Senior Engineering Manager- Ubuntu

As a Senior Engineering Manager at Canonical, you will lead and grow a team of distributed engineers, actively contributing to the planning and execution of essential components for Ubuntu. Your role will involve setting future directions by collaborating with product management while ensuring alignment with cross-functional leadership teams. Additionally, you will guide the adoption of modern software development practices and foster a healthy engineering culture that resonates with Canonical’s values.

To qualify for the Senior Engineering Manager role at Canonical, candidates should possess extensive experience with Linux distributions and proficiency in packaging technologies. A proven track record in managing or leading software engineering teams is critical. Knowledge of software engineering principles, particularly in areas like Linux system architecture, programming languages (Java, GCC, Python, Rust, Go), and experience engaging with open source communities, will enhance your application.

Canonical places a strong emphasis on learning and development. As a Senior Engineering Manager, you will receive an annual personal learning budget of USD 2,000 to enhance your skills. Regular performance evaluations ensure you are recognized for your outstanding contributions, allowing you ongoing opportunities for growth and advancement.

The work environment for a Senior Engineering Manager at Canonical is fully distributed and remote. This means you can work from anywhere while collaborating with colleagues from diverse backgrounds globally. Our culture promotes flexibility, and we synchronize our efforts through biennial in-person sprints that facilitate team bonding and strategic alignment.

Canonical fosters team collaboration for remote Senior Engineering Managers through structured in-person sprints held twice a year. These events encourage teamwork and alignment on projects and strategies while enabling networking opportunities among colleagues worldwide. Additionally, collaboration tools and regular communication foster a sense of belonging and connection.

In your response, detail specific Linux distributions you have worked with, highlighting any projects or contributions you have made, particularly in areas like system architecture or performance optimization. Focus on how your technical expertise will allow you to lead your engineering team at Canonical effectively.

Discuss your strategies for fostering a collaborative and inclusive remote work culture. You might mention regular check-ins, the use of video conferencing tools, celebrating achievements, and scheduling team-building activities. Highlight how these practices align with Canonical’s commitments to a healthy work environment.

Outline specific approaches that promote development best practices, including Agile methodologies, code reviews, pair programming, and continuous integration. Emphasize how you would encourage your team to embrace these practices and foster an environment of continuous improvement.

Share a compelling example that demonstrates both your technical proficiency and problem-solving skills. Detail the steps you took to analyze the problem, the strategies you implemented to resolve it, and what you learned from the experience. This showcases your capability to address challenges, which is critical for a role at Canonical.

Explain your approach to keeping up with trends in open-source technologies, such as attending conferences, participating in forums, engaging with online courses, or contributing to open-source projects. This not only demonstrates your passion for the field but shows that you will bring fresh insights to Canonical.

Detail your hands-on experience with packaging technologies and provide specific examples where you have utilized them in previous projects. Discuss how this knowledge will help you support your engineering team at Canonical in their work with Ubuntu.

Discuss key performance indicators you would consider, such as code quality, project delivery timelines, team satisfaction metrics, and overall impact on product development. This shows your understanding of balancing qualitative and quantitative measures of success.

Share a specific instance where you participated in or contributed to an open-source project, emphasizing your commitment to community engagement. Highlight the skills you gained and how this experience will enhance your role at Canonical.

Explain your leadership style—be it transformational, transactional, or servant leadership—and how it helps improve team dynamics and performance. Tailor your answer to align with the collaborative culture at Canonical.

Express your enthusiasm for the evolving landscape of open-source software and its potential to transform industries. Connect this passion back to how you envision your role at Canonical contributing to this journey.