Software Maintenance Engineer

Software Maintenance Engineer

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. We are 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 at interesting locations worldwide to align on strategy and execution.

This is a remote role with teams in all time zones. You will work in a dynamic, exciting engineering role in Linux‑based infrastructure and applications, covering all layers of the stack—bare metal, virtualization (KVM), containerization (Docker/LXC/LXD), storage (Ceph and Linux file systems), networking (OVS, OVN and Core networking), Open Stack, Kubernetes and the open source applications running on top of them. Your breadth of engineering skills will be needed across almost any aspect of Ubuntu and the open source applications large enterprise customers run.

You will help troubleshoot and drive issues to resolution with workarounds, guidance, and bug fixes released upstream and in Ubuntu.

Location: Remote.

Responsibilities:

• Resolve complex customer problems related to Ubuntu, Kernel, Ceph, Open Stack, or Kubernetes and other open source software.
• Maintain a close working relationship with Canonical's Field, Support and product engineering teams.
• Participate in upstream communities.
• Develop bug fixes, backport patches, and work with upstream for inclusion.
• Review code produced by other engineers.
• Demonstrate good judgement in technical methods and techniques.
• Prioritise work and manage your time effectively against those priorities.
• Participate in team discussions to improve processes, tools, and documentation.
• Maintain clear, technical and concise communications.
• Work from home and travel internationally up to 10% of work time for team meetings, events and conferences.

Qualifications:

• An exceptional academic track record.
• Background in Computer Science, STEM or similar.
• Experience with Linux and open source software.
• Experience with at least one of Python, Go, C or C++ on Linux.
• A drive to learn unfamiliar technology and deep‑dive difficult issues.
• Willingness to travel up to 4 times a year for internal events.

Nice‑to‑have skills:

• You love technology and working with brilliant people.
• You are curious, flexible, articulate and accountable.
• You value soft skills and are passionate, enterprising, thoughtful and self‑motivated.
• You have interest in, or willingness to learn about any of the following:
  Ubuntu Linux—kernel or userspace, Kubernetes, Open Stack, Ceph, QEMU/KVM, LXC/LXD, Postgre
  
  SQL, Mongo, Debian packaging, distributed systems.

Benefits:

• 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 & 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 create a better work environment and better products. Whatever your identity, we will give your application fair consideration.