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Linux Kernel Driver Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Apple

Linux Kernel Engineer

Durham, NH

As a Linux Kernel Engineer, you will own the kernel lifecycle end to end, from CI infrastructure and automated validation to driver enablement, debugging, and production-quality releases. You will ...

Apple

Linux Kernel Engineer

Durham, NH

As a Linux Kernel Engineer, you will own the kernel lifecycle end to end, from CI infrastructure and automated validation to driver enablement, debugging, and production-quality releases. You will ...

Apple

Linux Kernel Engineer

Durham, NH

As a Linux Kernel Engineer, you will own the kernel lifecycle end to end, from CI infrastructure and automated validation to driver enablement, debugging, and production-quality releases. You will ...

Apple

Linux Kernel Engineer

Durham, NH

As a Linux Kernel Engineer, you will own the kernel lifecycle end to end, from CI infrastructure and automated validation to driver enablement, debugging, and production-quality releases. You will ...

Brilliant

Linux Engineer

San Mateo, CA · On-site

Work on a variety of projects with custom built Linux on custom built hardware. Preferred candidate ... Kernel driver development experience preferred. Additional Information All your information will be ...

Brilliant

Linux Engineer

San Mateo, CA · On-site

Work on a variety of projects with custom built Linux on custom built hardware. Preferred candidate ... Kernel driver development experience preferred. Qualifications Additional Information All your ...

Waymo

Senior Software Engineer, Linux Kernel

Mountain View, CA · On-site

$144K - $190K/yr

You will write Linux Kernel drivers (including creating appropriate user-space APIs) to communicate with custom hardware (e.g. custom ASICs and FPGAs). If you enjoy building embedded systems using ...

DigitalOcean

Staff Software Engineer, Kernel

Seattle, WA · Hybrid

$191K - $239K/yr

Debugging skills with Linux kernel and kernel drivers * Expertise in C/C++ programming and one or more scripting languages * Familiarity with compiler toolchains, build environments * Experience with ...

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How much do linux kernel driver jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 31, 2026, the average yearly pay for linux kernel driver in the United States is $149,062.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $136,500.00 and $165,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a Linux Kernel Driver job?

A Linux Kernel Driver job involves developing, debugging, and maintaining device drivers that interface hardware with the Linux operating system. Kernel driver developers work with low-level system components, ensuring efficient communication between hardware and the OS. They often use languages like C and work with kernel subsystems, memory management, and concurrency. The role requires deep knowledge of Linux internals, debugging tools, and hardware interfaces. It is crucial for enabling hardware functionality in Linux-based environments.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Linux Kernel Driver position, and why are they important?

To excel as a Linux Kernel Driver, you need deep proficiency in C programming, operating system fundamentals, and hands-on experience with Linux kernel architecture, often supported by a computer science degree or equivalent. Familiarity with tools like Git, kernel debugging utilities, and version control systems, as well as kernel module development experience, is highly valuable. Strong problem-solving, collaboration, and communication skills help you work effectively with software teams and hardware engineers. These abilities are crucial for developing robust, high-performance drivers that enable seamless integration of hardware and software components within various Linux environments.

What are the typical challenges faced by a Linux Kernel Driver developer?

Working as a Linux Kernel Driver developer often involves diagnosing complex issues at the intersection of hardware and software, which can be time-consuming and require an in-depth understanding of system internals. You may need to address compatibility concerns across kernel versions and ensure proper functionality under various hardware configurations. Collaboration with hardware engineers, software developers, and QA teams is common, and maintaining effective communication is key to successful project delivery. Staying current with the Linux kernel's ongoing updates and contributing to the open-source community are also typical aspects of the role.

More about Linux Kernel Driver jobs
What cities are hiring for Linux Kernel Driver jobs? Cities with the most Linux Kernel Driver job openings:
What states have the most Linux Kernel Driver jobs? States with the most job openings for Linux Kernel Driver jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Linux Kernel Driver jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Linux Kernel Driver jobs are:
Linux Kernel Driver jobs near you
Infographic showing various Linux Kernel Driver job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 66% Full Time, 31% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $149,062 per year, or $71.7 per hour.

Linux Kernel Engineer

Apple

Durham, NH

Full-time

Re-posted 16 days ago

Apple rating

8.0

Company rating: 8.0 out of 10

Based on 675 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

7th of 30 rated technology retailers

Job description

At Apple, we craft experiences that have transformed entire industries. The diversity of our people and ideas fuels innovation in everything we do. Imagine what you could build here.
Join our Linux Kernel Engineering team and play a central role in the reliability, performance, and evolution of Apple’s platforms. As a Linux Kernel Engineer, you will own the kernel lifecycle end to end, from CI infrastructure and automated validation to driver enablement, debugging, and production-quality releases.
You will partner closely with platform, infrastructure, and SRE teams to ensure every kernel we ship is stable, observable, and ready for real world workloads at scale.
Description
In this role, you will design, build, and operate CI and validation pipelines that compile, test, and release Linux kernels across multiple hardware platforms and Linux distributions.
You will lead triage of kernel regressions, investigate crashes and performance issues, drive fixes to resolution, and qualify new hardware at the kernel layer. You will collaborate with engineers across Apple to port, maintain, and upstream device drivers, shepherd kernel changes into production, and continuously raise the bar on kernel quality, automation, and release discipline. Your work will have direct impact on the stability, performance, and debuggability of systems that power critical Apple services.
If you enjoy deep kernel debugging, building robust CI systems, and owning kernel releases from development through production, we would like to hear from you.
Preferred Qualifications
Proven track record of upstream contributions to the Linux kernel project or similar upstreams.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor of Computer Science or equivalent skills and work experience.
At least 5+ years experience developing or maintaining the Linux kernel or low-level system software (e.g., kernel modules, device drivers, or core OS components).
Proven ability to debug kernel level issues (panics, hangs, performance regressions) using tools such as perf, ftrace, bpftrace, crash, gdb, or similar.
Deep understanding of kernel tuning for stability and performance across many subsystem domains.
Hands-on experience developing CI/CD systems integrating operating system components and managing kernel releases.
Strong programming skills in C, plus proficiency in at least one of Rust, Go, Python, or Bash.
Solid understanding of operating system fundamentals: processes, memory management, filesystems, networking, scheduling, interrupts, and hardware/driver interactions.
Experience working in a RHEL based Linux environment, including RPM packaging and the RHEL kernel back port and release process.
Strong collaboration and communication skills; comfortable working with cross-functional teams (SRE, platform, hardware, security).

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About Apple

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Imagine what you could do here! At Apple, new ideas have a way of becoming extraordinary products, services, and customer experiences very quickly. Bring passion and dedication to your job and there's no telling what you could accomplish. Dynamic, intelligent people and inspiring, innovative technologies are the norm here. The people who work here have reinvented entire industries with all Apple Hardware products. The same real passion for innovation that goes into our products also applies to our practices strengthening our dedication to leave the world better than we found it.

Industry

Computer and electronic product manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Cupertino, CA, US

Year founded

1976

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