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Linux Kernel Engineer Jobs in Ontario (NOW HIRING)

Syntronic

Embedded Linux BSP Developer

Kanata, ON · On-site

Investigate complex software and hardware issues using boot logs, kernel logs, crash dumps, JTAG ... for Linux, QNX, or similar embedded operating systems. * Strong low-level C programming and ...

Ciena

Embedded Software Developer (New Grad)

Ottawa, ON · On-site

CA$68K - CA$109K/yr

Work with Linux kernel components, packages, utilities, and build systems. * Perform board bring-up ... Bachelor's or higher degree in computer engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, or ...

Canadian Solar

Senior Embedded Linux Engineer

Kitchener, ON · Hybrid

CA$100K - CA$150K/yr

Senior Embedded Linux Engineer Department: Inverter Firmware Compensation: $100,000 - $150,000 ... Design and maintain Board Support Packages (BSPs) including bootloaders, kernel configuration ...

eStorage

Senior Embedded Linux Engineer

Kitchener, ON · On-site

CA$100K - CA$150K/yr

Senior Embedded Linux Engineer Department: Inverter Firmware Compensation: $100,000 - $150,000 ... Design and maintain Board Support Packages (BSPs) including bootloaders, kernel configuration ...

Ciena

Senior Embedded Software Engineer

Ottawa, ON

CA$95K - CA$153K/yr

Apply Linux kernel, TCP/IP stack,forwardingtable, IP filtering, VLAN, and memory management ... Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science or equivalent * 6+ Years of experience with ...

Nokia

Staff Embedded Software Engineer

Kanata, ON · On-site

Strong understanding of SOC controller/processor architecture, Linux kernel, and real-time OS ... Work closely with hardware/FPGA engineers to understand HW control architecture including CPU ...

Nokia

Sr Embedded Software Engineer

Kanata, ON · On-site

Strong understanding of SOC controller/processor architecture, Linux kernel, and real-time OS ... Work closely with hardware/FPGA engineers to understand HW control architecture including CPU ...

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Linux Kernel Engineer information

What does a Linux Kernel Engineer do?

A Linux Kernel Engineer is responsible for developing, maintaining, and optimizing the core of the Linux operating system, known as the kernel. Their work involves writing and debugging low-level code, adding new features, fixing bugs, ensuring system security, and improving performance. They often collaborate with the open-source community and hardware manufacturers to ensure compatibility and stability across various platforms. This role requires strong programming skills, especially in C, and a deep understanding of operating system concepts.

What does a Linux Kernel Engineer do?

As a Linux kernel engineer, your responsibilities are to develop company or client operating systems that rely on Linux. Your duties involve writing code and working to test and debug the developments you make to the Linux kernel, which is the main component of a Linux operating system. You may check your code for security and ensure that the system interacts effectively and efficiently with software and applications. You may also work on the customization of the system to meet the needs of your employer or client.

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

To thrive as a Linux Kernel Engineer, you need deep expertise in C programming, operating systems concepts, and a strong understanding of Linux internals, often supported by a degree in computer science or related field. Familiarity with version control systems (such as Git), kernel debugging tools (like GDB or ftrace), and experience contributing to open-source projects are typically required. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective written communication are crucial soft skills for collaborating with global developer communities. These skills ensure high-quality kernel development, efficient troubleshooting, and successful integration with the broader open-source ecosystem.

What are some common challenges Linux Kernel Engineers face when working on upstream contributions?

Linux Kernel Engineers often encounter challenges such as navigating complex codebases, adhering to strict coding and documentation standards, and coordinating with a diverse global community of maintainers and contributors. Getting patches accepted upstream requires thorough testing, clear communication, and addressing feedback from reviewers, which can be a time-consuming process. However, this collaborative environment fosters strong professional growth and ensures that engineers are constantly learning from industry experts.

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

AspectLinux Kernel EngineerLinux Device Driver Developer
Required SkillsDeep understanding of Linux kernel internals, C programming, system architectureProficiency in C, hardware interfaces, kernel modules, and device-specific programming
Work EnvironmentSystem-level development, kernel debugging, performance optimizationHardware interaction, driver development, testing on embedded or hardware platforms
Industry UsageOperating system development, open-source projects, enterprise Linux systemsHardware manufacturers, embedded systems, IoT devices
CertificationsLinux Foundation certifications, Linux kernel development coursesSimilar certifications, hardware-specific training

While both roles involve Linux kernel-related work, Linux Kernel Engineers focus on overall kernel development and optimization, whereas Linux Device Driver Developers specialize in creating and maintaining drivers for hardware components. The roles often overlap but differ in scope and focus areas.

More about Linux Kernel Engineer jobs

What are popular job titles related to Linux Kernel Engineer jobs in Ontario?

For Linux Kernel Engineer jobs in Ontario, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Linux Kernel Engineer jobs in Ontario look for?

The top searched job categories for Linux Kernel Engineer jobs in Ontario are:

What are popular job titles related to Linux Kernel Engineer jobs in ON?

For Linux Kernel Engineer jobs in ON, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Linux Kernel Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Linux Kernel Engineer job openings in Ontario as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 90% Full Time, 7% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution.

Firmware Development Engineer

Ottawa, ON • On-site

Viavi Solutions
Telecommunications • 1 - 5K employees
Learn more about Viavi Solutionsexternal

Full-time

Medical, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 28 days ago

Key responsibilities

  • Design, develop, debug, and maintain embedded firmware for the MAP modular optical test platform and its cassette ecosystem.

  • Interface cassette firmware with FPGA co-processors and maintain FPGA register interactions, including FPGA bridge FPGA (Verilog).

  • Contribute to Linux kernel and device tree customization, and develop system services and scripts for chassis lifecycle management.

Job description

Summary:

VIAVI (NASDAQ: VIAV) is a global provider of network test, monitoring and assurance solutions for telecommunications, cloud, enterprises, first responders, military, aerospace, and railway. VIAVI is also a leader in light management technologies for 3D sensing, anti-counterfeiting, consumer electronics, industrial, automotive, government and aerospace applications.
We are the people behind the products that help keep the world connected at home, school, work, at play, and everywhere in between. VIAVI employees are passionate about supporting customer success and we welcome people who bring their best every day to the company - to question, to collaborate and to push for solutions that will delight our customers.
VIAVI Solutions is seeking a Senior Firmware Developer to join the Fiber Optic Production Lab Test (FOPLT) engineering team. This role focuses on embedded firmware development for modular optical test and measurement cassettes used in the MAP platform. The ideal candidate has hands-on experience with ARM and DSP embedded systems, FPGA interfacing, microcontroller programming, and Linux kernel-level development. You will work across the full hardware-software stack - from microcontroller and DSP firmware to ARM Linux applications, FPGA register interfaces, and PCIe bridge logic - delivering production-quality firmware for instruments used by telecom operators worldwide.
About the Role
As a Senior Firmware Developer at VIAVI Solutions, you will design, develop, debug, and maintain embedded firmware for the MAP modular optical test platform and its cassette ecosystem. The MAP platform is a rack-mounted chassis hosting hot-swappable optical test modules (cassettes) covering a broad range of fiber optic test and measurement applications.
You will work across multiple cassette architectures as well as chassis-level infrastructure including FPGA bridges, microcontrollers, and Linux kernel/driver integration.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Key Responsibilities:

  • Cassette Firmware Development
    • Develop and maintain firmware for ARM-based cassettes (embedded Linux, C/C++) and DSP-based cassettes (uClinux, C/C++)
    • Implement SCPI command protocol handlers for instrument control and measurement data acquisition
    • Develop multi-threaded real-time signal processing pipelines using FFT, DSP, and SIMD optimizations
    • Interface with optical hardware components via I2C, SPI, UART, and USB
  • FPGA Interfacing & Development
    • Interface cassette firmware with FPGA co-processors for signal processing, optical triggering, and hardware acceleration via memory-mapped registers
    • Maintain and enhance the MAP platform PCIe bridge FPGA (Verilog) which provides bus translation between the host processor and cassette backplane
    • Debug FPGA register-level interactions and timing issues across SPI and PCIe domains
  • Microcontroller Firmware
    • Develop firmware for bridge board microcontrollers (C) that manage FPGA programming, card-present detection, I2C register interfaces, and chassis power sequencing
    • Maintain power management microcontroller firmware controlling chassis power rails, standby/power-cycle sequencing, and watchdog functionality
  • Kernel & System-Level Work
    • Contribute to Linux kernel and device tree customization on the chassis controller
    • Debug and resolve hardware-software integration issues including I2C bus contention, display pipeline conflicts, IRQ handling, and power management
    • Develop and maintain system services, udev rules, and shell scripts for chassis lifecycle management (boot, hot-plug, reboot, shutdown)
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration
    • Work closely with hardware engineers on board bring-up, schematic review, and signal integrity debugging
    • Collaborate with the software team on communication between cassette firmware and the web GUI / front panel applications
    • Support manufacturing with calibration firmware, production test scripts, and factory provisioning tools
    • Leverage AI-augmented development workflows (e.g., AI coding assistants) to accelerate firmware development, debugging, analysis and unit-testing

Pre-Requisites / Skills / Experience Requirements:

Required Qualifications:

  • BS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field
  • 7+ years of embedded firmware development experience
  • Strong proficiency in C and C++ for embedded systems (bare-metal and Linux)
  • Hands-on experience with ARM and/or DSP processor architectures
  • Experience with FPGA interfacing (register-level, SPI/I2C/memory-mapped I/O); HDL (Verilog or VHDL) reading ability preferred
  • Solid understanding of serial communication protocols: I2C, SPI, UART, USB
  • Experience with embedded Linux (kernel configuration, device trees, cross-compilation, driver development)
  • Proficiency with debugging tools: JTAG, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, serial consoles
  • Familiarity with version control (Git) and CI/CD build systems

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience with DSP platforms and real-time signal processing (FFT, filtering, spectral analysis)
  • Experience with Xilinx Zynq or similar ARM+FPGA SoC development
  • Experience with AVR or similar 8-bit microcontrollers
  • Knowledge of SCPI protocol and test & measurement instrument firmware
  • Experience with fiber optic components and optical test instrumentation
  • Experience with PCIe protocol and bridge design
  • Knowledge of RTOS concepts (FreeRTOS, uClinux, or similar)
  • Experience with Docker-based embedded build environments and Buildroot/Yocto
  • Familiarity with Debian packaging and systemd service architecture
  • Experience with AI-augmented development tools and workflows

If you have what it takes to push boundaries and seize opportunities, apply to join our team today.

VIAVI Solutions is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer - minorities/females/veterans/persons with disabilities.

Job Posting Pay Range:

86,929

to

161,439

Exceptional qualifications, experience and location may impact salary. VIAVI offers a competitive benefits package that includes paid time off, health, life and disability insurance, 401(k), and a bonus program.

Apply