Graduate Software Engineer

Job Description

About Canonical

Canonical is a pioneering technology firm and a leading provider of open source software and operating systems to the global enterprise and technology markets. At the forefront of the global move to open source, we are changing the world of software. Our flagship platform, Ubuntu, is very widely used in breakthrough enterprise initiatives such as public cloud infrastructure, data science, artificial intelligence (AI), engineering innovation, and the Internet of Things (IoT). Our distinguished customers include the world’s leading public cloud and silicon providers, as well as industry leaders across many sectors.

The company is founder-led, profitable, and growing, demonstrating a strong trajectory in the open source ecosystem. A pioneer of global distributed collaboration, Canonical operates with over 1200+ colleagues across 75+ countries, with very few office-based roles. Our teams align on strategy and execution by meeting two to four times yearly in person, in interesting locations around the world.

The Graduate Software Engineer Opportunity (2025 & 2026 Cohorts)

We are actively hiring Graduate Software Engineers for 2025 and 2026 into engineering teams around the world. As a global platform company, we offer an unparalleled range of software engineering challenges, spanning both our core open source products and internal commercial business systems. Our diverse teams work with a variety of programming languages, typically including Python, Golang, Rust, C/C++, JavaScript, and naturally, Bash.

Our work encompasses the entire Linux system stack, from the very lowest levels – BIOS and boot loaders, firmware, kernel and drivers – all the way up to desktop applications and container orchestration. You could be working on tiny devices like the Raspberry Pi and new RISC-V boards, or scaling up to supercomputers, massive cloud infrastructures, and Kubernetes clusters. Our technical scope also includes compilers and toolchains, advanced security and cryptography, performance optimization, and comprehensive documentation. Some teams focus on the packaging and maintenance of thousands of software components, while others dedicate themselves to deep, impactful contributions to a single body of code.

If you are passionate about the immense potential that open source holds for humanity and the enterprise, possess an outstanding academic track record, and are eager to contribute significantly to the open source stack, this is the ideal path to apply to Canonical. We are committed to working with you to identify teams and projects that align with your interests, skills, and motivations. Please note that this is a highly competitive process, requiring significant effort and excellence to succeed.

Work Environment and Culture

Most of our engineering teams operate from a globally remote, work-from-home model. We strive to align single teams within specific time zones: EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), APAC (Asia Pacific and Indian Ocean), and AMER (North, South and Central Americas). Even in a remote setting, we ensure that you always have colleagues alongside to provide coaching and mentorship, fostering an environment of shared problem-solving and pair programming. Larger projects may involve multiple teams and span the globe.

We actively engage with the broader open source community and specialize in building teams that thrive in the ‘fishbowl’ of open source engineering. This is a full-time role, five days a week, often involving the solution of hard problems with significant responsibility. While we generally don’t work weekends or nights and value good holidays, we expect productive and intense engagement from Monday to Friday.

All our engineering teams convene in person twice a year for intensive ‘sprints’. These gatherings stimulate discussion, enable a wide range of career development paths, and are a fantastic way to demonstrate and develop your software skills. You’ll learn about a wide range of technologies, make a meaningful impact on open source, and have the opportunity to visit interesting new cities you might never otherwise experience.

If you are truly inspired by the open source stack and have consistently been a high-performing student throughout your academic career, this role promises a challenging and exciting start to your professional journey.

Location: This is a Globally Remote Role.

Key Responsibilities

As a Graduate Software Engineer, you will be instrumental in:

• Shaping the roadmap for your product at global sprints every six months.
• Focusing on design and user experience, even for developer tooling and command-line applications.
• Writing high quality, resilient, and performant code, potentially serving millions of demanding daily users.
• Working towards mastery of key programming languages and deep Linux system knowledge.
• Engaging actively with users and the open source community through code reviews and issue trackers.
• Responding to customer issues as a priority, developing a nuanced understanding of enterprise requirements.
• Developing skills and awareness of security best practices in software design and implementation.

Qualifications and Attributes

We are looking for candidates who demonstrate:

• Exceptional academic track record from both high school and university.
• An Undergraduate degree in Computer Science, Business Informatics, Mathematics, or another STEM discipline with a strong emphasis on programming courses.
• The confidence to get started and deliver high quality code in at least one of the following languages: Python, Rust, C/C++, Golang, JavaScript, or Java.
• Hands-on experience with Ubuntu or another Linux distribution.
• A proven track record of going above-and-beyond expectations to achieve outstanding results.
• Being results-oriented and highly organized, with the drive and discipline to meet commitments.
• Completion of personal projects in technology and software engineering beyond the curriculum.
• Professional written and spoken English communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, curiosity, flexibility, and accountability.
• Strong sense of personal responsibility and accountability.
• Thoughtfulness, self-awareness, and the ability to reflect and continuously develop.
• Ability to travel internationally twice a year for company events, each up to two weeks long.

Desirable Skills (Nice-to-Have)

• Previous upstream open source contributions.
• Experience with packaging and Linux distribution contributions (e.g., Debian, Fedora, Arch, Nix, or others).
• Demonstrated leadership and organization skills.
• Strong presentation and writing skills.
• An interest in business and commercial aspects of software.

Benefits and Perks

We consider geographical location, experience, and performance in shaping compensation worldwide. We revisit compensation annually (and more often for graduates and associates) to ensure we recognize outstanding performance. In addition to base pay, we offer a performance-driven annual bonus or commission. We provide all team members with additional benefits which reflect our values and ideals, balancing our programs to meet local needs and ensure fairness globally.

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

Our Commitment

Canonical is an equal opportunity employer. We are proud to foster a workplace free from discrimination. We believe that diversity of experience, perspectives, and background create a better work environment and superior products. Whatever your identity, we are committed to giving your application fair and unbiased consideration. We recruit on a global basis and set a very high standard for people joining the company; we expect excellence – in order to succeed, we need to be the best at what we do. Most colleagues at Canonical have worked from home since its inception in 2004. Working here is a step into the future, and will challenge you to think differently, work smarter, learn new skills, and raise your game.