Linux Kernel Developer (Mid-to-Senior Level)

E-Space•Saratoga, CA

6d•Onsite

About The Position

E-Space is bridging Earth and space to enable hyper-scaled deployments of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions and services. We are building a highly-advanced low Earth orbit (LEO) space system that will fundamentally change the design, economics, manufacturing and service delivery associated with traditional satellite and terrestrial IoT systems. We're intentional, we're unapologetically curious and we're 100% committed to innovate space-based communications and deliver actionable intelligence that will expand global economies, protect space and our planet and enhance our overall quality of life. We're a successful, fast-growing startup building complex systems that run on custom Linux platforms in demanding, real-world environments. We're looking for a Linux Kernel Developer who's comfortable working deep in the stack — from drivers and subsystems to boot and memory management — and who wants to own kernel-level quality as our products scale. In this role, you'll design, develop, and debug kernel code and low-level Linux components that power our hardware platforms. You'll work closely with embedded software engineers, systems engineers, and hardware teams to ensure our platforms are stable, performant, and production-ready. This is a hands-on role suited for someone who enjoys solving hard problems close to the metal in a lean engineering organization.

Requirements

5+ years of experience developing in C, with deep familiarity with Linux kernel internals
Proven experience writing and debugging Linux device drivers and kernel modules
Solid understanding of: Kernel subsystems (memory management, scheduling, filesystems, networking)
Solid understanding of: Linux boot process and bootloaders
Solid understanding of: Concurrency, locking, and interrupt handling in kernel space
Experience with embedded Linux build systems (Yocto, Buildroot, or similar)
Comfort working directly with hardware during bring-up, debugging with tools like JTAG, oscilloscopes, or logic analyzers
Strong debugging skills using tools such as gdb, ftrace, perf, kgdb, or crash dump analysis
Comfortable working independently and taking ownership in a lean startup environment

Nice To Haves

Upstream Linux kernel contribution experience
Experience with real-time Linux (PREEMPT_RT) or other real-time operating systems
Familiarity with security-hardening practices for embedded Linux (secure boot, kernel hardening)
Experience with version control systems (Git) and kernel patch workflows (mailing lists, git send-email)
Exposure to multiple CPU architectures (ARM, RISC-V, x86)
Experience with CI/CD pipelines for embedded or system-level software

Responsibilities

Design, develop, and maintain Linux kernel code, including drivers, subsystems, and kernel modules
Port, configure, and optimize the Linux kernel for custom hardware platforms
Write and maintain device drivers for a range of interfaces (e.g., I2C, SPI, UART, USB, PCIe, Ethernet)
Debug and resolve kernel panics, race conditions, memory issues, and other low-level system failures
Profile and optimize kernel and driver performance, including boot time, latency, and power consumption
Work with bootloaders (e.g., U-Boot) and board bring-up for new hardware revisions
Collaborate with hardware engineers during board bring-up and hardware/software integration
Upstream patches where appropriate, and track relevant upstream kernel changes and CVEs
Contribute to kernel configuration, build systems (e.g., Yocto, Buildroot), and CI integration
Document kernel architecture decisions, driver interfaces, and debugging procedures in a way that's practical and reusable