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Linux Kernel Developer Jobs in Irvine, CA (NOW HIRING)

LERETA, LLC

Linux Systems Engineer

Pomona, CA · Hybrid

$95K - $127K/yr

LERETA is seeking a Linux Systems Engineer to support and enhance our enterprise infrastructure ... Implement metrics/logging; profile and tune kernel/app performance; root‑cause analysis for ...

Lereta

Linux Systems Engineer

Pomona, CA · On-site

$95K - $127K/yr

LERETA is seeking a Linux Systems Engineer to support and enhance our enterprise infrastructure ... Implement metrics/logging; profile and tune kernel/app performance; root-cause analysis for ...

Vast

Staff Flight Software Engineer

Long Beach, CA

Understanding of Linux kernel software and drivers * Network programming experience * Familiarity with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and digital multimeters * Familiarity with the Atlassian Suite ...

Anduril Industries

Senior Embedded Engineer, EW

Costa Mesa, CA · On-site

$133K - $174K/yr

Experience with Linux kernel module development * Experience with FPGA development (Verilog, VHDL, etc.), especially Xilinx devices and tools. * Experience with graphics programming (OpenGL, DirectX ...

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Showing results 21-40

All JobsLinux Kernel Developer JobsLinux Kernel Developer Jobs in Irvine, CA

Linux Kernel Developer information

See Irvine, CA salary details

$108.4K

$160K

$188.9K

How much do linux kernel developer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for linux kernel developer in Irvine, CA is $160,002.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $146,500.00 and $177,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges Linux kernel developers face when integrating new features or patches?

Linux Kernel Developers often encounter challenges such as ensuring compatibility with a wide range of hardware architectures and maintaining stability across diverse distributions. Integrating new features or patches requires rigorous code review, thorough testing, and clear communication with the broader open-source community. Developers must also keep up with the kernel's fast-paced development cycles and adhere to strict coding standards, which can be demanding but offers significant opportunities for learning and professional growth.

What does a Linux kernel developer do?

A Linux kernel developer uses computer code to create a program that functions as the core of a computer operating system. Your duties can include creating kernels for open-source operating systems for desktop computers, laptops, phones, and tablets. You can also develop programs for embedded systems for routers, smart devices, or automated machinery. Linux uses C programming languages, so you often write code in C and C++. In addition to your coding responsibilities, you also test and debug your programs. Your employer may ask you to develop applications, drivers, and other tools to use with your kernel.

What does a Linux kernel developer do?

A Linux Kernel Developer is responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining the core part of the Linux operating system known as the kernel. Their work involves writing and reviewing code, debugging issues, implementing new features, and ensuring the kernel remains efficient and secure. They also collaborate with the open-source community to contribute patches and updates. Linux Kernel Developers play a crucial role in supporting hardware compatibility and system performance across various devices.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Linux kernel developer?

To thrive as a Linux Kernel Developer, you need deep knowledge of C programming, operating system concepts, and experience with kernel development, often supported by a degree in computer science or related fields. Familiarity with tools such as Git, GDB, build systems, and patch submission processes, as well as experience contributing to open-source projects, is typically required. Strong problem-solving, attention to detail, and effective communication are critical soft skills for collaborating within the open-source community. These skills ensure high-quality code contributions, efficient troubleshooting, and successful integration with the broader Linux ecosystem.

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

AspectLinux Kernel DeveloperLinux Device Driver Developer
Required CredentialsProficiency in C, Linux kernel development experience, often a degree in Computer Science or related fieldSimilar credentials, with focus on device-specific programming and hardware knowledge
Work EnvironmentDeveloping and maintaining core kernel components, often in a Linux environmentWriting and debugging drivers for specific hardware devices within Linux
Employer & Industry UsageTech companies, open-source projects, hardware manufacturersHardware manufacturers, embedded systems, specialized device companies

While both roles require strong C programming skills and Linux knowledge, Linux Kernel Developers focus on core kernel development, whereas Linux Device Driver Developers specialize in creating drivers for hardware components. The roles often overlap but differ in scope and focus within the Linux ecosystem.

More about Linux Kernel Developer jobs

What job categories do people searching Linux Kernel Developer jobs in Irvine, CA look for?

The top searched job categories for Linux Kernel Developer jobs in Irvine, CA are:

What cities near Irvine, CA are hiring for Linux Kernel Developer jobs?

Cities near Irvine, CA with the most Linux Kernel Developer job openings:

Linux Kernel Developer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Linux Kernel Developer job openings in Irvine, CA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 83% Full Time, and 17% Contract. Highlights an 92% In-person, and 8% Hybrid job distribution, with an average salary of $160,002 per year, or $76.9 per hour.

Staff Software Engineer, Storage Platform

Relativity Space

Long Beach, CA • On-site

Full-time

PTO

Re-posted 5 days ago

Relativity Space rating

9.7

Company rating: 9.7 out of 10

Based on 8 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

2nd of 72 rated aerospace companies

Job description

At Relativity Space, we're building rockets to serve today's needs and tomorrow's breakthroughs. Our Terran R vehicle will deliver customer payloads to orbit, meeting the growing demand for launch capacity. But that's just the start. Achieving commercial success with Terran R will unlock new opportunities to advance science, exploration, and innovation, pioneering progress that reaches beyond the known.
Joining Relativity means becoming part of something where autonomy, ownership, and impact exist at every level. Here, you're not just executing tasks; you're solving problems that haven't been solved before, helping develop a rocket, a factory, and a business from the ground up. Whether you're in propulsion, manufacturing, software, avionics, or a corporate function, you'll collaborate across teams, shape decisions, and see your work come to life in record time. Relativity is a place where creativity and technical rigor go hand in hand, and your voice will help define the stories we're writing together. Now is a unique moment in time where it's early enough to leave your mark on the product, the process, and the culture, but far enough along that Terran R is tangible and picking up momentum. The most meaningful work of your career is waiting. Join us.
About the Team:
The Interplanetary Sciences Program was established to expand access to scientific exploration across our solar system. Its mission is to make planetary research faster, more affordable, and more capable than ever before by rethinking how science missions are designed, built, and operated. The program aims to enable scientists to send instruments to distant worlds without decades of development or prohibitive costs. By creating a sustainable model for interplanetary exploration, we are transforming space science from an occasional event into a continuous process of discovery that accelerates knowledge, broadens participation, and inspires the next generation of explorers.
About the Role:
  • Own the complete storage platform software stack for a space-based data center: custom Linux kernel drivers, OpenZFS pool design, NFS data serving, and automated fault recovery, shipping a platform that preserves up to a petabyte of mission data through years of radiation exposure
  • Design and implement custom Linux kernel drivers for NVMe fault recovery and GPIO overcurrent protection, working across PCI/PCIe, block layer, and interrupt subsystems to detect and recover from radiation-induced upsets without data loss
  • Lead the ZFS pool topology architectural decisions by building quantitative reliability models that balance upset probability, resilver risk, and capacity over a 6+ year mission, then validate through fault injection testing
  • Develop the integration layer between NVMe controller reset and ZFS, ensuring that a drive recovering from a transient fault re-enters the storage pool cleanly, bridging driver-level recovery with filesystem-level fault tolerance
  • Rapidly prototype on commodity hardware, from first boot through sustained 10 Gbps writes with automated fault recovery, de-risking the architecture before committing to the target platform, then carry the design through integration and launch

About You:
  • 5+ years writing Linux kernel code, actual driver development involving PCI/PCIe devices, block storage, or interrupt-driven hardware, with meaningful time spent in kernel space
  • Experience with storage systems: ZFS or other copy-on-write filesystems, RAID, NVMe internals, or high-throughput network storage (e.g., NFS)
  • Depth in one or more: filesystem internals, block layer / device management, or storage protocol implementation
  • Strong working knowledge of OS internals: virtual memory, interrupt context constraints, synchronization primitives, and I/O stack behavior

Nice to haves but not required:
  • Hands-on experience at the driver hardware software boundary: DMA coherency, MMIO semantics, PCIe enumeration, and cache behavior
  • Strong working knowledge of data structures and systems reasoning for storage (Merkle trees, NVMe submission/completion queue ring buffers, hash tables, radix trees)
  • Experience testing storage systems, including fault injection (PCIe/NVMe resets, error storms), low-level tracing (ftrace/perf/bpftrace), and crash dump analysis (kdump/vmcore)
  • Experience designing software recovery around storage hardware fault cases, whether that's storage firmware, autonomous vehicle data systems, large-scale distributed infrastructure, or embedded platforms
  • Familiarity with embedded Linux build systems (Yocto or Buildroot) and cross-compilation
  • Hardware lab comfort: serial consoles, logic analyzers, and willingness to debug PCIe enumeration failures on a prototype board alongside the electrical engineers

At Relativity Space, we are committed to transparency and fairness in our compensation practices. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors.
Compensation is only one part of our total rewards package. Relativity Space offers competitive salary and equity, a generous PTO and sick leave policy, parental leave, an annual learning and development stipend, and more! To see some of the benefits & perks we offer, please visit here.
Hiring Range:
$181,000-$271,000 USD
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
If you need a reasonable accommodation, please contact us at accommodations@relativityspace.com.
Please note: Relativity Space does not accept unsolicited resumes, candidate profiles, or referrals from recruitment agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited submission - via email, our website, social media, or directly to an employee - will be deemed the property of Relativity Space, and no fee will be owed absent a current, fully executed agreement with Talent Acquisition that specifically authorizes submissions for the applicable role.

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