Ubuntu Engineering Lead

Job Description

Canonical is a leading provider of open source software and operating systems to the global enterprise and technology markets. Our platform, Ubuntu, is widely used in breakthrough enterprise initiatives such as public cloud, data science, AI, engineering innovation and IoT. Our customers include the world's leading public cloud and silicon providers, and industry leaders in many sectors. The company is a pioneer of global distributed collaboration, with 1200+ colleagues in 75+ countries and very few office‑based roles.

Teams meet two to four times yearly in person, in interesting locations around the world, to align on strategy and execution.

We are hiring engineering leaders to work across the breadth of our Ubuntu Engineering organisation – leaders who care deeply for quality, performance, and resilience in software, and have a proven track record for building, nurturing and developing high‑performing engineering teams.

This leadership track includes roles for managers and Senior+ engineers alike. At Canonical, managers are expected to stay technical and close to the code, and our Senior+ engineers lead and develop software projects, as well as the processes and people around them.

The four key teams that ship Ubuntu are:

• Foundations
  : maintaining foundational software: architectures, package managers, compilers, tool chains, bootloaders, file systems and core utilities
• Server
  : leading the design, evolution and future of our Ubuntu Server distribution
• Desktop
  : driving Ubuntu Desktop, our future immutable desktop:
  Ubuntu Core Desktop, WSL, gaming technology, and a suite of modern applications for the desktop crafted with Flutter
• Debcrafters
  : a new team responsible for the forward movement, maintenance and overall health of the Ubuntu archive – one of the most abundant repositories of open‑source software available today

• Lead and coach engineering teams, growing them as engineers and ensuring they deliver high‑quality, performant software in Rust, Go and Python
• Design, build, and ship high quality, performant software while demonstrating sound engineering principles through architecture, development, and code reviews
• Take responsibility for planning, estimation, and execution of technical roadmaps
• Work with product management to define the vision and strategy for Ubuntu
• Set expectations with other engineering teams, senior management, and external stakeholders
• Offer coaching, mentoring, technical feedback, and hands‑on career development
• Contribute to upstream and neighboring open source projects
• Optimize the distribution for performance, reliability, and security
• Debug complex system‑level issues and deliver robust solutions
• Author and improve technical and community documentation

• Exceptional academic track record from high school and university
• Undergraduate degree in Computer Science or STEM, or a compelling narrative about an alternative path
• Ability to drive and deliver technical work streams going above and beyond expectations
• Lead and coach others to deliver exceptional engineering work
• Demonstrated passion for open source software
• Significant experience with Rust, Go, Python, Flutter or C/C++
• Professional written and spoken English
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Result‑oriented, with a personal drive to meet commitments
• Ability to travel twice a year, for company events up to two weeks each

• Experience contributing to or leading open source projects
• Experience with Linux distributions or distribution engineering
• Experience with software packaging and distribution mechanisms
• Performance or security engineering experience

• Distributed work environment with twice‑yearly team sprints in person
• Personal learning and development budget of USD 2,000 per year
• Annual compensation review
• Recognition rewards
• Annual holiday leave
• Maternity and paternity leave
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Opportunity to travel to new locations to meet colleagues
• Priority Pass, and travel upgrades for long‑haul company events

Canonical is a pioneering tech firm at the forefront of the global move to open source. As the company that publishes Ubuntu, one of the most important open‑source projects and the platform for AI, IoT and the cloud, we are changing the world on a daily basis. We recruit on a global basis and set a very high standard for people joining the company.

We expect excellence – to succeed, we need to be the best at what we do. Canonical has been a remote‑first company since its inception in 2004. Working here is a step into the future, and will challenge you to think differently, work smarter, learn new skills, and raise your game.

We are proud to foster a workplace free from discrimination. Diversity of experience, perspectives, and background create a better work environment and better products. Whatever your identity, we will give your application fair consideration.