Linux Kernel OS Developer

Overview

IBM is growing its Linux Kernel Engineering team and is looking for a developer with solid, hands-on experience in Linux kernel and low-level system software work. This role is aimed at mid to senior professionals who can contribute to the design, tuning, and evolution of enterprise systems, while also helping guide less experienced engineers. The position is based in Waterford, County Waterford, Ireland, with a hybrid setup that includes on-site collaboration three days each week.

Why this role stands out

• Take ownership of kernel development work from design through delivery in a high-impact environment.
• Support and mentor early-career developers while contributing to open-source innovation.
• Work in a hybrid model that combines remote flexibility with in-person team collaboration three days per week.
• Join a company that actively supports and contributes to open-source communities.
• Help improve the speed, stability, and scalability of enterprise-class systems.

Responsibilities

• Design and build new kernel capabilities, improvements, and device drivers.
• Investigate and enhance performance across memory handling, process scheduling, and I/O areas.
• Troubleshoot and resolve difficult kernel-level problems in partnership with global and open-source teams.
• Submit code to upstream open-source repositories, including the Linux kernel ecosystem.
• Use Git, Python, and CI/CD tools such as Jenkins to automate testing and maintain system quality.
• Work directly with clients to understand, recreate, and solve complex technical issues.

Requirements

• Professional experience in low-level software engineering or kernel development using C, C++, or Rust.
• Strong grasp of operating system internals, including memory management, scheduling, interrupts, and device drivers.
• Hands-on experience with Git, Bash scripting, and automation tooling such as Jenkins.
• Active participation in open-source communities, ideally with contributions to the Linux kernel or similar projects.
• Working knowledge of current I/O technologies such as PCI, NVMe, and RDMA.
• Strong debugging, problem-solving, and performance analysis skills using kernel troubleshooting tools.
• Bachelor’s degree.
• Preferred experience includes open-source contributions, current I/O technologies, IBM Z architecture, Principles of Operations, Z assembler, and I/O concepts.

Additional information

This opportunity is intended for developers with 3+ years of professional, hands-on experience in Linux kernel and low-level system software. The role is full-time and onsite/hybrid in Waterford, County Waterford, Ireland. The work model requires on-site presence three days per week.

Tools and technologies

Common tools and technologies used in this role include Git, Python, Bash, Jenkins, PCI, NVMe, RDMA, C/C++, Rust, and kernel debugging utilities.