Engineering Manager - Ubuntu Hardware Certification Quality and Test Engineering at Canonical

The Engineering Manager role at Canonical involves shaping the vision and setting the pace for a dedicated testing team. This team ensures hardware compatibility with Ubuntu Linux across Core, Desktop, and Server editions. The role includes leading the development and maintenance of Canonical’s hardware certification test suite and managing timely delivery of certifications within hardware certification programs.

This leader will collaborate to improve test practices and tools, build and lead a globally distributed team of engineers, and develop talent through coaching and mentoring. They will also set and manage expectations with other engineering teams, senior management, and external stakeholders, while actively participating in leadership and engineering processes.

Canonical seeks a candidate with knowledge of low-level embedded software and hardware, proficiency in Linux system architecture, and a solid understanding of quality and reliability engineering practices. The candidate should possess leadership skills and a commitment to skills development, with the confidence to exchange feedback and share ideas. The role requires excellent interpersonal and presentation skills, adaptability in a multi-cultural environment, and a results-oriented mindset.

Role Involves:

• Leading the development and maintenance of Canonical’s hardware certification test suite
• Managing timely delivery of certifications
• Collaborating to ensure continuous improvement of test practices and tools
• Building and leading a globally distributed team of engineers
• Developing talent through coaching, mentoring, feedback and hands-on career development
• Setting and managing expectations with other engineering teams, senior management, and external stakeholders
• Participating in strong engineering process through code, test plan, architectural reviews
• Engaging with teams at Canonical, the open source community and commercial partners

Requirements:

• Knowledge of low-level embedded software and hardware - BIOS, firmware, bootloaders, ACPI, devicetree, kernel, RTOS
• A good understanding of Linux system architecture
• Knowledge of quality and reliability oriented engineering practices
• Exceptional academic track record from both high school and university
• Undergraduate degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or another technical subject
• Leadership and commitment to skills development and mentorship
• Confidence to respectfully speak up, exchange feedback, and share ideas without hesitation
• Track record of going above-and-beyond expectations to achieve outstanding results
• Track record of delivery of timely, high quality software
• Passion for technology evidenced by personal projects and initiatives
• The work ethic and confidence to shine alongside motivated colleagues
• Professional written and spoken English with excellent presentation skills
• Experience with Linux (Debian or Ubuntu preferred)
• Excellent interpersonal skills, curiosity, flexibility, and accountability
• Appreciative of diversity, polite and effective in a multi-cultural, multi-national organisation
• Thoughtfulness and self-motivation
• Result-oriented, with a personal drive to meet commitments
• Ability to travel internationally twice a year, for company events up to two weeks long

What role offers:

• 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
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Opportunity to travel to new locations to meet colleagues
• Priority Pass, and travel upgrades for long haul company events