About this role.
This role is for an Engineering Manager at Canonical, focused on Linux hardware enablement for Ubuntu. The position involves leading a distributed engineering team to optimize Ubuntu for the latest silicon from a major partner, working across the full Linux stack. Responsibilities include managing technical partnerships, overseeing project milestones, and developing engineers through coaching and mentoring. The ideal candidate has experience with Linux distributions, enterprise hardware, and leading software engineering teams. This is a remote position with global travel up to twice a year.
Role DNA
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Job Complexity
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4/5Autonomy Level
4/5Communication Load
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Core skills
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Cover letter sample
I am excited to apply for the Engineering Manager - Linux Hardware Enablement position at Canonical. With a strong background in Linux system engineering and team leadership, I have successfully managed distributed teams to deliver high-performance solutions for server and IoT platforms. My experience includes working closely with silicon partners to optimize hardware-software integration, ensuring timely delivery of milestones and maintaining strict quality standards.
At my previous role, I led a team of engineers in developing Ubuntu-based builds for next-generation hardware, resulting in a 30% improvement in system performance. I am skilled in agile methodologies and possess excellent communication abilities, enabling effective collaboration across internal teams and external partners. I am particularly drawn to Canonical's mission of advancing open-source technology and am confident in my ability to drive innovation in this role.
Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the possibility of contributing to Canonical's success and discussing how my skills align with your team's goals. I am available for an interview at your earliest convenience.
Sample interview questions
I have over 7 years of experience working with the Linux kernel, specifically in device drivers and hardware enablement for ARM and x86 architectures. I led a team of 5 engineers during a project to port Ubuntu to a new server platform, coordinating with silicon vendors to resolve boot issues and optimize performance. I used agile sprints to track progress and held regular one-on-ones to address technical blockers.
I prioritize by aligning with the overall product roadmap and business value. I schedule regular sync meetings with partners to set clear expectations and milestones. When conflicts arise, I facilitate discussions to find trade-offs that satisfy critical requirements while managing scope creep. For example, I once negotiated a revised timeline with a partner by demonstrating the impact of a requested feature on other commitments.
I paired a junior engineer with a senior mentor for a kernel module development task. I also scheduled weekly code reviews and provided hands-on guidance on debugging tools like ftrace and crash. Over six months, the engineer became proficient in kernel development and eventually led their own feature implementation.
I track delivery on milestones, code quality (e.g., bug density, test coverage), and team velocity. Additionally, I measure customer satisfaction through partner feedback and the number of critical issues resolved within SLAs. For a hardware enablement project, we monitored boot time and power consumption against targets.
I follow Linux kernel mailing lists, attend conferences like Linux Plumbers and OSS, and engage with upstream communities. I also encourage my team to contribute patches and share learnings during tech talks. Recently, I implemented a weekly internal newsletter highlighting key kernel changes relevant to our projects.
Lead an engineering team that partners with the Linux engineers of a major silicon company, and works across the full Linux stack from kernel to GUI, to optimise Ubuntu, the world’s most widely used Linux desktop and server, for the latest silicon.
The role is a fast-paced, problem-solving role that’s challenging yet very exciting. The right candidate must be resourceful, articulate, and able to deliver on a wide variety of solutions across PC and IoT technologies. Our teams partner with specialist engineers from major silicon companies to integrate next-generation features and performance enhancements for upcoming hardware.
As a Partner Engineering Manager at Canonical your role is to manage relationships with our key technology partners by ensuring timely delivery on agreed project milestones. Technical leadership experience and a background in software engineering are necessary prerequisites for this role. You will be expected to lead, challenge, and develop strong engineers, positively influence the culture, facilitate technical delivery, and work with your team on strategy and execution.
What you’ll do
- Lead a team of distributed engineers to design and implement the best Ubuntu integration for the latest IoT and server-class hardware platforms and software stacks
- Engage with commercial partners to deliver a delightful, optimised, first class Ubuntu experience on their platforms
- Develop your team through coaching, mentoring, leading by example, and feedback
- Oversee commercial engagements and support timely delivery on agreed project milestones
- Ensure an ongoing commitment to strict quality and reliability standards
- Engage with other teams at Canonical to ensure alignment on product architecture and roadmaps
- Work from home with global travel up to twice a year for up to two weeks
Who you are
- You have worked with Linux distributions, debian packaging and high performance, server-class hardware
- You have experience working directly with customers, resolving their technical issues, interpreting their business challenges and effectively communicating how your solution will meet their needs
- You have demonstrated experience managing or leading a team of software engineers
- You have understanding of agile software development methodologies
- You collaborate effectively across multiple internal teams, building trust and delivering results
- You have effective communications skills in English, both written and oral
- You have a bachelor’s (or equivalent university level) degree, preferably in a technology field
What Canonical offers
- Learning and Development opportunities
- Annual Compensation Review
- Recognition Rewards
- Annual Leave
- Priority Pass for travel
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
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