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Linux Kernel Engineer Jobs in Seattle, WA (NOW HIRING)

Aivanta Tech Inc

Senior Linux Engineer

Bellevue, WA · On-site

Role: Senior Linux Engineer Location: Bellevue, Washington We are seeking an Embedded Linux ... Kernel, file system, and driver updates o Bootloader configuration and upgrades • Build and ...

New

Aivanta Tech Inc

Senior Linux Engineer

Bellevue, WA · On-site

Senior Linux Engineer- Bellevue, Washington We are seeking an Embedded Linux Platform Engineer to ... Kernel, file system, and driver updates o Bootloader configuration and upgrades • Build and ...

New

Kodeva LLC

Senior Linux Engineer

Bellevue, WA · On-site

Senior Linux Engineer- Duration: 12 months Location: Bellevue, Washington We are seeking an ... Kernel, file system, and driver updates o Bootloader configuration and upgrades • Build and ...

New

The Select Group

Senior Linux Engineer

Bellevue, WA · On-site

Senior Linux Engineer- Bellevue, Washington We are seeking an Embedded Linux Platform Engineer to ... Kernel, file system, and driver updates * Bootloader configuration and upgrades * Build and support ...

The Select Group

Senior Linux Engineer

Bellevue, WA · On-site

Senior Linux Engineer- Bellevue, Washington We are seeking an Embedded Linux Platform Engineer to ... Kernel, file system, and driver updates * Bootloader configuration and upgrades * Build and support ...

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All JobsLinux Kernel Engineer JobsLinux Kernel Engineer Jobs in Seattle, WA

Linux Kernel Engineer information

See Seattle, WA salary details

$12.5K

$130.3K

$147.4K

How much do linux kernel engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for linux kernel engineer in Seattle, WA is $130,301.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $118,400.00 and $142,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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.

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Linux Kernel Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Linux Kernel Engineer job openings in Seattle, WA as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 85% Full Time, 10% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $130,301 per year, or $62.6 per hour.

Software Engineer - Linux Kernel (C++, C)

Seattle, WA • On-site

SpaceXAI
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing • 1 - 5K employees
Learn more about SpaceXAIexternal

$180K - $440K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement

Re-posted 8 days ago

SpaceX rating

8.7

Company rating: 8.7 out of 10

Based on 152 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

Job description

SpaceXAI's mission is to create AI systems that can accurately understand the universe and aid humanity in its pursuit of knowledge. Our team is small, highly motivated, and focused on engineering excellence. This organization is for individuals who appreciate challenging themselves and thrive on curiosity. We operate with a flat organizational structure. All employees are expected to be hands-on and to contribute directly to the company's mission. Leadership is given to those who show initiative and consistently deliver excellence. Work ethic and strong prioritization skills are important. All employees are expected to have strong communication skills. They should be able to concisely and accurately share knowledge with their teammates.

At SpaceXAI, we design, build, and operate the largest AI supercomputers in the world, from the ground up. As a member of the Platform Core team, you will be responsible for the lowest layers of the software stack on the devices setting the pace for how fast we can push the frontier of AI. Our team's software interfaces directly with the core hardware of the supercomputer and its network fabric. Our mission is to expose the full capability of that hardware — limited only by physics — to the rest of the stack, all while retaining the smallest, most robust footprint possible.
RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Build and maintain the lean, high-reliability Linux-based operating system that underpins our supercomputer network fabric.
  • Write (or rewrite) high-performance device drivers to extract the maximum physical capability from our network and compute hardware.
  • Manage deployment, operation, and debugging of our platform in production, including:
    • Rigorous resolution and root-causing of anomalies to ensure the system is constantly improving in reliability.
    • Developing and constantly improving our tools for observability and configuration management.
  • Collaborate with our hardware teams and external partners to design the next generation of supercomputer hardware – and then bring up our OS and software stack on it.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Hands-on systems programming experience in C or C++.
  • Strong operating systems fundamentals (scheduling, memory management, I/O) — you must be able to articulate in extreme detail how a computer works, from the hardware all the way up to high-level applications.
  • Understanding of computer networking, both in the host (OS stack) as well as common network devices like switches and routers.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
  • Deep knowledge of the Linux kernel and its networking stack — transferable experience with another production-grade kernel is okay, too!
  • Proficiency with debugging tools spanning kernel, network, and userspace (e.g., ftrace, perf, Wireshark/tcpdump, eBPF, gdb, and more).
  • Experience bringing up new hardware from scratch — you have flashed bare-metal software on a microcontroller with JTAG, or bootstrapped a Linux kernel and rootfs on new hardware.
  • Demonstrated track record of developing and optimizing device/peripheral drivers — ideally for high-speed interfaces, or with advanced considerations like DMA and cache coherency.
  • Understanding of major peripheral hardware interface standards (Ethernet, PCIe, I2C, SPI, etc.) — you can critically review a schematic, and debug these interfaces if needed.
  • Experience with product security, OS/system hardening, and secure boot schemes.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

$180,000 - $440,000 USD

Base salary is just one part of our total rewards package at xAI, which also includes equity, comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short & long-term disability insurance, life insurance, and various other discounts and perks.

SpaceXAI is an equal opportunity employer. For details on data processing, view our Recruitment Privacy Notice.

What SpaceX employees say

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Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

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About SpaceX

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Industry

Aerospace product and parts manufacturing, data services, guided missile and space vehicle manufacturing and satellite telecommunications

Company size

1,001 - 5,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Hawthorne, CA, US

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