​This is an entry-level, globally remote, full-time Associate Linux Support Engineer role at Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu. This position is for a hands-on engineer with a strong academic background and a passion for Linux and open source, focused on delivering expert-level technical support across the full Canonical stack, including cloud, desktop, server, and IoT environments. The engineer will own and manage cases from qualification to resolution, ensuring compliance with strict Service Level Agreements (SLAs).

• ​Location: Globally Remote (Home based – Americas, San Francisco mentioned for context).
• ​Focus: Providing expert technical support and root cause analysis for complex Linux issues, including kernel crashes, cloud environments, and OS configurations. The role requires participation in a regular weekend working rotation.
• ​Travel: Ability to travel internationally twice a year for company events (up to two weeks long).
• ​Company Culture: Pioneer of global distributed collaboration, with 1100+ colleagues in 75+ countries.

​The Role Entails: Support Ownership and Learning

​The engineer is accountable for providing outstanding technical support and contributing to the team’s knowledge base.

• ​Case Ownership: Own and manage support cases from problem qualification to full resolution via telephone, email, and web, ensuring adherence to the Service Level Agreement (SLA).
• ​Troubleshooting: Regularly triage and solve complex technical problems involving Linux kernel crashes, cloud environments, desktop/server issues, and OS configurations.
• ​Knowledge Sharing: Contribute new knowledge base articles and maintain existing ones to ensure shared knowledge is available to customers.
• ​Communication: Act as a customer advocate, keeping them updated in a timely manner. Draft and distribute technical notices internally and externally.
• ​Continuous Learning: Keep learning as Canonical’s products and services grow and evolve, including understanding the Ubuntu development process to set accurate customer expectations on fix timelines.

​Required Background and Expertise

​The ideal candidate possesses a strong technical foundation and the drive to excel in a challenging, customer-facing role.

• ​Education: Exceptional academic track record and an Undergraduate degree in a technical subject (e.g., Computer Science, MIS, Electrical Engineering) or a compelling alternative path.
• ​Linux Fundamentals: Experience with Linux troubleshooting (collecting logs and stack traces, fine-tuning configuration files).
• ​Technical Knowledge (2 or more required): Knowledge or basic hands-on experience in:
  • ​Linux server administration
  • ​Programming fundamentals in any language (bash, Perl, Ruby, Javascript, C/C++, Go)
  • ​Networking (bonding, firewalling, bridging, switching, network file system tuning)
  • ​Virtualization / Cloud computing concepts (provisioning, monitoring, orchestration)
• ​Soft Skills: Ability to learn quickly, thrive on change, handle pressure, and possess strong written and verbal English communication skills.

​Nice-to-Have Skills

• ​Experience supporting virtualized environments (KVM, Virtual Box, VMWare).
• ​Experience with other open-source desktop technologies.
• ​Active contribution to open-source projects/forum/code.