Job Details

Join to apply for the Software Maintenance Engineer role at Canonical.

About Canonical

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 enterprise initiatives such as public cloud, data science, AI, engineering innovation, and IoT. Our customers include top public cloud and silicon providers, as well as industry leaders across sectors. We have a global, distributed team of 1200+ colleagues in 75+ countries, with few office-based roles. Teams meet in person 2-4 times yearly in interesting locations worldwide.

The company is founder-led, profitable, and growing.

Role Overview

We are hiring a Software Maintenance Engineer to work on Linux-based infrastructure and applications, covering all layers of the stack: bare metal, virtualization (KVM), containerization (Docker/LXC/LXD), storage (Ceph, Linux filesystems), networking (OVS, OVN, Core networking), OpenStack, Kubernetes, and open source applications. This role offers the opportunity to demonstrate broad engineering skills across Ubuntu and enterprise open source software.

Responsibilities

1. Resolve complex customer problems related to Ubuntu, Kernel, Ceph, OpenStack, Kubernetes, and other open source software.
2. Maintain close collaboration with Canonical's Field, Support, and Product Engineering teams.
3. Participate in upstream communities.
4. Develop bug fixes, backport patches, and work with upstream for inclusion.
5. Review code produced by other engineers.
6. Exercise good judgment in technical methods and techniques.
7. Prioritize tasks and manage time effectively.
8. Participate in team discussions to improve processes, tools, and documentation.
9. Communicate clearly and concisely.
10. Work remotely with international travel up to 10% for meetings, events, and conferences.

Qualifications

• Strong academic background.
• Background in Computer Science, STEM, or similar fields.
• Experience with Linux and open source software.
• Experience with Python, Go, C, or C++ on Linux.
• Willingness to learn new technologies and troubleshoot complex issues.
• Availability to travel up to 4 times a year.

Preferred Skills

• Passion for technology and collaboration.
• Curiosity, flexibility, articulate communication, accountability.
• Soft skills, including motivation, thoughtfulness, and enterprise mindset.
• Interest or willingness to learn about Ubuntu Linux (kernel or userspace), Kubernetes, OpenStack, Ceph, QEMU/KVM, LXC/LXD, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Debian packaging, distributed systems.

Benefits

• Distributed work environment with biannual in-person team sprints.
• USD 2,000 annual learning and development budget.
• Annual compensation review.
• Recognition rewards, holiday leave, maternity/paternity leave.
• Employee Assistance Programme & Wellness Platform.
• Opportunities for international travel to meet colleagues.
• Travel perks for company events.

About Working at Canonical

Canonical promotes a high standard of excellence, recruiting globally, and fostering a diverse, inclusive workplace. Most colleagues work remotely, with a focus on innovation, continuous learning, and high performance.

Job Details

• Seniority level: Entry level
• Employment type: Full-time
• Job function: Information Technology
• Industry: Software Development