Principal Software Engineer - Red Hat Virtualization

Job Summary

The Red Hat Engineering teams are looking for a Principal Software Engineer (PSE) to join our Core Platforms Engineering group to work on Linux & Container technologies. These teams are responsible for all aspects related to Virtualization & Confidential Computing in Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

The Virtualization team’s work includes core kernel virtualization (KVM) system, firmware and device emulation for storage, memory and networking, its management layer and associated tools, as well as its counterpart aspects in the guest instance on top of Red Hat or third-party virtualized platforms as well as public clouds.

The Confidential Computing team’s work includes enablement in the Linux Kernel and related ecosystem, attestation technologies, in multiple form factors like containers, clusters and virtual machines.

In this role, you will act as the primary technical contact and domain architect for large components of the Linux Virtualization stack (KVM, QEMU, Libvirt) and the emerging Confidential Computing ecosystem. You will collaborate and influence the architectural roadmaps of multiple Agile Scrum teams across Red Hat and the broader open source community.

This role requires deep expertise in kernel-level development, security engineering, and distributed systems. You will be responsible for defining standards, mentoring technical staff, and ensuring the long-term strategic success and quality of our products against complex enterprise requirements.

What You Will Do

• Set the long-term technical strategy and architectural vision for the entire Virtualization and confidential computing domain.
• Play a leading and defining role in relevant upstream projects (e.g. KVM, QEMU, confidential computing) by submitting, reviewing, and driving complex architectural changes and proposals across the community.
• Mentor senior engineers, and help develop internal subject matter experts (SMEs) in relevant areas you are directly involved with.
• Take a lead role in coordinating the response to, and backporting of, complex security vulnerabilities and defects across multiple released versions.
  
  

What You Will Bring

• 7+ years of experience applying core languages such as C, Rust, or Go to large, enterprise, or Operating System-level projects.
• Proven ability to architect, design, and drive the implementation of complex, multi-component features at the Operating System and Hypervisor levels.
• Must have verifiable, significant upstream kernel/QEMU development experience demonstrated through public contributions and community acceptance.
• For positions in the Virtualization team, ability to work in the Linux Virtualization stack, https://linux-kvm.org/page/Main_Page, KVM, QEMU, Libvirt and other virtualization technologies, Cloud or Kubernetes technologies.
• For positions in the Confidential Computing team, ability to work in the CNCF confidential containers (https://confidentialcontainers.org/) related technologies.
• Ability to leverage AI-assisted development and/or validation tools and techniques
• Required Full English proficiency (verbal and written). Ability to work with globally distributed teams or communities.
• Ability to use Containers and CI/CD technologies in authoring, building, and automating build and test pipelines.
  
  

The Following Are Considered a Plus

• Significant and verifiable technical leadership within open source communities (KVM, Qemu, Libvirt, CoCo, Kata, Avocado).
• A history of public speaking at major industry or technical conferences (e.g., KVM Forum, Linux Plumbers, KubeCon).
• Proven experience setting the technical direction for multi-team projects and mentoring senior staff.
  
  

About Red Hat

Red Hat is the world’s leading provider of enterprise open source software solutions, using a community-powered approach to deliver high-performing Linux, cloud, container, and Kubernetes technologies. Spread across 40+ countries, our associates work flexibly across work environments, from in-office, to office-flex, to fully remote, depending on the requirements of their role. Red Hatters are encouraged to bring their best ideas, no matter their title or tenure. We're a leader in open source because of our open and inclusive environment. We hire creative, passionate people ready to contribute their ideas, help solve complex problems, and make an impact.

Inclusion at Red Hat

Red Hat’s culture is built on the open source principles of transparency, collaboration, and inclusion, where the best ideas can come from anywhere and anyone. When this is realized, it empowers people from different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences to come together to share ideas, challenge the status quo, and drive innovation. Our aspiration is that everyone experiences this culture with equal opportunity and access, and that all voices are not only heard but also celebrated. We hope you will join our celebration, and we welcome and encourage applicants from all the beautiful dimensions that compose our global village.

Equal Opportunity Policy (EEO)

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