Graduate Software Engineer (Open Source & Linux) at Canonical | Remote

About Canonical

Canonical is a provider of open source software and operating systems for enterprise and technology markets worldwide. Its platform, Ubuntu, is widely used across cloud computing, AI, data science, engineering innovation, and IoT. The company operates as a distributed organization with more than 1200 colleagues across 75+ countries.

Teams collaborate remotely and meet in person several times each year to align on strategy and engineering goals. Canonical continues to grow while maintaining a founder-led and profitable structure.

Graduate Software Engineer Program

Canonical is recruiting 2025 and 2026 graduates to join engineering teams around the world. Engineers contribute to a broad range of software challenges across open source products and commercial systems.

Work spans many layers of the Linux ecosystem, from BIOS, firmware, kernel and drivers to desktop applications, containers, and cloud infrastructure. Engineers may contribute to systems running on small devices such as Raspberry Pi and RISC‑V boards, as well as large-scale cloud and Kubernetes environments.

Teams use multiple programming languages including Python, Golang, Rust, C/C++, JavaScript and Bash. Projects may involve compilers, toolchains, performance improvements, security, cryptography, or large-scale software packaging.

Work Environment

Most engineering teams work remotely and are typically aligned within regional time zones such as EMEA, APAC, or AMER. Engineers collaborate closely with colleagues through mentorship, pair programming, and open source community engagement.

Canonical also organizes global in-person sprints twice each year where teams gather to collaborate on major initiatives and discuss long-term product direction.

Key Responsibilities

• Participate in shaping product roadmaps during global engineering sprints.
• Design and implement software with attention to usability and developer experience.
• Write reliable, high‑performance code that may serve millions of users.
• Develop expertise in programming languages and Linux system technologies.
• Engage with open source communities through code reviews and issue tracking.
• Investigate and respond to customer issues while understanding enterprise needs.
• Apply security awareness in software design and implementation.

Requirements

• Outstanding academic performance in high school and university.
• Undergraduate degree in Computer Science, Business Informatics, Mathematics, or another STEM discipline with programming coursework.
• Ability to produce high‑quality code in at least one of the following: Python, Rust, C/C++, Golang, JavaScript, or Java.
• Experience using Ubuntu or another Linux distribution.
• Demonstrated initiative through personal technology or software projects.
• Professional written and spoken English.
• Willingness to travel internationally twice per year for company events lasting up to two weeks.

Preferred Experience

• Contributions to upstream open source projects.
• Experience with Linux distribution packaging such as Debian, Fedora, Arch, or Nix.
• Leadership or organizational responsibilities during education.
• Interest in business or commercial aspects of technology.

Benefits

• Distributed remote work environment with global team collaboration.
• In‑person engineering sprints twice each year.
• Personal learning and development budget of USD 2,000 annually.
• Annual compensation review and recognition rewards.
• Paid holiday leave along with maternity and paternity leave.
• Employee assistance and wellness programs.
• Travel opportunities to meet colleagues worldwide.