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- Tasks: Contribute to Linux kernel development and solve complex technical challenges.
- Company: Join a global tech leader with a focus on open-source innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, flexible hours, and wellness support.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on technology used by millions worldwide.
- Qualifications: 3+ years in Linux kernel development and strong C programming skills.
- Other info: Fully remote work with opportunities for mentorship and growth.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Join to apply for the Linux Kernel Consultant (Remote/Anywhere) role at Collabora. Ship kernel code that runs on millions of devices worldwide. You will 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 will 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 subsystems.
- Real-World Impact: Support and optimise Linux for extremely popular consumer devices used by millions of people.
- Solve 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.
- Community Collaboration: Work with upstream maintainers and represent Collabora at conferences.
- Client Partnership: Translate customer needs into technical solutions while advocating for upstream-first approaches.
- Navigate Constraints: Balance technical excellence with real-world pressures: customer deadlines, hardware limitations, business priorities, while keeping code quality high.
- Be a Technical Advisor: Explain complex kernel decisions to product teams, provide honest timelines and build trust through transparent communication.
- Mentor & Lead: Share knowledge with the team and help shape our kernel engineering practices.
What We’re Looking For:
- 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.
Nice to Have’s:
- 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.
- 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.
What We Offer - Compensation & Benefits:
- Competitive benefits package tailored to each country in which we have employees, plus a core global benefit offering accessible to all Collaborans.
- Competitive salary based on experience and location.
- Office setup budget.
- Sabbatical/Retention of Services - after five years continuous service.
- Co-working policy - support for working outside home.
- Wellness assessments - biannual well-being assessments with a trained mental health specialist.
- Conference attendance - we cover expenses and encourage speaking opportunities.
- Open source time - contribute to projects you care about.
What We Offer - Work Environment:
- Fully remote - work where you’re most productive.
- Global team - engineers across Europe, Americas and Asia.
- No on-call rotations - this isn’t support work.
- Sustainable pace - we’re here for the long term.
- Flexible hours - manage your own schedule.
What We Offer - Growth & Impact:
- Upstream contributions - your work shapes Linux, not just client products.
- Technical leadership track - path to principal engineer, subsystem expertise or technical architecture roles.
- Consulting track - develop deeper client relationships, lead customer engagements or shape service offerings.
- Mentorship opportunities - both receiving and providing guidance.
- Conference speaking - we support presentation submissions and provide coaching.
- Recognition - your contributions are public, building your professional reputation.
What We Offer - Cultures & Values:
- Upstream first - we believe the best solutions benefit everyone.
- Transparency - open discussion about technical decisions, business constraints and project challenges.
- Pragmatism - perfect is the enemy of good; we ship quality code that solves real problems.
- Respect for expertise - we trust engineers to make technical decisions.
- Collaborative - we succeed by working together, internally and with the community.
- Sustainable pace - we’re here for the long haul, not death marches.
Our Interview Process:
- Application Review (within 1 week) - we look at your code and contributions.
- Initial Chat (30 min) - casual conversation about your experience and our work.
- Technical Interview (2 - 3h).
- Technical Deep-Dive - discuss kernel architecture, past debugging challenges and how you approach problem-solving.
- Code Review Session - review real patches together, discuss trade-offs.
- Client Scenario Discussion - talk through a realistic customer situation.
- Head of Consulting Discussion (60 min) - meet the Head of Consulting, ask about day-to-day work and how Collabora works, discuss compensation and benefits.
- Offer (within 1 week of final interview).
Total timeline: 3-4 weeks from application to offer. We provide feedback at every stage, and you’ll always know where you stand.
Collabora’s Commitment:
We’re committed to building a diverse team and inclusive environment. We encourage applications from people under-represented in tech. We 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.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
Linux Kernel Consultant (Remote/Anywhere) in London employer: Collabora
Contact Detail:
Collabora Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Linux Kernel Consultant (Remote/Anywhere) in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the Linux community, attend meetups or conferences, and connect with potential colleagues on LinkedIn. Building relationships can open doors that a CV just can't.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Contribute to open-source projects or share your own kernel tweaks on GitHub. This not only showcases your expertise but also demonstrates your commitment to the community.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your problem-solving skills. Think about real-world scenarios you’ve faced and how you tackled them. Being able to discuss your thought process is key!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Linux Kernel Consultant (Remote/Anywhere) in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Skills: Make sure to highlight your Linux kernel development experience and strong C programming skills. We want to see how you've tackled tough problems in the past, so don’t hold back on sharing specific examples!
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it straightforward. Use clear language to explain your experience and how it relates to the role. We appreciate transparency and want to understand your thought process without any fluff.
Tailor Your Application: Don’t just send a generic application! Tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect the specific requirements of the Linux Kernel Consultant role. Show us why you’re the perfect fit for our team and how you can contribute to upstream development.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows us you’re serious about joining our team at Collabora!
How to prepare for a job interview at Collabora
✨Know Your Kernel Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your Linux kernel knowledge before the interview. Be ready to discuss schedulers, power management, and device drivers in detail. They’ll want to see that you can not only talk about these topics but also demonstrate your understanding through real-world examples.
✨Show Off Your Debugging Skills
Prepare to share specific instances where you've diagnosed tricky issues with limited information. Think of a couple of challenging bugs you've tackled and be ready to explain your thought process. This will showcase your problem-solving abilities and experience.
✨Communicate Clearly
Since this role involves client interaction, practice explaining complex technical concepts in simple terms. You might be asked to translate customer needs into technical solutions, so being able to communicate effectively is key. Consider doing mock interviews with friends to refine your delivery.
✨Be Ready for Real-World Scenarios
Expect to discuss how you would handle balancing technical excellence with business constraints. Think about past experiences where you had to manage deadlines or hardware limitations while maintaining code quality. This will help demonstrate your ability to navigate real-world pressures.
