Developer for Linux Kernel Toolchain & Debugging (m/w/x)

Introduction

Are you interested in operating systems development and Open Source? Your favorites are Linux and low-level programming? Would you like to be part of an Open Source community, and do you intend to build up a reputation as an Open Source maintainer? If so, our team is the right place for you!

Our Linux development team is responsible for enhancing the Linux kernel for IBM Z / IBM LinuxOne including its device drivers, libraries, tools, compilers, debuggers, virtualization (KVM) and test automation (CI/CD). We tightly collaborate with the international development teams of IBM (e.g. hardware and firmware development), the global maintainers of Open Source communities, and our Linux distribution partners (Red Hat, SUSE, Canonical). Our focus is on the support of the IBM Z / LinuxONE architecture, e.g. new processor instructions, new I/O attachments (PCIe, NVMe, Ethernet, RDMA etc.) and accelerators for AI and cryptographic functions. Linux on IBM Z / LinuxONE forms the basis of many of IBM's commercial solutions in Cloud, Analytics, Finance, and AI.

Your role and responsibilities

Your responsibilities will comprise of design and specifications for new enhancements, coding (including test automation), problem determination and bug fixing, performance analysis & fixing, contributing your code to (public) open source community repositories, and solving client problems. Your attendance at Open Source community meetings is recommended and supported, and client facing activities (e.g. client support, providing lectures at conferences) are possible. You will closely interact with the respective Open Source communities ("upstream integration" of your code) and our distribution partners (Red Hat, SUSE, Canonical).

In this job offering, we are looking for a new team member who will focus on enhancing debugging tools, such as crash and GDB. The role includes diverse tasks, ranging from specific ones, like improving debugging of KVM guests on Linux on Z, to more open-ended ones, like working together with compiler engineers to enhance the overall debugging experience on Linux on Z.

Required technical and professional expertise

• 3+ years of experience in low-level/assembler development or developing one of crash, GDB, or LLDB
• Expert skills in C and C++
• Expert skills in source code repository systems (e.g., git)
• Fluent English
• You are highly motivated

Preferred technical and professional experience

• Contributions to Open Source projects or Open Source maintainer status
• Experience in Linux kernel development
• Experience in compiler, assembler, or linker development
• Experience with non-x86 assembly
• Skills in IBM Z architecture ("Principles of Operations"), Z assembler and I/O concepts
• Experience with scripting languages (e.g., Python)
• B1 German language skills [Germany only]