Ubuntu Software Engineer

About Canonical

Canonical is a pioneering tech firm at the forefront of the global move to open source. We publish Ubuntu, one of the most important open-source projects and the platform for AI, IoT and the cloud, changing the world on a daily basis.

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. The company is a pioneer of global distributed collaboration, with 1,200+ 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.

We are hiring engineers to work across the breadth of our Ubuntu Engineering organisation – engineers who care deeply about quality, performance and resilience, comfortable designing, engineering, packaging, integrating, testing and shipping the incredible catalog of open‑source software provided by the Ubuntu repositories.

• 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 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

• Development
  : design, build and ship new foundational systems software and applications in Rust, Go, Flutter and Python
• Architecture
  : engineer the integration of open source from boot firmware to cloud application deployment
• Packaging
  : combine Debian and Snap packaging to ship software in the distribution
• Automation
  : build and maintain the machinery responsible for building, testing and shipping Ubuntu
• Distro Engineering
  : maintain and evolve a Linux distribution and its repositories

Remote roles are open in every time zone.

Based on the first round of interviews, we identify specific teams where you might be an excellent fit and conduct second‑round interviews with those teams. The engineering role involves:

• Designing, building and shipping software in Rust, Go and Python
• Packaging, integrating, testing and uploading open‑source software to the Ubuntu repositories
• Debugging system‑level issues and delivering robust solutions
• Authoring and improving technical and community documentation
• Contributing to upstream and neighboring open‑source projects
• Collaborating as part of a globally distributed team
• Mentoring colleagues to build skills and understanding
• Developing and improving processes to more efficiently fulfill our goals

• An exceptional academic track record from high school and university
• Undergraduate degree in Computer Science or STEM, or an alternative path with a compelling narrative
• Drive and a track record of going above and beyond expectations
• 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
• Ability to travel twice a year for company events up to two weeks each

• Experience with Linux distributions and distribution engineering
• Experience with software packaging and distribution mechanisms
• Understanding of build systems and tool chains, including cross‑compilation
• Performance or security engineering experience

Compensation is based on geographic location, experience and performance. We revisit compensation annually and more often for graduates and associates, ensuring we recognize outstanding performance. In addition to base pay, we offer a performance‑driven annual bonus and a suite of benefits reflecting our values and global fairness.

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

Canonical is an equal‑opportunity employer. We are proud to foster a workplace free from discrimination. Diversity of experience, perspectives and background creates a better environment and better products. Whatever your identity, we will give your application fair consideration.