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Linux Device Driver Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Hands-on experience integrating applications with Linux device drivers * Familiarity with user-kernel interaction mechanisms such as ioctl, mmap, shared memory, and sysfs * Strong debugging skills ...

Staff Engineer, Linux Device Drivers

San Diego, CA · On-site

$134.80K - $202.20K/yr

The Qualcomm Cloud AI team is looking for a Linux device driver engineer for QCR-100 and related accelerators. These products accelerate image reprocessing and AI workloads. The engineer will develop ...

... device drivers in Linux. • Develop unit tests and integration tests. • Understand various performance trade-offs as they relate to CPU time, memory usage, debuggability, and traceability when ...

The candidate must have programming experience with Linux Device drivers, Linux OS bring up, Board Support Package, ARM architecture, C/C++ on QNX or Linux operating systems, using a formal software ...

Integrating core software technology to 3rd party solutions Experience / Technical Skills Required: * 10 years of C/C++ programming experience * 5 years of Linux Device Driver engineering experience ...

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Linux Device Driver information

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How much do linux device driver jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 4, 2026, the average hourly pay for linux device driver in the United States is $47.12, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $46.63 and $47.60 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Linux Device Driver Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Linux Device Driver Engineer, you need strong C programming skills, a deep understanding of operating systems concepts, and experience with hardware-software integration, usually supported by a degree in computer science or electrical engineering. Familiarity with Linux kernel development, version control systems (like Git), and debugging tools such as GDB or printk is typically required. Problem-solving ability, attention to detail, and effective communication are vital soft skills for collaborating with hardware and software teams. Mastery of these skills ensures efficient development, troubleshooting, and maintenance of reliable device drivers critical to system functionality.

What are some common challenges faced by Linux Device Driver developers, and how can they be addressed?

Linux Device Driver developers often encounter challenges such as debugging kernel-level code, managing hardware compatibility, and ensuring stability across different Linux distributions. Working at the kernel level means that a small mistake can lead to system crashes or security vulnerabilities. To address these issues, developers typically rely on robust debugging tools like printk, kgdb, and static analysis tools, as well as thorough documentation and upstream community support. Collaboration with hardware engineers and regular code reviews also play a crucial role in ensuring reliability and maintainability.

What are Linux Device Drivers?

Linux device drivers are specialized software components that allow the Linux operating system to communicate with hardware devices, such as network cards, storage drives, or input devices. These drivers translate generic OS instructions into device-specific operations, enabling the hardware to function correctly with Linux. They are typically written in C and integrated into the kernel, either as part of the core kernel or as loadable modules. Developing and maintaining device drivers is crucial for hardware compatibility and system stability.

What is the difference between Linux Device Driver vs Kernel Module Developer?

AspectLinux Device DriverKernel Module Developer
Primary RoleDesigning, developing, and maintaining device drivers for LinuxCreating and managing kernel modules, including device drivers and other kernel extensions
Required SkillsLinux kernel programming, C, hardware interactionLinux kernel development, C, module programming
Work EnvironmentEmbedded systems, hardware integration, Linux OSKernel development, Linux OS, system-level programming
CertificationsLinux certifications (e.g., Linux Foundation Certified Engineer)Linux kernel development courses, certifications

While Linux Device Drivers focus specifically on creating drivers for hardware components, Kernel Module Developers work on broader kernel extensions, including device drivers. Both roles require Linux kernel expertise and C programming skills, often overlapping in work environment and certifications.

More about Linux Device Driver jobs
What cities are hiring for Linux Device Driver jobs? Cities with the most Linux Device Driver job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Linux Device Driver jobs? The most popular types of Linux Device Driver jobs are:
What states have the most Linux Device Driver jobs? States with the most job openings for Linux Device Driver jobs include:
Infographic showing various Linux Device Driver job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 23% Full Time, and 77% Part Time. Highlights an 92% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $98,000 per year, or $47.1 per hour.

Full-time

Posted 7 days ago


Job description

Job Description:
Mandatory Skills:
Engineer with 6+ Yrs of experience in embedded Linux driver/kernel development.
Strong C development skills.
Experience with any one of the driver development domain
Graphics driver - DRM/KMS, OpenGL, Vulkan, OpenCL, Mesa.
Multi Media-Video driver - Vaapi, vdpau, gstreamer, v4l2.
Power management - System to RAM, S0ix3.
Display Driver development - X, Wayland, Weston, Display driver
Experience with Audio sub-system, Audio drivers's, frameworks and ALSA SOC(ASOC), Audio protocols like I2S/TDM.
Proficient in Yocto development.
Virtualization - Xen, KVM, QNX hypervisor knowledge.
Ethernet Driver - Network driver development.
Good working experience with IPC, DMA driver development.
Experience with kernel mode driver programming in Linux
Linux Device driver programming experience in Linux Kernel and Drivers.
Experience dealing with Linux community and Open Source contribution a plus
System knowledge, System Debugging
Keywords: Linux Kernel Driver, device driver, Linux Graphics Driver, DRM/KMS, Video driver, Vaapi, V4L2, Audio DSP, I2S/TDM, Ethernet Driver, Virtualization, Vulkan, Mesa, OpenCL, OpenGL, RTOS