Canonical
Open Source
UbuntuLinuxKernelTestEngineer
Neural analysis suggests this role is
optimal for Mid+ candidates.
“Ubuntu Linux Kernel Test Engineer at Canonical. Skills: Python, Linux kernel internals, Test infrastructure, Automated testing. Design test plans. Maintain test plans”
What You'll Achieve.
Ensure every kernel we ship meets the highest standards of reliability
Industry & Context.
Ability to travel twice a year, for company events up to two weeks each
What They're Looking For.
Must Have
Significant programming experience in Python, Experience with test frameworks such as LTP, kselftest, xfstests, stress-ng, fio, or similar, Experience designing and executing system-level tests: functional, stress, performance, or regression testing, Familiarity with CI/CD systems (Jenkins, GitHub CI, or similar), Experience maintaining test suites over long periods, adapting to evolving software across multiple supported versions, Familiarity with Linux (Ubuntu or Debian preferred but not required), Linux kernel internals and subsystems, Experience with Linux systems administration and automation, Solid background with git, Professional written and spoken English with excellent communication skills
Nice to Have
Familiarity with kernel fuzzing tools and techniques (e.g. syzkaller, Trinity, AFL, or custom harnesses), Experience with code coverage instrumentation (e.g. gcov, kcov, LLVM source-based coverage), Knowledge of kernel tracing and observability tools (e.g. ftrace, perf, bpftrace, eBPF), Familiarity with static analysis tools (e.g. sparse, smatch, Coccinelle) as part of a testing workflow, Experience with fault injection frameworks (e.g. failslab, fail_make_request) for reliability testing, Prior experience with test infrastructure at scale (provisioning, orchestration, result aggregation), Experience with Ubuntu/Debian packaging or Snap, Knowledge of virtualization technologies (KVM, QEMU) and container runtimes, Cloud infrastructure experience (AWS, GCP, Azure, or OpenStack), Prior involvement with open source testing communities or projects
What You'll Do.
Build automated test frameworks
Evolve automated test frameworks
Scale test infrastructure
Catch regressions early
Ensure kernel reliability
Improve automated test infrastructure
Maintain long-lived test suites
Develop CI/CD pipelines
Conduct performance benchmarking
Measure code coverage
Improve code coverage
Develop fuzzing harnesses
Discover kernel vulnerabilities
Discover reliability issues
Contribute to upstream test suites
Contribute to upstream testing frameworks
Document test methodologies
Document test results
Document coverage gaps
How You'll Work.
Team & Collaboration
Work closely with kernel engineers; Collaborate regularly and proactively with a globally distributed team
Communication Scope
Professional written and spoken English; Excellent communication skills
Process & Methodology
Deliver to fixed schedules
Full Job Description
Ubuntu is the most widely used Linux distribution in the world, delivering kernels across a vast matrix of versions, architectures, and configurations – with up to 15 years of security and maintenance commitments for Long Term Support (LTS) releases. Ensuring the quality and reliability of these kernels demands a dedicated, systematic approach to testing at scale. The Canonical Kernel Team is looking for a Test Engineer to take ownership of our kernel testing strategy and infrastructure. You will design and maintain test plans covering functional correctness, stability, performance, and security. You will build and evolve automated test frameworks – including stress testing, fuzzing, code coverage analysis, and regression detection – that not only must remain effective across many concurrently supported kernel versions spanning years of maintenance, but must be able to scale with the high demand for Ubuntu kernels (currently more than 160 under active support). The successful candidate will bring strong Python skills, familiarity with Linux kernel internals, and experience building test infrastructure that scales. You will work closely with kernel engineers to catch regressions early, validate fixes, and ensure every kernel we ship meets the highest standards of reliability. Location: This role will be based remotely in the APAC region, except for Taipei, Taiwan, and Beijing, China, which are office-based locations. What your day will look like Design, develop, and maintain comprehensive test plans covering functional correctness, stability, performance, and security for Ubuntu Linux kernels Build and improve automated test infrastructure for continuous kernel quality validation across multiple kernel versions and architectures Maintain long-lived test suites that evolve alongside Ubuntu’s many concurrently supported kernel versions spanning years of maintenance Develop and maintain CI/CD pipelines for continuous kernel quality validation Conduct performance benchma
Applying for this Ubuntu Linux Kernel Test Engineer role?
Most applicants get filtered before a human reads their resume. See if yours makes the cut.
How to Apply on Greenhouse
- Create a Greenhouse profile before applying — it saves time across multiple applications.
- Upload your resume as a PDF; the parser handles it better than Word.
- Answer all knockout questions carefully — wrong answers auto-reject before a human sees you.
- Enable email notifications to track application status in real time.
ANONYMOUS · UNFILTERED
What do employees actually say about Canonical?
Real rants from real employees. Read before you apply.