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Collabora · 1 month ago

Linux Kernel Consultant (Remote/Anywhere)

United States

Full-time

Remote

Mid, Senior Level

3+ years exp

Collabora is a company focused on upstream Linux development, seeking a Linux Kernel Consultant to work on kernel code for consumer products. The role involves solving complex kernel challenges, collaborating with clients, and contributing to the broader kernel community.

ConsultingLinuxOpen SourceSoftwareTraining

Responsibilities

Contribute directly to mainline Linux kernel development: schedulers, power management, device drivers and core subsystems

Support and optimise Linux for extremely popular consumer devices used by millions of people

Make Linux do things it can't currently do. Push the boundaries of what is possible to mould Linux to suit new use cases. Tackle device failures without the luxury of a stack trace, relying on experience and intuition. Just because Linux doesn't do it currently, doesn't mean we can't invent it

Work with upstream maintainers and represent Collabora at conferences

Translate customer needs into technical solutions while advocating for upstream-first approaches. You'll help clients understand why investing in upstream benefits their long-term goals

Balance technical excellence with real-world pressures: customer deadlines, hardware limitations, business priorities, while keeping code quality high

Explain complex kernel decisions to product teams, provide honest timelines and build trust through transparent communication

Share knowledge with the team and help shape our kernel engineering practices

Qualification

Linux kernel developmentC programmingDebugging abilitiesOpen source participationCI/CD for kernel testingBSP developmentDistribution experienceSelf-directed work styleMentoring junior engineersCommunication skillsTechnical presentation skills

Required

3+ years of Linux kernel development experience

Strong C programming skills and deep understanding of kernel internals

Proven debugging abilities - you can diagnose issues from vague bug reports and limited reproduction steps

Communication skills - good English language skills both spoken and written for patch reviews, documentation and client discussions

Self-directed work style - you thrive in a remote, asynchronous environment

Preferred

Open source track record - active participation in kernel mailing lists, patch submissions, or subsystem maintenance

Experience with schedulers, power management, Bluetooth, WiFi or audio subsystems

Familiarity with CI/CD for kernel testing (KernelCI, Jenkins, LAVA)

Background in BSP development or board bring-up

Consultancy or client-facing technical background - you know how to balance technical excellence with business constraints, explain kernel internals to product teams, manage expectations across multiple projects and advocate for upstream solutions while respecting customer timelines

Distribution experience (Arch, Debian, Yocto, Buildroot)

Rust programming skills

Previous product support experience

Technical presentation skills - conference talks, customer presentations or internal knowledge sharing

Experience mentoring junior engineers or reviewing others' kernel patches