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On Call Kernel Developer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

DigitalOcean

Staff Software Engineer, Kernel

Seattle, WA · Hybrid

$191K - $239K/yr

As a Staff Engineer at DigitalOcean, you will work as a high-level technical leader responsible for ... Participate in on-call rotations as needed to support system reliability * Work with Linux kernel ...

DigitalOcean

Staff Software Engineer, Kernel

Seattle, WA · On-site

$191K - $239K/yr

As a Staff Engineer at DigitalOcean, you will work as a high-level technical leader responsible for ... Participate in on-call rotations as needed to support system reliability * Work with Linux kernel ...

Sonsoft Inc

Mainframe Developer with Base24

Charlotte, NC

$47.75 - $61.50/hr

... Stop Kernel. * Should have worked with Base24 Applications and Tools - Base24-ATM, Base24-POS ... Experience with oncall and pager support with rotation. * At least 4 years of experience in ...

Sonsoft Inc

Mainframe Developer with Base24

Charlotte, NC

$47.75 - $61.50/hr

... Stop Kernel. * Should have worked with Base24 Applications and Tools - Base24-ATM, Base24-POS ... Experience with oncall and pager support with rotation.. * At least 4 years of experience in ...

Asimov, Inc

Staff Software Engineer

Boston, MA · On-site

$179K - $230K/yr

Kernel is our platform for bioengineers to design, build, and debug genetic systems as confidently ... Be part of an on-call rotation to support the software you've helped develop. About You: * You have ...

Menlo Research

DevOps Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$62.25 - $85/hr

Grafana, Mimir, Tempo, Loki, Pyroscope, OnCall, Prometheus -- and help push toward agent-assisted ... Kernel-level Linux debugging and performance tuning. Company : Menlo Research is an open AI ...

Asimov

Staff Software Engineer

Boston, MA · Remote

$179K - $230K/yr

Kernel is our platform for bioengineers to design, build, and debug genetic systems as confidently ... Be part of an on-call rotation to support the software you've helped develop. About You: * You have ...

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All JobsOn Call Kernel Developer Jobs

On Call Kernel Developer information

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How much do on call kernel developer jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 19, 2026, the average hourly pay for on call kernel developer in the United States is $54.42, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $47.12 and $61.54 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between On Call Kernel Developer vs System Administrator?

AspectOn Call Kernel DeveloperSystem Administrator
CredentialsKnowledge of Linux/Unix, programming skills, sometimes certifications like Linux FoundationCertifications like CompTIA Server+, Microsoft Certified, Linux certifications often preferred
Work EnvironmentPrimarily technical, focused on kernel and system-level issues, often in data centers or development labsOperational, managing servers, networks, and user support in office or data center settings
Industry UsageTech companies, data centers, cloud providersIT departments across various industries, including finance, healthcare, and education
Search & Comparison IntentTechnical troubleshooting, kernel development, system stabilitySystem maintenance, user support, network management

The main difference is that On Call Kernel Developers focus on low-level system code and kernel issues, often working in technical environments, while System Administrators handle broader system management and user support. Both roles require technical skills but differ in scope and focus.

More about On Call Kernel Developer jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Kernel Developer jobs? The most popular types of Kernel Developer jobs are:
What job categories do people searching On Call Kernel Developer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for On Call Kernel Developer jobs are:
On Call Kernel Developer jobs near you
Infographic showing various On Call Kernel Developer job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Locum Tenens, 1% As Needed, 76% Full Time, 17% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $113,185 per year, or $54.4 per hour.
Staff Software Engineer, Kernel

Staff Software Engineer, Kernel

DigitalOcean

Seattle, WA • Hybrid

$191K - $239K/yr

Other

Posted 25 days ago

Job description

We are looking for a Staff Engineer who is passionate about the Linux kernel. 

As a Staff Engineer at DigitalOcean, you will work as a high-level technical leader responsible for designing, optimizing, and maintaining Linux kernels for our compute and GPU fleets. You will optimize and enhance core system performance, resiliency, and security, ensuring our products consistently exceed customer expectations. You will bridge hardware and software, driving system-level architecture, debugging performance bottlenecks, and mentoring senior engineers.

What You'll Do:
  • Optimize kernels for performance and resiliency across the DigitalOcean fleet for storage, networking, and virtualization
  • Drive cross-functional engineering initiatives and influence hardware roadmaps without direct authority
  • Define low-level software architecture
  • Tune kernels for low latency, high throughput, and power efficiency
  • Diagnose and resolve issues in the kernel
  • Deliver critical kernel fixes and security mitigations with kernel live patches
  • Investigate and resolve virtual machine downtime and kernel issues in our production environment
  • Implement monitoring and alerting of key metrics to drive resiliency of compute infrastructure
  • Improve tooling and automation for testing and deployment of Linux kernels
  • Lead initiatives to enhance shared infrastructure, balancing performance optimization with rigorous security standards
  • Work cross-functionally to harness new performance capabilities from evolving hardware architectures
  • Participate in on-call rotations as needed to support system reliability
  • Work with Linux kernel community to push changes upstream
What You'll Add to DigitalOcean:
  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, or Computer/Electrical Engineering or equivalent work experience
  • Experience maintaining Linux kernels for large-scale cloud infrastructure, with a deep understanding of operating system internals
  • Broad knowledge of the Linux kernel and kernel subsystems
  • Demonstrated experience with kernel patching and debugging
  • 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 Linux virtualization using KVM, QEMU
  • General understanding of Linux kernel security mechanisms and common security concepts
  • Familiarity with x86_64 and/or ARM architectures
  • Experience contributing patches to the upstream Linux kernel community is highly preferred
  • Demonstrated ability to solve complex problems at scale
  • Excellent cross-team collaboration and communication skills
  • Professional-level written and spoken English with strong presentation abilities
Compensation Range: 
  • $191,200 - $239,000

*This is a hybrid role

JR: 2026-7920

#LI-Hybrid

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