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Senior Software Engineer - Packaging - Optimize Ubuntu Server

Canonical Dubai, United Arab Emirates Posted: 22 May 2025

Financial

  • Estimate: $90k - $120k*
  • Zero income tax location

Accessibility

  • Hybrid
  • Apply from abroad
  • No Relocation Support
  • Visa Provided

Requirements

  • Experience: Senior
  • English: Professional

Position

About the Job:
Canonical is a leading provider of open-source software and operating systems, widely acclaimed for its platform, Ubuntu. The company is at the forefront of enterprise initiatives such as public cloud, data science, AI, engineering innovation, and IoT. Canonical fosters a culture of distributed collaboration with over 1200 colleagues across more than 75 countries.

The Ubuntu Engineering Server Team is seeking open-source enthusiasts to help shape the future of Ubuntu by maintaining and packaging various software, including web servers, databases, and virtualization/containerization stacks. This role offers a unique opportunity to work with experienced engineers and influence the evolution of Ubuntu, the #1 operating system in public clouds.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Collaborate actively within a distributed team.
  • Foster a seamless software ecosystem for all Ubuntu users.
  • Evaluate contributions from other engineers to uphold high software standards.
  • Contribute new ideas and provide guidance on ongoing projects.
  • Collaborate with teams in the Ubuntu and Debian communities, upstream projects, and commercial customers.
  • Oversee the maintenance of Ubuntu Server packages, focusing on:
    • Traditional server workloads (e.g., web servers, databases, network services)
    • Virtualization and containers
    • Package management and dependencies
    • Language runtimes and toolchains

Work Conditions:

  • Remote work with global travel required 2 to 4 weeks per year for internal and external events.

Requirements:

  • Passion for technology and collaboration with talented individuals.
  • Strong curiosity, flexibility, accountability, and effective communication skills.
  • Interest or experience in open-source maintenance or contributions.
  • Ability to handle complex workloads and write detailed test plans.
  • Proficiency in debugging multiple languages such as C/C++, Python, Rust, Go, Ruby, and PHP.
  • Experience in packaging within various ecosystems (e.g., Python wheels, Rust Crates, Go Modules, or distros like deb, rpm, NixOS).
  • Familiarity with creating and using containers and virtual machines.
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, STEM, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience (minimum of 5 years).

Language Requirements: Proficiency in English is required.

Benefits:

  • Competitive compensation with annual review.
  • Performance-driven annual bonus.
  • Personal learning and development budget of USD 2,000 per year.
  • Recognition rewards and annual leave.
  • Maternity and paternity leave.
  • Employee Assistance Program.
  • Opportunities for travel to new locations for team meetings.
  • Priority Pass and travel upgrades for long-haul events.

About Canonical:
Canonical is a pioneering tech firm committed to the global transition to open source. As the publisher of Ubuntu, Canonical is deeply involved in pivotal open-source projects that drive AI, IoT, and cloud innovations. The company has been remote-first since its inception in 2004, fostering a dynamic and inclusive work environment. Canonical is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity and strives for excellence.

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About Canonical

We deliver open source to the world faster, more securely and more cost effectively than any other company. We're also the publishers of Ubuntu, the world’s most popular enterprise Linux from cloud to edge, together with a passionate global community of 200,000+ contributors.