Principal Software Engineer - Virtualization Cloud Team

About the Job :

The Red Hat Enterprise Linux Engineering (RHEL) team is looking for a skilled and passionate developer with strong Linux operating system experience to join us as a Principal Software Engineer. In this role, you will focus on developing, deploying, integrating, and validating RHEL workloads on multiple public clouds including AWS, GCP, and Azure. You will work in an environment where diverse perspectives are invited, the best ideas are valued, and people feel empowered to contribute.
As a Principal Software Engineer, your contributions go directly into the RHEL ecosystem and upstream communities like the Kernel, KVM, and Cloud-provider projects to escalate your influence and value in the industry. You will work as a pioneer on cutting-edge initiatives that allow virtualized workloads to thrive in massive-scale public cloud environments.

What You Will Do?

• Participate in RHEL development developing features, root causing and fixing bugs including validation for multiple public clouds.

• Troubleshoot, brainstorm, design, and deliver fixes for internal and external customers related to your area of expertise.

• Tackle the intellectual challenge of complex bug resolution while having the creative freedom to develop next-generation features.

• Engage in technical discussions, team brainstorming sessions, and planning to contribute to the next generation of features and innovations.

• Lead new initiatives or projects technically, owning the topic and driving the work forward through collaboration with stakeholders.

• Mentor junior-level engineers and act as a technical guide for the team.

What You Will Bring ?

• 10+ years of relevant experience as a software engineer with a track record of high-impact contributions.

• Expert-level Linux development experience, including deep knowledge of Linux kernel or low-level userspace components.

• Extensive experience in Virtualization and KVM development, specifically focused on how the hypervisor interacts with hardware and cloud infrastructure.

• Proven proficiency in developing for Major Public Clouds, with specific expertise in AWS, GCP, and Azure environments and their respective virtualization stacks.

• Strong programming skills in C (knowledge of Python or Rust is a significant advantage).

• In-depth understanding of operating system concepts and the "upstream first" open-source development model.

• Project leadership skills to take initiative, manage complex technical roadmaps, and drive work forward across distributed teams.

• Proven ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders in English.

The following are considered as a plus:

• Full-stack contribution experience, including authoring automated tests to ensure the quality and functionality of the code.

• Broad infrastructure knowledge covering Oracle Cloud, VMware, or Hyper-V regarding deployment and operations.

• External technical influence, evidenced by public speaking at conferences, technical blogs, or published articles.

• Prior experience with large-scale cloud migration or hardware enablement projects.

About Red Hat

Red Hat is the world’s leading provider of enterprise open source software solutions, using a community-powered approach to deliver high-performing Linux, cloud, container, and Kubernetes technologies. Spread across 40+ countries, our associates work flexibly across work environments, from in-office, to office-flex, to fully remote, depending on the requirements of their role. Red Hatters are encouraged to bring their best ideas, no matter their title or tenure. We're a leader in open source because of our open and inclusive environment. We hire creative, passionate people ready to contribute their ideas, help solve complex problems, and make an impact.

Inclusion at Red Hat
Red Hat’s culture is built on the open source principles of transparency, collaboration, and inclusion, where the best ideas can come from anywhere and anyone. When this is realized, it empowers people from different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences to come together to share ideas, challenge the status quo, and drive innovation. Our aspiration is that everyone experiences this culture with equal opportunity and access, and that all voices are not only heard but also celebrated. We hope you will join our celebration, and we welcome and encourage applicants from all the beautiful dimensions that compose our global village.

Equal Opportunity Policy (EEO)
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