Engineering Manager - Ubuntu Hardware Certification Quality and Test Engineering

Canonical is a leading provider of open source software and operating systems to the global enterprise and technology markets. Our platform, Ubuntu, is very widely used in breakthrough enterprise initiatives such as public cloud, data science, AI, engineering innovation and IoT. Our customers include the world's leading public cloud and silicon providers, and industry leaders in many sectors. The company is a pioneer of global distributed collaboration, with 1000+ colleagues in 70+ countries and very few office based roles. Teams meet two to four times yearly in person, in interesting locations around the world, to align on strategy and execution.

The company is founder led, profitable and growing.

We are hiring an Engineering Manager for Ubuntu Hardware Certification Quality Engineering, to lead the team responsible for the test suites which validate hardware compatibility with Ubuntu Linux (Core, Desktop and Server – see for more information). We work together with silicon companies, OEMs, ODMs and teams within Canonical to ensure a smooth, secure out of the box Ubuntu experience, with success in this role leading to a great Ubuntu experience being offered on more and more devices.

As the Engineering Manager of the Certification Quality team you’ll lead a dedicated testing team, shaping the vision and setting the pace, in collaboration with the rest of the Certification and hardware enablement teams. You will lead the certification test strategy for Canonical’s PC OEM and ODM partnerships, including Advantech, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo, deepening the test coverage for both new and existing certified hardware. You will pioneer the use of Canonical’s open source test frameworks and custom designed hardware to drive automated hardware validation of the operating system. This is a challenging position for a quality focused engineering leader, and requires an analytical mind with a passion for test automation and team leadership.

Location: This role will be office based in Taipei Minsheng district, Taiwan.

This role entails

• Lead the development and maintenance of Canonical’s hardware certification test suite
• Manage timely delivery of certifications as part of the hardware certification programmes
• Work collaboratively to ensure continuous improvement of test practices and tools
• Build and lead a globally distributed team of engineers
• Develop talent through coaching, mentoring, feedback and hands-on career development
• Set and manage expectations with other engineering teams, senior management, and external stakeholders
• Be an active part of the leadership team and collaborate with other leaders in the organisation
• Participate in strong engineering process through code, test plan, architectural reviews
• Engage with teams at Canonical, the open source community and commercial partners
• International travel twice per year for company events up to two weeks long

What we are looking for in you

• 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

Nice-to-have skills we would value

• Familiarity with ARM, x86 and possibly RISC-V conventions and low-level enablement details
• Experience with continuous integration and delivery tools and practices
• Experience of automated testing practices in a hardware enablement setting
• In-depth project experience with Python

What we offer colleagues

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 recognise 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. We balance our programs to meet local needs and ensure fairness globally.

• 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

About Canonical

Canonical is a pioneering tech firm 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 of software. 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.

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.