Senior Software Engineer - OpenShift Virtualization Windows Guests

Job Summary

Red Hat Engineering is establishing a new, dedicated team focused on enhancing the stability, performance, and overall user experience for running Microsoft Windows virtual machines within Open Shift Virtualization (Kube Virt). We are seeking a passionate and experienced Senior Software Engineer with deep expertise in Windows internals to join this team.

The Senior Software Engineer will be integral to improving our self-sufficiency in handling complex, Windows-specific integration challenges. This role involves moving beyond reactive bug-fixing to proactively identify systemic weaknesses, propose sustainable solutions, and implement fixes to ensure stable and high-performance Windows support in a sustainable way.

The successful candidate will test and enhance virtualization solutions contributing to industry-leading technologies such as Kubernetes, Kube Virt, Libvirt, and QEMU. As part of a geographically distributed team, you will collaborate with multiple Red Hat engineering teams and Open Source communities around the globe.

Self‑motivation, curiosity, a passion for problem‑solving, Linux technologies, and Open Source are highly valued skills and experience for this position.

• Conduct deep-level debugging and root cause analysis to understand why Windows‑specific problems are appearing (e.g., BSODs, performance degradation, unexpected crashes).
• Develop immediate fixes and hotfixes for critical customer pain points related to Windows VMs.
• Contribute to the strategic planning and development of architectural improvements to enhance and optimize the entire Windows experience on Open Shift Virtualization.
• Implement identified fixes and improvements to our stack to ensure stable and high-performance Windows support.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of development processes and methodologies.
• Participate in code reviews and provide feedback on software design and implementation.
• Monitor new developments in Windows to ensure Open Shift Virtualization remains current and compatible.
• Contribute to the Kube Virt project and related components like QEMU and libvirt, integrating Windows requirements from the start of new features (long-term vision).

This position is a strategic investment in developing internal expertise capable of bridging the gap between Windows operating systems and the Kube Virt ecosystem.

• Windows Expertise: Deep-level knowledge of Windows operating system internals (kernel, drivers, configuration, debugging).
• Software Engineering: 5+ years of experience in software development or engineering.
• Debugging & Analysis: Proven ability to conduct deep debugging and Root Cause Analysis for complex issues.
• Virtualization/Containerization: Understanding of virtualization technologies (e.g. Hyper-V or KVM, QEMU, libvirt) and containerization.
• Open Source Development: Experience with open source software development and community contribution is a plus.
• Programming: Proficiency in at least one relevant programming language (e.g., Golang, Python) is highly desirable.
• Communication: Good written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Transition Readiness: Willingness and desire to transition into the Linux/Kubernetes (K8s) world.
• System Administration: Experience with Windows or Linux system administration or architecture is a plus.

The salary range for this position is $ - $. Actual offer will be based on your qualifications.

Red Hat determines compensation based on several factors including but not limited to job location, experience, applicable skills and training, external market value, and internal pay equity. Annual salary is one component of Red Hat’s compensation package. This position may also be eligible for bonus, commission, and/or equity. For positions with Remote-US locations, the actual salary range for the position may differ based on location but will be commensurate with job duties and relevant work experience.

Red Hat () is the world’s leading provider of enterprise open source () software solutions, using a community-powered approach to deliver high-performing Linux, cloud, container, and Kubernetes…