ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Junior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Nightwing

Linux Systems Engineer

Sterling, VA · On-site

Wireshark * iproute2 * nftables * iptables Linux Kernel Tuning & Performance Optimization Tune ... Ubuntu Linux Networking Expertise Demonstrated expertise with: * Policy-Based Routing (PBR ...

Nightwing Group

Linux Systems Engineer

Sterling, VA · On-site

$90 - $120/hr

... kernel performance tuning, infrastructure automation, and modern VPN technologies including ... Ubuntu Linux# Networking Expertise# Demonstrated expertise with:* # Policy-Based Routing (PBR ...

Nwis

Linux Systems Engineer

Sterling, VA · On-site

Wireshark * iproute2 * nftables * iptables Linux Kernel Tuning & Performance OptimizationTune Linux ... Ubuntu Linux Networking ExpertiseDemonstrated expertise with: * Policy-Based Routing (PBR ...

Chenega Corporation

Solutions Engineer

Arlington, VA · On-site

$100 - $130/hr

Strong experience with Microsoft and Linux engineering (RHEL, Rocky, Ubuntu Server), SELinux, kernel tuning, systemd, and OS‑level security. * Experience with configuration management tools ...

REDLattice, Inc.

Android CNO Developer

Chantilly, VA · On-site

$57.50 - $75.75/hr

Reverse engineer native binaries and Android system components * Work with kernel subsystems, OS ... Mentor junior engineers and collaborate with mission operators Required Experience * Advanced ...

REDLattice

Android CNO Developer

Chantilly, VA · On-site

$57 - $75/hr

Reverse engineer native binaries and Android system components * Work with kernel subsystems, OS ... Mentor junior engineers and collaborate with mission operators Required Experience * Advanced ...

REDLattice

Android CNO Developer

Chantilly, VA · On-site

$57 - $75/hr

Reverse engineer native binaries and Android system components * Work with kernel subsystems, OS ... Mentor junior engineers and collaborate with mission operators Required Experience * Advanced ...

REDLattice

iOS CNO Software Engineer

Chantilly, VA

$144K/yr

Debug user-space and kernel components using LLDB and other native debugging tools. * Reverse ... Mentor junior engineers and collaborate with mission operators. Required Experience * Advanced ...

REDLattice

Android CNO Developer

Chantilly, VA

$57.50 - $75.75/hr

Reverse engineer native binaries and Android system components * Work with kernel subsystems, OS ... Mentor junior engineers and collaborate with mission operators Required Experience * Advanced ...

REDLattice, Inc.

iOS CNO Software Engineer

Chantilly, VA · On-site

$144K/yr

Debug user-space and kernel components using LLDB and other native debugging tools. * Reverse ... Mentor junior engineers and collaborate with mission operators. Required Experience * Advanced ...

REDLattice Inc.

Android CNO Developer

Chantilly, VA · On-site

$100 - $130/hr

Reverse engineer native binaries and Android system components * Work with kernel subsystems, OS ... Mentor junior engineers and collaborate with mission operators Required Experience * Advanced ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsKernel Engineer Ubuntu JobsJunior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu JobsJunior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu Jobs in Virginia

Junior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu information

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 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 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 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.

What are popular job titles related to Junior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu jobs in Virginia?

For Junior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu jobs in Virginia, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Junior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu jobs in Virginia look for?

The top searched job categories for Junior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu jobs in Virginia are:

What cities in Virginia are hiring for Junior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu jobs?

Cities in Virginia with the most Junior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu job openings:

Junior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu jobs near you
Infographic showing various Junior Kernel Engineer Ubuntu job openings in Virginia as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 91% Full Time, 5% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution.

Linux Systems Engineer

Sterling, VA • On-site

Nightwing
See more jobs at Nightwingexternal

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 23 days ago

Job description

Nightwing provides technically advanced full-spectrum cyber, data operations, systems integration and intelligence mission support services to meet our customers' most demanding challenges. Our capabilities include cyber space operations, cyber defense and resiliency, vulnerability research, ubiquitous technical surveillance, data intelligence, lifecycle mission enablement, and software modernization. Nightwing brings disruptive technologies, agility, and competitive offerings to customers in the intelligence community, defense, civil, and commercial markets.
Nightwing is seeking a highly skilled Linux Systems Engineer to design, deploy, optimize, automate, and support large-scale Linux infrastructure supporting secure networking and remote-access services. This role is ideal for an engineer with deep expertise in Linux networking, policy-based routing, kernel performance tuning, infrastructure automation, and modern VPN technologies including WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IPSec.
The successful candidate will collaborate closely with network engineering, systems administration, and platform engineering teams to deliver highly available, secure, and scalable infrastructure solutions in mission-critical environments.
Primary Responsibilities
Linux Infrastructure Engineering
  • Design, deploy, administer, and maintain enterprise Linux environments.
  • Develop standardized operating system configurations and hardened baseline builds.
  • Perform operating system upgrades, patch management, lifecycle maintenance, and performance optimization.
  • Troubleshoot complex operating system, networking, and application issues.
Advanced Network Engineering
Design and implement advanced routing architectures utilizing:
  • Policy-Based Routing (PBR)
  • Multiple routing tables
  • Route maps and traffic steering
  • Source-based and destination-based routing
  • Multi-homed network environments
Configure and troubleshoot:
  • OSPF and static routing
  • VLANs, LACP, and 802.1Q trunking
  • Network namespaces
  • VRFs
  • NAT and firewall policies
Analyze and troubleshoot network traffic using:
  • tcpdump
  • Wireshark
  • iproute2
  • nftables
  • iptables
Linux Kernel Tuning & Performance Optimization
Tune Linux kernel parameters for:
  • High-throughput networking
  • Low-latency applications
  • VPN gateway performance
  • Large-scale concurrent connections
Optimize:
  • TCP/IP stack performance
  • Network buffer sizing
  • IRQ balancing
  • CPU affinity
  • NUMA awareness
  • Memory management
Utilize performance analysis tools including:
  • perf
  • sar
  • vmstat
  • iostat
  • eBPF observability tools
  • systemd performance metrics
VPN Engineering
Design, deploy, and support secure VPN infrastructures using:
  • OpenVPN 2.6+
  • WireGuard
  • IPSec
Implement and support:
  • Site-to-site VPNs
  • Remote-access VPNs
  • Hub-and-spoke architectures
  • High-availability VPN clusters
  • Dynamic routing across VPN overlays
Responsibilities include:
  • Troubleshooting encryption, routing, MTU, and performance issues
  • Implementing modern cryptographic standards and VPN hardening best practices
Configuration Management & Automation
Develop and maintain Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) solutions using SaltStack.
Create and maintain:
  • Salt States
  • Pillars
  • Custom modules
  • Orchestration workflows
Automate:
  • System provisioning
  • Configuration deployment
  • Compliance enforcement
  • VPN deployments
  • Security baseline management
Integrate SaltStack with CI/CD pipelines and infrastructure monitoring platforms.
Required Qualifications:
Current Top-Secret Clearance with SCI Eligibility
Technical Experience
  • 5+ years of Linux Systems Engineering experience
  • 3+ years of advanced Linux networking experience
  • 3+ years of VPN engineering experience
  • 3+ years of SaltStack administration and automation experience
Operating Systems
Strong hands-on experience with:
  • Debian Linux
  • Ubuntu Linux
Networking Expertise
Demonstrated expertise with:
  • Policy-Based Routing (PBR)
  • iproute2
  • Routing tables and policy rules
  • Linux bridges
  • Bonding and teaming
  • VLANs
  • VRFs
  • Network namespaces
  • Dynamic routing protocols
  • High-availability networking architectures
VPN Expertise
Strong practical experience with:
  • WireGuard
  • OpenVPN 2.6+
  • IPSec
  • PKI and certificate management
  • TLS authentication
  • Multi-site VPN topologies
  • VPN performance tuning
Automation & Scripting
Experience with:
  • SaltStack
  • Python
  • Bash
  • Git
  • CI/CD workflows

Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience supporting cloud platforms including:
    • Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
    • Amazon Web Services (AWS)
    • Microsoft Azure
  • Experience with container technologies:
    • Docker
    • Kubernetes
  • Experience supporting confidential computing environments
  • Knowledge of CNSA-compliant cryptographic implementations
  • Familiarity with eBPF-based observability and network diagnostics
  • Industry certifications such as:
    • RHCE
    • LFCE
    • CCNP
    • Equivalent advanced certifications

Desired Skills
  • Exceptional troubleshooting and root-cause analysis capabilities
  • Strong documentation and technical writing skills
  • Ability to operate independently in mission-critical environments
  • Experience designing highly available and fault-tolerant systems
  • Security-first mindset with strong infrastructure design principles
  • Excellent collaboration and communication skills

Salary & Benefits
The salary associated with this position ($99,000-$206,000) is commensurate with the selected candidate's qualifications, years of relevant experience, and demonstrated level of expertise. Compensation will be determined based on these factors to ensure alignment with skills, responsibilities, and market standards.
Nightwing offers medical, vision and dental insurance coverage in addition to a 401k plan, PTO, Holidays, and additional insurances.
Nightwing is An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status, age or any other federally protected class.

Apply