Freelance Linux Driver Developer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Company Name: Hellbender Inc.

Job Title: Linux Application Engineer

Department: Software

Report to: VP of Software 

Who we are:

Hellbender Inc. is a Pennsylvania Benefit Corporation who partners with innovators to mature their Artificial Intelligence enabled computing sensors and produce their solutions onshore at prototype to high volumes.

Hellbender is intentionally forming an inclusive work environment and is committed to uplifting the historically marginalized identities including veterans, women, trans and non-white races in our community and industry.

Job Summary: 

As a Linux Application Engineer at Hellbender, you will bridge the gap between high-level application software and the underlying Linux operating system. You will be responsible for developing robust applications in C/C++ or Python, maintaining system stability, and performing deep-dive investigations into system-level issues.

The ideal candidate is a systems-thinker who can navigate the Linux ecosystem, troubleshoot complex interactions between hardware and software, and manage the data pipelines used for system observability and logging. While you will not be tasked with writing device drivers from scratch, you must have the expertise to identify driver-level failures and interface effectively with our kernel engineering teams.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Application Development: Design, develop, and maintain high-performance applications and services using C,  C++ and Python within a Linux environment.
• System Troubleshooting: Investigate and diagnose complex issues occurring at the interface between user-space applications and the Linux kernel (e.g., analyzing interrupts, memory leaks, or I/O bottlenecks).
• Driver Investigation: Identify and document driver-level bugs or regressions; work closely with hardware/kernel teams to provide reproducible test cases and logs for driver remediation.
• System Configuration: Configure Linux environments, including boot parameters, systemd services, networking stacks, and resource management (cgroups/namespaces).
• Observability & Logging: Implement, manage, and support robust logging frameworks to ensure high-quality telemetry and data collection from the field/test-bench.

Required Qualifications:

• C/C++ Proficiency: Strong experience in professional C/C++ development, including memory management, multi-threading, and concurrency primitives.
• Linux Systems Expertise: Deep understanding of the Linux user-space, including system calls, signals, IPC (Inter-Process Communication), and the Linux filesystem hierarchy.
• Advanced Debugging Skills: Proficiency with Linux debugging tools.
• System Configuration: Hands-on experience configuring Linux subsystems (networking, storage, permissions) and managing system initialization (e.g., systemd).
• Scripting & Automation: Proficiency in Bash or Python for automating system tasks, data processing, and log analysis.
• Version Control: Experience with Git and modern CI/CD workflows

Preferred Qualifications:

• Rust Programming: Familiarity with Rust and its integration within a Linux environment is a significant plus.
• Embedded Linux Knowledge: Experience with Yocto Project, Buildroot, or custom kernel configuration.
• Data Pipeline Experience: Experience managing large-scale logging data (e.g., ELK stack, Prometheus, or custom telemetry pipelines).
• Containerization: Experience with Docker or Podman for application isolation and deployment.
• ROS 2: Familiarity with the ROS ecosystem is also helpful. 

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 5% Safe Harbor Contribution to 401k by Hellbender
• Dental insurance, 100% by Hellbender for employees and their families
• Health insurance, 100% by Hellbender for employees and their families
• Vision insurance, 100% by Hellbender for employees and their families
• Flexible spending account
• 7.5 weeks total Paid time off
• Hellbender Inc. options through our Equity Incentive Plan
• Profit Sharing (through 401k)
• Hybrid work environment & flexible work schedule 

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 5-7 years of experience in Linux-based software engineering or systems programming.

Work Location: UPARC Pittsburgh

Opportunity for advancement: 

Hellbender is a growing business and follows a policy that prioritizes internal promotions. As new positions are created new opportunities for advancement will be created as well.