Software Engineer - Data Infrastructure - Kafka

Home based - Worldwide

Canonical is building a comprehensive automation suite to provide multi-cloud and on-premise data solutions for the enterprise. The data platform team is a collaborative team that develops a managed solutions for a full range of data stores and data technologies, spanning from big data, through NoSQL,  cache-layer capabilities, and analytics; all the way to structured SQL engines (similar to Amazon RDS approach). 

We are facing the interesting problem of fault-tolerant mission-critical distributed systems and intend to deliver the world's best automation solution for delivering managed data platforms. 

We are looking for candidates from junior to senior level with interests, experience and willingness to learn around Big Data technologies, such as distributed event-stores (Kafka) and parallel computing frameworks (Spark). Engineers who thrive at Canonical are mindful of open-source community dynamics and equally aware of the needs of large, innovative organisations.

Location: This is a Globally remote role

What your day will look like

The data platform team is responsible for the automation of data platform operations, with the mission of managing and integrating Big Data platforms at scale. This includes ensuring fault-tolerant replication, TLS, installation, backups and much more; but also provides domain-specific expertise on the actual data system to other teams within Canonical. This role is focused on the creation and automation of infrastructure features of data platforms, not analysing and/or processing the data in them.

  • Collaborate proactively with a distributed team
  • Write high-quality, idiomatic Python code to create new features
  • Debug issues and interact with upstream communities publicly
  • Work with helpful and talented engineers including experts in many fields
  • Discuss ideas and collaborate on finding good solutions
  • Work from home with global travel for 2 to 4 weeks per year for internal and external events

What we are looking for in you

  • Proven hands-on experience in software development using Python
  • Proven hands-on experience in distributed systems, such as Kafka and Spark
  • Have a Bachelor’s or equivalent in Computer Science, STEM, or a similar degree
  • Willingness to travel up to 4 times a year for internal events

Additional skills that you might also bring

You might also bring a subset of experience from the followings that can help Data Platform to achieve its challenging goals and determine the level we will consider you for:

  • Experience operating and managing other data platform technologies, SQL (MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, etc) and/or NoSQL (MongoDB, Redis, ElasticSearch, etc), similar to DBA level expertise
  • Experience with Linux systems administration, package management, and infrastructure operations
  • Experience with the public cloud or a private cloud solution like OpenStack
  • Experience with operating Kubernetes clusters and a belief that it can be used for serious persistent data services

What we offer you

Your base pay will depend on various factors including your geographical location, level of experience, knowledge and skills. In addition to the benefits above, certain roles are also eligible for additional benefits and rewards including annual bonuses and sales incentives based on revenue or utilisation. Our compensation philosophy is to ensure equity right across our global workforce.  

In addition to a competitive base pay, we provide all team members with additional benefits, which reflect our values and ideals. Please note that additional benefits may apply depending on the work location and, for more information on these, please ask your Talent Partner.

  • Fully remote working environment - we’ve been working remotely since 2004!
  • Personal learning and development budget of 2,000USD per annum
  • Annual compensation review
  • Recognition rewards
  • Annual holiday leave
  • Parental Leave
  • Employee Assistance Programme
  • Opportunity to travel to new locations to meet colleagues twice a year
  • Priority Pass for travel and travel upgrades for long haul company events

About Canonical

Canonical is a pioneering tech firm that is at the forefront of the global move to open source. As the company that publishes Ubuntu, one of the most important open source projects and the platform for AI, IoT and the cloud, we are changing the world on a daily basis. 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.

Canonical has been a remote-first company since its inception in 2004.​ Work at Canonical is a step into the future, and will challenge you to think differently, work smarter, learn new skills, and raise your game. Canonical provides a unique window into the world of 21st-century digital business.

Canonical is an equal-opportunity employer

We are proud to foster a workplace free from discrimination. Diversity of experience, perspectives, and background create a better work environment and better products. Whatever your identity, we will give your application fair consideration.

#li-remote

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Education

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Universities around the world score degrees in different ways. Please indicate your result, or expected result if you are close to graduation, along with information about the grading system.

Select...

Please note that if you require any accommodation for travel that relates to a physical disability please do let us know during your hiring process and we will be happy to discuss your requirements further.

Select...
Select...

Please select your current location from the dropdown.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Canonical’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.