Linux Cryptography and Security Engineer
The full posting
This is a unique opportunity to use your software engineering and cryptography skills to build and maintain the security foundation that enables Ubuntu and its users to operate securely and remain compliant to international information security standards such as FIPS 140-3 and Common Criteria. You will use your applied cryptography, Linux Security, and coding skills to enhance the Ubuntu distribution and work with organizations such as DISA and CIS to draft and implement security hardening benchmarks for Ubuntu.
As a member of the Security Hardening team you will work with and develop automation tooling to audit deployed systems for DISA-STIG and CIS benchmark compliance. You will interact with internal and external stakeholders to identify gaps in our frameworks, and develop new solutions to address these challenges. In this role you will have the opportunity to influence team and security culture, facilitate technical delivery, and help drive team direction and execution. You’ll collaborate closely with Canonical’s kernel team as well as the wider engineering organization to drive features impacting all Ubuntu users.
Day-to-day responsibilities
- Collaborate with other engineers in the Security Hardening team to achieve and retain various Security certifications
- Extend and enhance Linux cryptographic components (OpenSSL, Libgcrypt, GnuTLS, and others) with the features and functionality required for FIPS and CC certification
- Collaborate with external security consultants to test and validate kernel and crypto module components
- Work with external partners to develop security hardening benchmarks and audit + remediation automation for Ubuntu
- Contribute to Ubuntu mainline and upstream projects to land solutions and benefit the community
- Communication and collaboration within and outside Canonical to identify opportunities to improve our security posture, rapidly resolve issues, and deliver high-quality solutions on schedule
What we are looking for in you
- Hands-on experience with low-level Linux cryptography APIs and debugging
- Excellent software engineering fundamentals, including prior experience with C development, and the ability to demonstrate such
- Hands-on experience with Linux system administration and shell scripting
- Demonstrated knowledge of security and cryptography fundamentals + direct experience writing secure code and implementing best practices
- Significant development experience working with open source libraries
- Excellent verbal and written communications to enable efficient collaboration with internal and external partners in a remote-first environment
Additional skills that you might also bring
- Prior experience working on FIPS/Common Criteria certified products and in-depth knowledge of the underlying standards
- Prior experience working directly with DISA-STIG or CIS benchmarks, including related audit + remediation tooling (e.g. Compliance as Code)
- Experience working directly with Linux Kernel
- Prior experience with Python, OVAL (Open Vulnerability Assessment Language), and Ansible
- History of contributions to open source projects
What we offer you
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. 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 - we’ve been working remotely since 2004!
- 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 from your team and others
- 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
Where you can work
This role is 100% remote: you can work from anywhere in the world.
Text as Canonical published it; last compared with the original on 11 Nov 2026.
The application
Your details and CV, then 11 questions (2 written).
- 1.What Cryptography or Security Certification products have you contributed to before?Written answer
- 2.Which programming languages or ecosystems have you worked in professionally?Short answer
- 3.What was your bachelor's university degree result, or expected result if you have not yet graduated? Please include the grading system to help us understand your result e.g. ‘85 out of 100’, ‘2:1 (Grading system: first class, 2:1, 2:2, thirShort answer
- 4.How did you perform in mathematics at high school?Pick one (9 options)
- 5.How did you perform in your native language at high school?Pick one (9 options)
- 6.Please share your rationale or evidence for the high school performance selections above. Make reference to provincial, state or nation-wide scoring systems, rankings, or recognition awards, or to competitive or selective college entrance rWritten answer
- 7.We require all colleagues to meet in person 2-4 times a year, at internal company events lasting between 1-2 weeks. We try to pick new and interesting locations that will likely require international travel and entry requirement visas and vYes or no
- 8.In which country do you currently work?Pick one (314 options)
- 9.Are you comfortable using your own device?Short answer
- 10.In the past ten years, looking only at the time since you graduated your first undergraduate degree, how many companies have you worked for?Pick one (11 options)
- 11.Please indicate your nationality:Pick any (226 options)
Taken from Canonical's application form as it stood on 11 Nov 2026.
The employer: Canonical
Publishes Ubuntu and sells support for open source infrastructure; its security engineers harden the OS, maintain cryptography and run company security operations.
Pay and benefits: Home-based salaried roles at a founder-owned private company.
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