About this role.
Canonical is seeking a Project Manager for its Ubuntu Embedded Systems business to coordinate complex, customer-facing engineering projects involving delivery of Ubuntu on devices like robots, edge gateways, IoT devices, PCs, and automotive systems. This high-profile role acts as the primary liaison between Canonical's engineering teams and customers, managing projects from inception to completion while working with global partners. The position requires solid project management experience, deep knowledge of Linux and open source, and the ability to work across multiple continents and time zones. The role is remote in the APAC region, with travel up to four times per year for internal events. This is an exciting opportunity to work at the forefront of open source technology in a distributed, founder-led company.
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4/5Autonomy Level
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Cover letter sample
Dear Hiring Team,
I am writing to express my strong interest in the Project Manager - Ubuntu Embedded Systems position at Canonical. With a track record of successfully delivering complex engineering services for global clients, combined with a deep appreciation for open source technology and Linux systems, I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to Canonical's Devices business. My project management experience spans the full lifecycle, from drafting statements of work to driving technical issues to resolution, all while maintaining clear communication with diverse stakeholders across multiple continents.
I have extensive experience managing projects involving silicon vendors, OEMs, ODMs, and internal engineering teams, ensuring alignment and successful delivery. I am adept at navigating the challenges of distributed teams, working non-traditional hours to support global collaboration, and mitigating risks to keep projects on schedule. My background includes a STEM degree, PMP certification, and hands-on knowledge of Ubuntu and embedded systems, which I believe makes me a well-suited fit for this high-profile role.
I thrive in dynamic, collaborative environments and am comfortable acting as the primary delivery liaison, building strong relationships with both internal teams and demanding customer sponsors. I am eager to bring my leadership and problem-solving skills to Canonical and help drive the success of Ubuntu on innovative devices worldwide. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely, [Your Name]
Sample interview questions
In my previous role, I managed a firmware delivery project involving teams in the US, Europe, and Asia. The key challenges were time zone differences, communication gaps, and aligning priorities. I overcame these by establishing a clear communication cadence with rotating meeting times, using asynchronous tools like Jira and Slack, and creating a shared project plan with explicit owners. I also made myself available during non-standard hours to ensure critical issues were addressed promptly, which significantly improved collaboration and ultimately delivered the project on time.
I would first acknowledge the customer's need and assess the impact on the current project timeline and resources. I would then document the request and discuss it with the engineering team to estimate the effort. My approach would be to propose options: either adjust the scope and schedule, create a separate change order, or find a workaround. I would also consider whether the request aligns with Canonical's product portfolio and might be a future business opportunity. The goal is to maintain the relationship while protecting the project's integrity and avoiding uncontrolled scope creep.
I once managed a project where the customer's IoT device was experiencing boot failures with a custom Ubuntu image. My understanding of the boot process and device tree allowed me to facilitate a productive discussion between the customer's hardware engineers and our kernel team. I was able to ask the right questions about the bootloader configuration and hardware initialization, which quickly led to identifying a missing driver. By bridging the technical gap, we reduced debugging time by several days and kept the project on schedule.
I use a risk management matrix to identify and prioritize risks based on probability and impact. I maintain a detailed project plan that highlights critical path activities and dependencies. For external dependencies, I establish clear milestones with vendors and monitor them regularly. When risks materialize, I work with the team to develop mitigation strategies and escalate early. I also ensure daily stand-ups and weekly status reviews to keep everyone aligned and quickly re-prioritize tasks as new information comes in.
Building trust remotely requires deliberate effort. I would prioritize regular video calls, not just for status updates but also for relationship building. I believe in over-communicating clearly and documenting decisions transparently. I would also make the most of in-person meetups, which Canonical holds a few times a year, to strengthen bonds. For customers, I would ensure they feel supported by being responsive and proactive, and by consistently delivering on promises. This approach has worked well for me in previous remote roles, as it creates a sense of reliability and personal connection.
Canonical is a leading provider of open source software and operating systems to the global enterprise and technology markets. Our platform, Ubuntu, is very 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, and industry leaders in many sectors. The company is 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, in interesting locations around the world, to align on strategy and execution.
The company is founder-led, profitable, and growing.
We are hiring a Project Manager – Ubuntu Embedded Systems at Canonical
As a project manager for Canonical’s Devices business, this role is responsible for the coordination and completion of large complex customer-facing projects, overseeing all aspects of project delivery and acting as the primary delivery liaison between Canonical’s engineering teams and Canonical’s customers.
You will be managing the projects that involve the delivery of Ubuntu images on a wide variety of devices ranging from robots, edge gateways, and IoT devices to PCs and automotive systems. This is a high-profile project management position where you are expected to build and maintain working relationships with team members, customers, other partners/vendors (Silicon vendors, OEMs, ODMs, IHVs), and other Canonical departments/teams.
Location: This role will be based remotely in the APAC region
The role entails
- Managing projects through their complete life cycle and ensuring that the overall goals for both Canonical and the client are met
- Successfully delivering engineering professional services for assigned projects
- Working with engineering teams on custom board enablement and delivery of Ubuntu images to the customers
- Assisting in the development of project statements of work
- Drafting and maintaining project-specific schedules/project plans
- Obtaining client agreement to the project schedule and agreed-upon work items
- Ensuring projects are delivered within the time/resources/scope expectations
- Managing project risk mitigation and plans
- Driving technical issues to reach desired delivery outcomes
- Maintaining daily and weekly communication with the client and all internal stakeholders
- Managing delivery schedule of critical third-party deliverables for the project
- Keeping management informed of the status of assigned projects
- Identify custom engineering requests that are not part of an existing business contract
- Advocating for the appropriate technologies from Canonical’s product portfolio to customers
- Supporting different time zones and work non-traditional hours as required to support the assigned projects
What we are looking for in you
- Solid project management experience in delivering engineering services to customers managing software development teams and field engineers
- Extensive experience successfully managing projects with cross-cultural and multi-continent internal and external project resources, preferably with resources in Asia, Europe, and the Americas
- Educational degree preferably in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math
- Good knowledge of Linux and the wider Open Source Software community, and understanding of computer architecture
- Excellent communications skills, both verbal and written, in English
- Strong leader and problem solver with extensive experience building successful internal and external partnerships and effective working relationships with demanding project sponsors in complex organizational environments
- PMP/PMI or PRINCE2 Practitioner Certification preferred
- Ability to work non-standard work hours in support of a worldwide sales and project team
- Willingness to travel up to 4 times a year for internal events
What we offer colleagues
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 recognize outstanding performance. In addition to base pay, we offer a performance-driven annual bonus or commission. 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
- Team Member Assistance Program & Wellness Platform
- 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 of software. 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. Most colleagues at Canonical have worked from home since our 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.
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