Principal Software Engineer (RHEL)

About the Job:

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is a leading enterprise operating system, known for its stability, security, and performance.
It serves as the foundation for modern data centers and cloud deployments, providing a consistent and reliable platform for mission-critical applications.

Join the RHEL Engineering team in Pune, India, as a Senior Software Engineer focused on the development, implementation, and maintenance of core Operating System (OS) components. You will be responsible for ensuring the system's stability, security, and performance, particularly in hybrid cloud environments. This role involves contributing to world-class technologies that reinforce Red Hat's leadership in hybrid cloud, system engineering, operating within an Agile framework. The ideal candidate should have an interest in working with Operating Systems, Bash Scripting, Python, and C programming.

What you will do?

• Design high-level system structures, define architectural principles for RHEL/OpenShift components, and ensure performance, scalability, and security
• Take end-to-end ownership of specific areas including upstream development(Fedora, Kernel, etc.), downstream validation and packaging, L3 troubleshooting and support.
• Contribute to system design, create technical documentation, and plan new features for scalability, performance, and security.
• Actively contribute to the RHEL community and proactively identify and integrate impactful improvements from the ecosystem into the RHEL product.
• Collaborate closely with Development, Quality Engineering,Product Managers, Support, and Architecture teams to integrate new features and resolve complex technical problems.
• Lead from front in agile planning, defining stories, and influencing product direction.
• Maximize efficiency by scripting and automating tasks, such as provisioning and patching, utilizing tools like Ansible and Kickstart.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for critical customer-driven feature implementation and the resolution of high-priority bugs.
• Demonstrate current awareness of and strategically leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools (e.g., Claude, Cursor) throughout the product development lifecycle to enhance efficiency, code quality, and innovation.

What you will bring?

• Bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent work experience
• Minimum 8 years of experience with software development with proven track record of working on enterprise level projects
• Experience writing code in any of the programming languages, including Python, Shell Scripting, C/C++
• Deep understanding of RHEL, its components, file systems, user management, and system calls.
• Solid grasp of TCP/IP, network services, and system security best practices.
• Knowledge of Git, GitHub, and/or JIRA is required
• Demonstrated proficiency in problem-solving, coupled with innovative thinking, root cause analysis and a strong customer-centric approach
• Usage of any AI tools (Claude/ Gemini/ Cursor)