Containerization & Virtualisation 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. Our customers include the world's leading public cloud and silicon providers, as well as industry leaders in many sectors. The company is a pioneer of global distributed collaboration, with 1000+ colleagues in 70+ 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.

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

We are hiring for software engineering roles focused on virtualization and container technology from the kernel through userspace. If you're an exceptional Go, Rust, or C/C++ software engineer, and you want to work on next-generation open-source virtual machine monitor (VMM) or container technology, or related open-source networking and storage, this could be an excellent opportunity for you.

Key Areas of Focus:

• RustVMM

  : We are working on a new hypervisor for Linux with an emphasis on performance, security, and operability. Rust expertise is essential for working on VMM and related kernel networking and storage capabilities.

• Docker Images

  : Canonical aims to improve the quality, consistency, and security maintenance of Docker images. The Rockcraft team is designing and implementing an elevated Docker image experience for the open-source community.

• LXD

  : A modern system container and virtual machine manager used on platforms like Ubuntu and ChromeOS. This role involves working on everything from kernel-level work to high-level management APIs and CLI.

• Kubernetes

  : The MicroK8s and Charmed Kubernetes teams work on Kubernetes itself and its operations tooling, contributing to cutting-edge cloud technologies.

• OpenStack

  : Canonical's team delivers Charmed OpenStack, OVN/OVS, and Ceph, bringing cloud platform technologies to large-scale computing environments.

What You Will Focus On:

• Design and specify new features, collaborating with teams to build consensus on the approach.
• Engage with upstream communities in your area of expertise.
• Conduct security analysis and reviews to ensure defense-in-depth for your product.
• Create and monitor performance benchmarks to optimize the product.
• Write high-quality code to create and enhance features.
• Debug issues and produce high-quality code to resolve them.
• Review code produced by other engineers.
• Collaborate on solutions and ideas, discussing technical details with other team members.

What We Are Looking for in You:

• Exceptional academic track record from both high school and university (or a compelling alternative path).
• Undergraduate degree in Computer Science or STEM, or equivalent experience.
• A proven track record of going above and beyond expectations.
• Experience working on open-source virtualization or container technologies.
• Experience with low-level systems, particularly the kernel.
• Professional proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Experience with Linux (Debian or Ubuntu preferred).
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a strong sense of accountability.
• Self-motivation, curiosity, and passion for technology.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Result-oriented with a strong drive to meet commitments.
• Ability to travel twice a year for up to two weeks for company events.

Additional Skills We Value:

• Performance engineering experience.
• Security expertise in virtualized or container environments.

What We Offer You:

• Competitive Compensation

  : We shape compensation based on geographical location, experience, and performance, revisiting it annually.

• Performance-Based Annual Bonus

  : In addition to base pay, we offer an annual performance-driven bonus.

• Distributed Work Environment

  : Enjoy working remotely, with twice-yearly in-person team sprints.

• Learning and Development

  : A personal learning and development budget of USD 2,000 per year.

• Annual Compensation Review

  : Ensuring we recognize and reward exceptional performance.

• Recognition Rewards and Annual Leave

  : Employee recognition rewards and annual holiday leave.

• Employee Assistance Program

  : Comprehensive support for personal and professional well-being.

• Travel Opportunities

  : Opportunity to travel to meet colleagues, including priority travel passes and upgrades for long-haul company events.

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the future of cloud computing, container technologies, and open-source virtualization with a globally distributed and innovative team.