Software Architect

Overview

Canonical is a leading provider of open source software and operating systems to the global enterprise and technology markets. Our platform, Ubuntu, is widely used in breakthrough enterprise initiatives such as public cloud, data science, AI, engineering innovation and IoT. Our customers include leading public cloud and silicon providers, and industry leaders in many sectors. The company operates with a distributed collaboration model across 80+ countries, with many roles being non-office-based. Teams meet in person two to four times per year to align on strategy and execution.

The company is founder-led, profitable and growing. We are hiring a software architect for Canonical LXD and MicroCloud.

Our goal is to make clusters of compute, with system containers or virtual machines, "just work." It should be trivial to stand up a small cloud using one, two or twenty servers. This involves distributed systems, virtualization, container technology, networking and storage. As with the Ubuntu desktop, our goal is to make it easy and reliable for people to focus on what matters rather than the OS and infrastructure.

LXD is a modern Golang system container and virtual machine orchestrator used on Ubuntu, ChromeOS and other Linux platforms. LXD engineering spans from low-level kernel work on namespaces, confinement, security, filesystems, VMMs and networking to the high-level management REST API and CLI. As a software architect, you will drive the architecture, design and evolution of LXD, and Canonical MicroCloud, which combines LXD with Ceph and OVN to create a lean, easy-to-use and resilient cluster-scale cloud infrastructure.

Location : This is a home-based position available in EMEA and the Americas.

The role entails

• Leadership of the LXD and MicroCloud architecture
• Mentor, develop and advise colleagues in their career progression
• Develop in Golang and C
• Review code produced by other engineers
• Ensure the product is secure and performant
• Display technical leadership in Canonical and our communities
• Work from home with global travel twice annually for company events

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
• Drive and a track record of going above-and-beyond expectations
• Technical leadership as well as team motivation, direction and pace
• Well-organized, self-starting and able to deliver to schedule
• Professional manner in interacting with colleagues, partners, and community
• Experience with Go and C
• Experience with storage, networking and virtualization
• Experience with container technologies
• Experience with concurrent, distributed systems
• Conscientiousness and detail orientation, with a focus on performance
• Professional written and spoken English
• Experience with Linux (Debian or Ubuntu preferred)
• Excellent interpersonal skills, curiosity, flexibility, and accountability

What we offer colleagues

We consider geographical location, experience, and performance in shaping compensation worldwide. We revisit compensation annually to ensure we recognise outstanding performance. In addition to base pay, we offer a performance-driven annual bonus or commission. We provide all team members with additional benefits, reflecting our values and ideals.

• 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 of software. We recruit on a global basis and set a high standard for people joining the company. 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 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.

• An exceptional academic track record from both high school and university
• Undergraduate degree in Computer Science or STEM
• Drive and a track record of going above-and-beyond expectations
• Technical leadership as well as team motivation, direction and pace
• Well-organized, self-starting and able to deliver to schedule
• Professional manner in interacting with colleagues, partners, and community
• Experience with Go and C
• Experience with storage, networking and virtualization
• Experience with container technologies
• Experience with concurrent, distributed systems
• Conscientiousness and detail orientation, with a focus on performance
• Professional written and spoken English
• Experience with Linux (Debian or Ubuntu preferred)
• Excellent interpersonal skills, curiosity, flexibility, and accountability

Canonical is a leading provider of open source software and operating systems to the global enterprise and technology markets. Our platform, Ubuntu, is widely used in breakthrough enterprise initiatives such as public cloud, data science, AI, engineering innovation and IoT. Our customers include leading public cloud and silicon providers, and industry leaders in many sectors. The company operates with a distributed collaboration model across 80+ countries, with many roles being non-office-based. Teams meet in person two to four times per year to align on strategy and execution. The company is founder-led, profitable and growing. We are hiring a software architect for Canonical LXD and MicroCloud. Our goal is to make clusters of compute, with system containers or virtual machines, "just work." It should be trivial to stand up a small cloud using one, two or twenty servers. This involves distributed systems, virtualization, container technology, networking and storage. As with the Ubuntu desktop, our goal is to make it easy and reliable for people to focus on what matters rather than the OS and infrastructure. LXD is a modern Golang system container and virtual machine orchestrator used on Ubuntu, ChromeOS and other Linux platforms. LXD engineering spans from low-level kernel work on namespaces, confinement, security, filesystems, VMMs and networking to the high-level management REST API and CLI. As a software architect, you will drive the architecture, design and evolution of LXD, and Canonical MicroCloud, which combines LXD with Ceph and OVN to create a lean, easy-to-use and resilient cluster-scale cloud infrastructure., 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 high standard for people joining the company. 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 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.