Linux Kernel Developer

About the role

You will architect and own the core kernel subsystems that enable our LEO satellite infrastructure to operate reliably in demanding orbital conditions. You will design low-level Linux components that translate satellite connectivity into secure, scalable, and actionable IoT services for global customers. You will drive kernel quality and reliability across our entire hardware fleet as we scale from prototypes to mass production deployments. You will collaborate daily with embedded systems and hardware teams to debug intricate interactions between drivers, memory management, and boot flow. You will implement performance optimizations and stability improvements that directly impact data routing and signal processing in space-based networks. You will ensure that our custom platforms remain robust, maintainable, and aligned with upstream Linux best practices under tight operational constraints. You will take end-to-end ownership of kernel features from initial design through deployment and long-term support in production environments.

Key facts

What you'll do

Architect and maintain custom Linux kernel builds that power our satellite communication and IoT processing platforms.

Implement and refine device drivers, subsystems, and kernel services to handle high-throughput data streams from LEO satellites.

Collaborate with hardware and embedded teams to bring up new platforms, stabilize boot sequences, and optimize memory utilization.

Diagnose and resolve complex kernel-level issues using advanced debugging, tracing, and profiling tools in field and lab environments.

Partner with systems engineers to define kernel configurations and runtime parameters that meet performance, security, and reliability targets.

Lead root cause analysis for production incidents, developing patches and mitigations that preserve service continuity in orbit.

Evaluate and integrate upstream Linux changes while maintaining strict compatibility with our custom hardware and software stack.

Define and enforce kernel coding standards, review processes, and test strategies to ensure robust releases across the fleet.

Automate kernel validation using continuous integration frameworks, simulation tools, and hardware-in-the-loop test setups.

Document kernel behavior, interfaces, and configuration choices to support long-term maintenance and cross-team collaboration.

Mentor junior engineers on low-level programming techniques, kernel internals, and best practices for embedded Linux development.

Contribute to architectural decisions that influence scalability, security, and real-time responsiveness of our space-based networks.

Work within lean processes to prioritize kernel initiatives that directly affect product delivery and customer experience in demanding environments.

Act as a technical owner for kernel roadmaps, aligning implementation milestones with product and mission-critical timelines.

Requirements

You hold a Bachelor's or advanced degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field with a strong focus on operating systems and low-level systems.

You possess extensive experience building, debugging, and maintaining Linux kernels for embedded or real-time systems in production environments.

You are proficient in C programming with in-depth knowledge of kernel internals, memory management, scheduling, and synchronization primitives.

You have a strong track record of writing and maintaining device drivers, including character, block, and specialized hardware interfaces.

You understand storage subsystems, flash translation layers, and filesystem architectures as they apply to constrained and mission-critical deployments.

You are comfortable working with bootloaders, boot sequences, and hardware bring-up activities in resource-constrained platforms.

You demonstrate mastery of kernel debugging tools, including but not limited to kgdb, kprobes, ftrace, perf, and dynamic tracing frameworks.

You have solid experience networking protocols and kernel networking subsystems, with exposure to high-throughput, low-latency data paths.

Nice to have

Experience with real-time kernel extensions or PREEMPT_RT patches for deterministic behavior in critical workloads.

Background with security-focused kernel hardening, including SELinux, LSM frameworks, and secure boot workflows.

Familiarity with satellite communications protocols, space-grade networking stacks, or radiation-tolerant hardware considerations.

Contributions to upstream Linux kernel projects, with verifiable patches merged into mainline or long-term support branches.

Experience with container runtimes, cgroups, and secure multi-tenant workloads in kernel space.

Practical notes

This role is based in Saratoga, California, and requires in-office presence during standard business hours.

Travel may be required to support hardware testing, manufacturing validation, or customer deployment activities.

Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship for this position at this time.