Software Engineer - Python - Cloud - graduate level

Canonical is a leading provider of open source software and operating systems to the global enterprise and technology markets. Our platform, Ubuntu, is widely used in breakthrough enterprise initiatives such as public cloud, data science, AI, engineering innovation, and IoT. Our customers include the world's leading public cloud and silicon providers, and industry leaders across many sectors. The company is a pioneer of global distributed collaboration, with 1200+ colleagues in 75+ countries and very few office‑based roles. Teams meet two to four times yearly in person, in interesting locations around the world, to align on strategy and execution.

The company is founder‑led, profitable, and growing.

We are hiring a Software Engineer to develop, test and release improvements to Ubuntu on public clouds.

Qualities of the role: the quality and stability of Ubuntu is critically important, since it is available on every public cloud. You’ll work with teams across Canonical working on the Ubuntu team, alongside major cloud partners to develop, test and release improvements to the Ubuntu cloud images. You will also be a voice in communication with our users, ensuring their needs are met.

This role requires quality‑oriented software engineering in Python with a focus on software interoperability across a vast range of target releases and environments. Excellent Python skills are a key requirement, with previous contributions to open source Python projects being an advantage. Experience in configuring apt, and knowledge of Debian packaging and general system administration is advantageous.

Applicants should be passionate about the Ubuntu project and its values, and about building tools used by millions around the world. A personal interest and emphasis on quality, thinking of edge cases, ease of use, documentation, and careful community coordination is important. Ubuntu is used for all kinds of users, from mission‑critical environments to hobbyists; applicants should be ready to work with the whole spectrum of end users and help guide engineering best practices with all of them in mind.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate proactively with a distributed team
• Write high‑quality code, with unit and functional tests, to create new features
• Debug issues and produce high‑quality code to fix them
• Review code produced by other engineers
• Discuss ideas and investigate to find good solutions
• Work from home, with global travel 2 to 4 weeks per year for internal and external events

Qualifications

• You love technology and working with brilliant people
• You are curious, flexible, articulate, and accountable
• You value soft skills and are passionate, enterprising, thoughtful, and self‑motivated
• You have a Bachelor's or equivalent in Computer Science, STEM or similar degree
• You have extensive experience with Python on Linux
• You have interest in and experience with two or more of the following: Ubuntu Linux systems administration, continuous integration, end‑system contract management, Debian packaging, working with public or on‑premise clouds
• Bonus points if you have experience engaging with the open source community

Benefits

• Distributed work environment with twice‑yearly team sprints in person
• Personal learning and development budget of USD 2,000 per year
• Annual compensation review
• Recognition rewards
• Annual holiday leave
• Maternity and paternity leave
• Team Member Assistance Program & Wellness Platform
• Opportunity to travel to new locations to meet colleagues
• Priority Pass and travel upgrades for long‑haul company events

Canonical is an equal opportunity employer We are proud to foster a workplace free from discrimination. Diversity of experience, perspectives, and background create a better work environment and better products. Whatever your identity, we will give your application fair consideration.