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Junior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Systems Engineer, Kernel

New York, NY · On-site

$165K - $242K/yr

Linux Kernel (custom build), Ubuntu * Intel/AMD/ARM CPUs, Nvidia GPUs, DPUs, Infiniband and ... Strong C programming skills with the ability to write maintainable and upstream-quality code.

Systems Engineer, Kernel

Livingston, NJ · On-site

$165K - $242K/yr

Linux Kernel (custom build), Ubuntu * Intel/AMD/ARM CPUs, Nvidia GPUs, DPUs, Infiniband and ... Strong C programming skills with the ability to write maintainable and upstream-quality code.

Junior Software Engineer

Chicago, IL · On-site

$80K - $130K/yr

Junior Software Engineer (Trading Systems & OS) Location: Chicago, IL (Loop) Team: Proprietary ... how the Linux kernel handles every packet that strategy sends. Core Responsibilities

Senior Software Engineer

Atlanta, GA · On-site

$117K - $155K/yr

Stable Kernel is a technology services firm and custom software developer building scalable ... Mentoring junior and intermediate colleagues by helping them grow professionally. * Setting a ...

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Junior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu information

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$33.5K

$71.8K

$109.5K

How much do junior kernel engineer ubuntu jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for junior kernel engineer ubuntu in the United States is $71,799.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $48,500.00 and $80,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Junior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu, and why are they important?

To succeed as a Junior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu, you need a solid understanding of Linux operating systems, C programming, and computer architecture, often supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with Git, kernel debugging tools, and build systems like Make, as well as experience with Ubuntu or Debian package management, is typically required. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective teamwork are crucial soft skills in this role. These competencies enable efficient troubleshooting, robust code contributions, and smooth collaboration within the open-source community and engineering teams.

What are the main responsibilities and typical challenges faced by a Junior Kernel Engineer working on Ubuntu?

As a Junior Kernel Engineer on the Ubuntu team, you'll primarily assist in maintaining, debugging, and improving the Linux kernel to ensure compatibility and performance for Ubuntu releases. Daily tasks often include patch review, hardware compatibility testing, and collaborating with senior engineers to resolve kernel bugs. Common challenges involve understanding the complexities of kernel code, keeping up with upstream kernel changes, and ensuring stability across diverse hardware platforms. You’ll also participate in code reviews and work closely with both the wider Ubuntu community and other Canonical engineering teams.

What does a Junior Kernel Engineer do at Ubuntu?

A Junior Kernel Engineer at Ubuntu works on maintaining and improving the Linux kernel, which is the core part of the Ubuntu operating system. Their tasks often include debugging kernel issues, developing new features, collaborating with senior engineers, and contributing to kernel updates and security patches. They may also review code, test kernel builds, and interact with the open-source community to ensure compatibility and performance. This role is ideal for those with a strong understanding of C programming, Linux internals, and a passion for open-source development.

What is the difference between Junior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu vs Junior Linux Kernel Developer?

AspectJunior Kernel Engineer UbuntuJunior Linux Kernel Developer
Required CredentialsComputer Science degree, Linux certifications (e.g., Linux Foundation Certified Engineer)Similar credentials, often Linux certifications and programming skills
Work EnvironmentPrimarily in Linux-based environments, focusing on Ubuntu OSLinux kernel development, often in open-source projects
Employer & Industry UsageTech companies, open-source projects, hardware firms using UbuntuOpen-source communities, Linux distributions, hardware vendors
Common Search & ComparisonOften searched for by those working with Ubuntu-specific kernel tasksMore focused on kernel development across Linux distributions

Both roles involve Linux kernel work, but Junior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu emphasizes Ubuntu-specific kernel tasks, while Junior Linux Kernel Developer focuses on broader Linux kernel development across distributions.

More about Junior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu jobs
What cities are hiring for Junior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu jobs? Cities with the most Junior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu job openings:
What states have the most Junior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu jobs? States with the most job openings for Junior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu jobs include:
Infographic showing various Junior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 99% Full Time, and 1% Part Time. Highlights an 87% Physical, 6% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $71,799 per year, or $34.5 per hour.
Systems Engineer, Kernel

Systems Engineer, Kernel

CoreWeave

New York, NY • On-site

$165K - $242K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 29 days ago


Job description

CoreWeave is The Essential Cloud for AI™. Built for pioneers by pioneers, CoreWeave delivers a platform of technology, tools, and teams that enables innovators to build and scale AI with confidence. Trusted by leading AI labs, startups, and global enterprises, CoreWeave combines superior infrastructure performance with deep technical expertise to accelerate breakthroughs and turn compute into capability. Founded in 2017, CoreWeave became a publicly traded company (Nasdaq: CRWV) in March 2025. Learn more at www.coreweave.com.
What You'll Do:

CoreWeave is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Systems Kernel Engineer to join our HAVOCK Team, reporting into the Manager of Systems Engineering. In this role, you will be a key contributor to the stability, performance, and evolution of CoreWeave's Linux based infrastructure. As a kernel generalist, you will be responsible for debugging kernel-level issues, analyzing and fixing crashes, panics, dumps, and upstreaming fixes and features that improves the performance and reliability of our stack.

This position is ideal for someone who thrives in low-level systems engineering, and understands how modern workloads stress kernels, and is excited to work across a diverse hardware/software ecosystem including CPUs, GPUs, DPUs, networking, and storage.

Kernel Hardware - Acceleration - Virtualization - Operating Systems - Containerization - Kubelet

Our Team's Stack:

  • Python, Go, bash/sh, C
  • Prometheus, Victoria Metrics, Grafana
  • Linux Kernel (custom build), Ubuntu
  • Intel/AMD/ARM CPUs, Nvidia GPUs, DPUs, Infiniband and Ethernet NICs
  • Docker, kubernetes (k8s), KubeVirt, containerd, kubelet

Focus Areas:

  • Kernel Debugging – Analyze kernel crashes, oopses, panics, and dumps to identify root causes and propose fixes.
  • Upstream Contributions – Develop patches for the Linux kernel and upstream them where applicable (networking, storage, virtualization, GPU/DPU enablement).
  • Stack-Wide Support – Ensure kernel support and stability across:
    • Virtualization (KubeVirt, QEMU, vFIO)
    • Container runtimes (containerd, nydus, kubelet)
    • HPC/AI workloads (CUDA, GPUDirect, RoCE/InfiniBand)
  • Kernel-Hardware Enablement – Support new hardware bring-up across Intel, AMD, ARM CPUs, NVIDIA GPUs, DPUs, and NICs.
  • Performance & Stability – Tune kernel subsystems for latency, throughput, and scalability in distributed HPC/AI clusters.
About the role:
  • Triage and fix kernel crashes and performance regressions.
  • Develop, test, and upstream kernel patches relevant to CoreWeave's hardware/software environment.
  • Collaborate with hardware vendors and the Linux community on feature enablement.
  • Implement diagnostics and tooling for kernel-level observability.
  • Work closely with HPC and Fleet teams to ensure kernel readiness for production workloads.
  • Provide kernel-level expertise during incident response and root-cause investigations.
Who You Are:
  • 5+ years of professional experience in Linux kernel engineering or systems-level development.
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
  • Deep understanding of kernel internals (memory management, scheduling, networking, storage, drivers).
  • Experience debugging kernel crashes, dumps, and panics using tools like crash, gdb, kdump.
  • Strong C programming skills with the ability to write maintainable and upstream-quality code.
  • Experience working with kernel modules, drivers, and subsystems.
  • Strong problem-solving abilities with a "full-stack" systems perspective.

Preferred:

  • Contributions to the Linux kernel or related open-source projects.
  • Familiarity with virtualization (KVM, QEMU, VFIO) and container runtimes.
  • Networking stack expertise (InfiniBand, RoCE, TCP/IP performance tuning).
  • GPU/DPU bring-up and driver experience.
  • Experience in HPC or large-scale distributed systems.
  • Familiarity with QA/QE best practices
  • Experience working in Cloud environments
  • Experience as a software engineer writing large-scale applications
  • Experience with machine learning is a huge bonus

The base salary range for this role is $165,000 to $242,000. The starting salary will be determined based on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and market location. We strive for both market alignment and internal equity when determining compensation. In addition to base salary, our total rewards package includes a discretionary bonus, equity awards, and a comprehensive benefits program (all based on eligibility).

What We Offer

The range we've posted represents the typical compensation range for this role. To determine actual compensation, we review the market rate for each candidate which can include a variety of factors. These include qualifications, experience, interview performance, and location.

In addition to a competitive salary, we offer a variety of benefits to support your needs. The benefits below reflect our US-based offerings; for roles in other locations, benefits vary and are shared during the hiring process. These include:

  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance - 100% paid for by CoreWeave
  • Company-paid Life Insurance
  • Voluntary supplemental life insurance
  • Short and long-term disability insurance
  • Flexible Spending Account
  • Health Savings Account
  • Tuition Reimbursement
  • Ability to Participate in Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP)
  • Mental Wellness Benefits through Spring Health
  • Family-Forming support provided by Carrot
  • Paid Parental Leave
  • Flexible, full-service childcare support with Kinside
  • 401(k) with a generous employer match
  • Flexible PTO
  • Catered lunch each day in our office and data center locations
  • A casual work environment
  • A work culture focused on innovative disruption

California Applicants

California Consumer Privacy Act

Equal Opportunity & Accommodations

CoreWeave is an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive workplace. All qualified applicants and candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information.

As part of this commitment and consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), CoreWeave will ensure that qualified applicants and candidates with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations for the hiring process, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact: careers@coreweave.com.

Export Control Compliance

This position requires access to export controlled information. To conform to U.S. Government export regulations applicable to that information, applicant must either be (A) a U.S. person, defined as a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), (iii) refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, (B) eligible to access the export controlled information without a required export authorization, or (C) eligible and reasonably likely to obtain the required export authorization from the applicable U.S. government agency. CoreWeave may, for legitimate business reasons, decline to pursue any export licensing process.