgrind, etc.)


• Understanding of application security


• Open source contributions


• Experience in automotive, aerospace, or industrial sectors


• Knowledge of real-time system debugging and troubleshooting

BENEFITS

• Hybrid work model for workplace flexibility


• Comprehensive health, dental, and life insurance


• Short and long-term disability coverage


• RRSP matching for financial security


• Flexible time-off policies for work-life balance


• Employee assistance program for mental well-being


• Learning benefits, including a LinkedIn Learning subscription and seminars

Wind River is an Equal Opportunity Employer with a commitment to diversity. We prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation or any other legally protected status.

Your journey to make a meaningful impact begins here. Wind River, where we're not just shaping technology; we're shaping the future of a safer, more connected world.