About This Role
Ship kernel code that runs on millions of devices worldwide. You'll work directly on upstream Linux development for a flagship consumer product while contributing to the broader kernel community. This isn't just maintenance work, you'll be solving hard problems and your code goes upstream.
This is both deep technical work AND collaborative consulting, you'll partner with client engineering teams to solve their toughest kernel challenges while championing upstream-first approaches.
Location: Fully remote (any timezone, preference for overlap with EU/US hours)
Travel: Optional conference attendance
About This Role
Ship kernel code that runs on millions of devices worldwide. You'll work directly on upstream Linux development for a flagship consumer product while contributing to the broader kernel community. This isn't just maintenance work, you'll be solving hard problems and your code goes upstream.
This is both deep technical work AND collaborative consulting, you'll partner with client engineering teams to solve their toughest kernel challenges while championing upstream-first approaches.
Location: Fully remote (any timezone, preference for overlap with EU/US hours)
Travel: Optional conference attendance
What You'll Actually Do
Upstream First: Contribute directly to mainline Linux kernel development: schedulers, power management, device drivers and core subsystemsReal-World Impact: Support and optimise Linux for extremely popular consumer devices used by millions of peopleSolve Hard Problems: 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 itCommunity Collaboration: Work with upstream maintainers and represent Collabora at conferencesClient Partnership: 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 goalsNavigate Constraints: Balance technical excellence with real-world pressures: customer deadlines, hardware limitations, business priorities, while keeping code quality highBe a Technical Advisor: Explain complex kernel decisions to product teams, provide honest timelines and build trust through transparent communicationMentor & Lead: Share knowledge with the team and help shape our kernel engineering practicesWhat We're Looking For
3+ years of Linux kernel development experienceStrong C programming skills and deep understanding of kernel internalsProven debugging abilities - you can diagnose issues from vague bug reports and limited reproduction stepsCommunication skills - good English language skills both spoken and written for patch reviews, documentation and client discussionsSelf-directed work style - you thrive in a remote, asynchronous environmentNice to Have's
Open source track record - active participation in kernel mailing lists, patch submissions, or subsystem maintenanceExperience with schedulers, power management, Bluetooth, WiFi or audio subsystemsFamiliarity with CI/CD for kernel testing (KernelCI, Jenkins, LAVA)Background in BSP development or board bring-upConsultancy 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 timelinesDistribution experience (Arch, Debian, Yocto, Buildroot)Rust programming skillsPrevious product support experienceTechnical presentation skills - conference talks, customer presentations or internal knowledge sharingExperience mentoring junior engineers or reviewing others' kernel patchesWhat We Offer - Compensation & Benefits
We offer a competitive benefits package tailored to each country in which we have employees, plus a core global benefit offering accessible to all Collaborans. Our core benefits include:Competitive salary based on experience and locationOffice setup budgetSabbatical/Retention of Services - after five years continuous serviceCo-working policy - support for working outside homeWellness assessments - biannual well-being assessments with a trained mental health specialistConference attendance -we cover expenses and encourage speaking opportunitiesOpen source time - contribute to projects you care aboutWhat We Offer - Work Environment
Fully remote - work where you’re most productiveGlobal team - engineers across Europe, Americas and AsiaNo on-call rotations - this isn't support workSustainable pace - we're here for the long termFlexible hours - manage your own scheduleWhat We Offer - Growth & Impact
Upstream contributions - your work shapes Linux, not just client productsTechnical leadership track - path to principal engineer, subsystem expertise or technical architecture rolesConsulting track - develop deeper client relationships, lead customer engagements or shape service offeringsMentorship opportunities - both receiving and providing guidanceConference speaking - we support presentation submissions and provide coachingRecognition - your contributions are public, building your professional reputationWhat We Offer - Cultures & Values
Upstream first - we believe the best solutions benefit everyoneTransparency - open discussion about technical decisions, business constraints and project challengesPragmatism - perfect is the enemy of good; we ship quality code that solves real problemsRespect for expertise - we trust engineers to make technical decisionsCollaborative - we succeed by working together, internally and with the communitySustainable pace - we're here for the long haul, not death marchesOur Interview Process
We respect your time and provide a clear, structured process:Application Review (within 1 week) - we look at your code and contributionsInitial Chat (30 min) - casual conversation about your experience and our workTechnical Interview (2 - 3h)Technical Deep-Dive - discuss kernel architecture, past debugging challenges and how you approach problem-solving (no whiteboard coding)Code Review Session - review real patches together, discuss trade-offsClient Scenario Discussion - talk through a realistic customer situation: - balancing technical debt - timeline pressure - upstream goals (we want to see your thought process, not a "right answer")Head of Consulting Discussion (60 min) - meet the Head of Consulting, ask about day-to-day work and how Collabora works, discuss compensation and benefitsOffer (within 1 week of final interview)Total timeline: 3-4 weeks from application to offerWe provide feedback at every stage, and you'll always know where you standWhat Happen's Next
We'll acknowledge your application within 2 business daysInitial response within 1 weekEven if we don't move forward, we'll tell you whyCollabora's Commitment
We're committed to building a diverse team and inclusive environment. We encourage applications from people under-represented in techWe evaluate candidates based on skills and contributions, not pedigree. If you're unsure whether you qualify, apply anyway—imposter syndrome is real and you might be exactly who we're looking for.We recognise that the combination of deep kernel expertise AND consulting skills is rare. If you're strong in one area and interested in developing the other, we want to hear from you.
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