Engineering Manager – AppArmor

Remote from
🌐 Anywhere
Annual salary
Undisclosed
Salary information is not provided for this position. Check our Salary Directory to estimate the average compensation for similar roles.
Employment type
Full Time,
Job posted
Apply before
21 Aug 2026
Experience level
Midweight
Views / Applies
50 / 4

About Canonical Ltd.

Trusted open source for enterprises

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Verified job posting
This job post has been manually reviewed for authenticity and compliance.

AI Summary

This role is for an Engineering Manager leading the AppArmor team at Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu. The manager will oversee security feature development, mentor engineers, and collaborate with stakeholders to enhance Ubuntu's security. The position requires strong technical skills in C, Linux kernel, and security, as well as leadership experience. It offers a distributed work environment with twice-yearly team sprints and a personal learning budget.

Role DNA

Job Complexity
Easy Hard
Pace & Pressure
Relaxed Fast-paced
Autonomy Level
Guided Full Ownership
Communication Load
Independent Highly Collaborative
AI Insight The role combines deep technical expertise in security and Linux kernel with people management, making it challenging. The need to address evolving threats and coordinate across teams increases difficulty.

Salary Analysis

Median Highly Competitive
$175,000
US Market
$130k – 220k
0 $242k
AI Insight The offered salary is not provided, but based on the US market for a senior security engineering manager, the median is around $175,000. This is competitive for a remote role at a leading open-source company like Canonical.

Dear Hiring Team,

I am excited to apply for the Engineering Manager - AppArmor position at Canonical. With a strong background in Linux kernel development and security engineering, I have led teams to deliver robust security solutions. My experience in C and Linux Security Modules aligns perfectly with AppArmor's requirements, and I am passionate about mentoring engineers to achieve their best.

In my previous role, I managed a team of security engineers, driving agile processes and fostering collaboration across departments. I am adept at balancing technical challenges with people development, ensuring high-quality results. The opportunity to protect millions of Ubuntu users through AppArmor is incredibly motivating.

I look forward to contributing to Canonical's mission and leading the AppArmor team to new heights. Thank you for considering my application.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

Can you describe your experience with Linux Security Modules like AppArmor or SELinux?
I have worked extensively with AppArmor, implementing mandatory access control policies for various applications. In my previous role, I developed profiles for high-risk services and integrated AppArmor into our CI/CD pipeline to ensure security by default.
How do you balance technical leadership with people management?
I prioritize regular one-on-ones to understand each engineer's career goals and challenges. I also allocate time for code reviews and architectural discussions to stay technically engaged while ensuring team growth. I believe leading by example and fostering a culture of continuous learning.
Describe a time you had to address a critical security vulnerability in a system you managed.
In a previous project, a kernel vulnerability was discovered in a security module we maintained. I immediately convened a team to assess impact, coordinated with upstream maintainers, and developed a patch. We released an emergency update within 48 hours, minimizing exposure for our users.
How would you improve the AppArmor team's engineering processes?
I would start by assessing current workflow, then implement Agile practices like sprint planning and retrospectives to boost efficiency. I'd also introduce automated testing for security profiles and encourage a blameless post-mortem culture to learn from incidents.
What is your approach to mentoring junior engineers?
I believe in tailoring mentorship to individual needs. I start by understanding their strengths and areas for growth, then pair them with senior engineers on challenging tasks. I also provide regular feedback and encourage them to present their work to build confidence.

As the most widely used Linux distribution, Ubuntu underpins the security of the entire internet. The role of Security Engineering Manager directly impacts the safety and security of millions of users worldwide. Join a team of security experts dedicated to protecting the open-source ecosystem and driving innovation. Your leadership will be instrumental in addressing emerging threats, developing robust security measures, and ensuring the continued integrity of Ubuntu. This is an opportunity to make a tangible difference and leave a lasting legacy on the digital landscape.

The AppArmor team’s first responsibility is to develop security features and capabilities for AppArmor, the security module protecting all Ubuntu users, by providing mandatory access control to confine programs and restrict their access to system resources.Your work will improve the security of millions of people. You will engage directly with our community and customers, as well as coordinating efforts across multiple engineering teams and projects to make this happen.

An Engineering Manager is responsible for line management and career guidance. The ability to develop engineering talent, to represent your team and product from a technical perspective, and to drive collaboration with other teams and customers are all critical to success in this role.

What you will do in this role

  • Lead and develop a team of engineers, ranging from graduate to senior
  • Coach, mentor, and offer career development feedback
  • Identify and measure team health indicators
  • Implement disciplined engineering processes
  • Represent your team and product to stakeholders, partners, and customers
  • Develop and evangelise great engineering and organisational practices
  • Plan and manage progress on agreed goals and projects
  • Be an active part of the security engineering leadership team, collaborating with other leaders

What we are looking for in you

  • An exceptional academic track record from both high school and university
  • Undergraduate degree in Computer Science or STEM, or a compelling narrative about your alternative path
  • Drive, and a track record of going above-and-beyond expectations
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English
  • A love of developing and growing people and a track record of it
  • Organised and able to ensure your team delivers timely, high quality results
  • Professional manner interacting with colleagues, partners, and community
  • Proficient in C and have a good understanding of Linux kernel development
  • Experience working with Linux Security Modules
  • Knowledgeable and passionate about software and application security
  • Solid experience working in an agile development environment
  • A demonstrated drive for continual learning
  • Builds trust, relationships and confidence
  • Result-oriented, with a personal drive to meet commitments
  • Ability to travel twice a year, for company events up to two weeks each

Optional things we value

  • Good understanding of containers/packaging formats

What we offer you

We consider geographical location, experience, and performance in shaping compensation worldwide. We revisit compensation annually (and more often for graduates and associates) to ensure we recognise outstanding performance. In addition to base pay, we offer a performance-driven annual bonus. We provide all team members with additional benefits, which reflect our values and ideals. We balance our programs to meet local needs and ensure fairness globally.

  • 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
  • Opportunity to travel to new locations to meet colleagues
  • Priority Pass, and travel upgrades for long haul company events

About Canonical 

Canonical is a pioneering tech firm at the forefront of the global move to open source. As the company that publishes Ubuntu, one of the most important open source projects and the platform for AI, IoT and the cloud, we are changing the world on a daily basis. We recruit on a global basis and set a very high standard for people joining the company. We expect excellence – in order to succeed, we need to be the best at what we do. Canonical has been a remote-first company since its inception in 2004.​ Working here is a step into the future, and will challenge you to think differently, work smarter, learn new skills, and raise your game.

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.

#LI-remote

Apply now >

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