About Canonical
Canonical is a pioneering technology company leading the global transition to open source. As the publisher of Ubuntu one of the most influential open-source platforms powering AI, IoT, and cloud computing, the company plays a key role in shaping modern digital infrastructure on a daily basis. Canonical recruits talent globally and maintains exceptionally high standards for new team members, with a strong expectation of excellence across all roles. Since its founding in 2004, the company has operated as a remote-first organization. Working at Canonical is positioned as an opportunity to engage with forward-thinking innovation, encouraging individuals to think differently, work more efficiently, develop new skills, and continually elevate their performance.
Job Overview
This Engineering Director position at Canonical falls under a general track designed for senior leaders who are confident in overseeing projects that span multiple teams and time zones, as well as hiring and managing both engineering managers and staff engineers.
Canonical’s largest software products are developed through the coordinated effort of several teams operating under a single Director of Engineering. Candidates who progress beyond the initial interview stage will be matched with specific products aligned to their interests and experience.
Canonical’s mission is rooted in advancing the adoption of open source, making it more accessible, reliable, and secure for both enterprise deployment and software development. The organisation aims to become the primary provider of software solutions for the majority of companies worldwide. To support this vision, Canonical carefully selects engineers from a global talent pool, prioritising exceptional ability and strong motivation to advance open source technologies. Engineering Directors play a key role in setting direction and pace, enabling teams to exceed expectations and take pride in their achievements.
Although this is a senior leadership role involving the management of managers, Engineering Directors are still expected to be highly skilled developers who lead by example across all aspects of their teams’ work. This includes the ability to assess high-quality code across relevant programming languages and system types, whether web services, system daemons, desktop applications, or distributed systems. They are also expected to guide testing and benchmarking practices to strengthen clarity around performance and quality standards. In addition, they must confidently uphold high expectations in areas such as work ethic, consistency, focus, and continuous learning.
Engineering Director roles are available across a broad range of technical domains, including:
- Python and Golang
- C, C++ and Rust
- Data infrastructure
- HTML, CSS, JavaScript, TypeScript and React
- Flutter
- Distribution packaging and systems engineering
- SaaS and web microservices
- Kernel development
- Server infrastructure
- Graphics, browser and desktop technologies
- Silicon enablement and embedded systems
- Product security
Applicants whose expertise falls outside the listed areas are still encouraged to apply if they believe their experience aligns with Canonical’s work, as suitable candidates may be directed to the most appropriate team.
The role is fully remote and available across all time zones. It also requires international travel twice per year
Core Responsibilities
- Lead multiple engineering teams across different experience levels, from graduate to senior engineers
- Develop engineering managers and reinforce Canonical’s culture and values within teams
- Recruit staff-level engineers for specialised areas such as performance, scalability, and software quality
- Provide coaching, mentorship, and structured career development feedback
- Monitor and evaluate key indicators of team health, productivity, and engagement
- Ensure end-to-end delivery, including contributions to documentation and open-source community involvement
- Establish, implement, and uphold disciplined engineering processes
- Define, measure, and track progress against benchmarks for performance, speed, and efficiency
- Represent the product to internal stakeholders, external partners, and customers
- Promote strong engineering practices and effective organisational principles across teams
- Plan, coordinate, and manage progress against agreed goals, objectives, and project timelines
- Act as an active member of the leadership team, collaborating with other senior leaders
- Work closely with leads of related or dependent products to ensure alignment and successful delivery
Skills & Requirements
- Demonstrates an exceptional academic track record from both high school and university
- Holds an undergraduate degree in Computer Science or a STEM-related field, or presents a compelling alternative career path
- Possesses extensive leadership and management experience with the confidence to set high performance standards
- Has a strong track record in Linux-based software engineering
- Shows consistent drive and a history of exceeding expectations
- Communicates effectively in English, both verbally and in writing
- Demonstrates strong public speaking and presentation abilities
- Has a proven passion for developing, coaching, and growing people
- Experienced in leading, mentoring, and supporting software development teams
- Highly organized, self-directed, and capable of ensuring timely delivery of high-quality work
- Maintains a professional approach when engaging with colleagues, partners, and external communities
- Brings advanced expertise in their own technical domain
- Displays strong enthusiasm and knowledge of software development
- Has solid experience working within agile development environments
- Shows a continuous commitment to learning and professional growth
- Builds trust and maintains strong relationships with teams and stakeholders
- Is results-driven with a strong focus on meeting commitments and delivering outcomes
- Willing and able to travel internationally twice per year for company events (up to two weeks each)
Additional Skills Valued
- Experience in developer advocacy or community engagement roles
- Involvement in open-source community participation and leadership
- Background in operations and system administration
- Experience in performance engineering and software security
Perks & Benefits
Canonical structures compensation based on geographical location, experience, and performance, with a global approach to fairness and competitiveness. Compensation is reviewed annually, and more frequently for graduates and associate-level employees, to ensure strong performance is appropriately recognized. In addition to base salary, employees are eligible for a performance-based annual bonus. The organization also provides a range of benefits aligned with its values, balancing global consistency with local relevance.
- A distributed work environment with in-person team sprints held twice per year
- A personal learning and development budget of USD 2,000 annually
- Annual compensation reviews to reflect performance and market alignment
- Recognition rewards for outstanding contributions
- Annual paid holiday leave
- Maternity and paternity leave policies
- Access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
- Opportunities to travel and meet colleagues in different global locations
- Priority Pass membership and travel upgrades for long-haul company events.