Jobs · Full-time

Community Engineer at Canonical - Remote Worldwide — Columbus

LocationColumbus
CompanyCanonical
Sourcejobicy
Posted2026-08-22 16:47:07

Traveler-Friendly Insight

Canonical's Community Engineer role is one of the most nomad-friendly positions on the market. The company has operated as a fully distributed, work-from-home organization since 2004, meaning remote-first is deeply embedded in the culture — not a pandemic-era experiment. The role is explicitly open to candidates across the globe with no country restrictions listed.

Schedule & timezone flexibility: No fixed timezone is specified, which strongly suggests async-first workflows. Canonical's global team footprint means collaboration spans every major timezone, and autonomous work ownership is explicitly expected — a great fit for nomads who set their own daily rhythm.

Travel perks are a real highlight for nomads:

  • 2–4 weeks of company-paid global travel per year for sprints and events, with the option to travel more
  • Priority Pass lounge access and travel upgrades for long-haul company events
  • Conference and expo attendance is built into the job description

Cost-of-living leverage: Since Canonical adjusts pay by geography, a competitive salary in a high-cost region could go far in nomad hubs. For example, even a mid-range tech salary comfortably covers monthly costs in Lisbon (~€1,500–2,000), Bangkok (~$1,000–1,500), or Medellín (~$1,200–1,800) — leaving significant runway for savings or travel.

The $2,000 annual L&D budget could also fund coworking memberships or professional certifications useful on the road. This role suits nomads on digital nomad visas (Portugal, Thailand, Colombia all offer these) or long-stay tourist visas.

Our ambition is to set a standard of excellence when it comes to serving the open source ecosystem. This is your chance to be a part of that as a Community Engineer at Canonical.

We are building community management at scale. We have multiple positions available, at different seniority levels.

All applications and candidates are handled through this single entry point.

To improve your chances of success in this application, read our advice on how to get a job at Canonical.

The Role of a Community Engineer

The Community team at Canonical enables community leaders and participants to get things done, coordinating with Canonical teams and ensuring that community processes are efficient and well run. We don't do the work of the community, but we facilitate that work to ensure that energetic and ambitious community members with their own vision of open source can benefit from the work Canonical does and bring their own flavor of Ubuntu into being, to meet the needs and express the interests of their community. You will play a key role in designing, executing, and scaling initiatives that foster a thriving community.

This is an exciting opportunity for a technically proficient person who is passionate about open source software, Linux, and sustainable community building.

In this role, you will support community initiatives with your technical skills and strong organizational skills. You work hand in hand with developers to smooth processes and integrate community plans with Canonical plans for maximum impact. You can encourage and facilitate the creation of new technical projects that enhance the community contribution experience, and you represent community interests to Canonical teams. You will lead complex, multi-disciplinary programs from conception through launch, working closely with Developer Relations engineers, technical authors, product managers, marketing teams, engineering teams, and external partners.

You will support and engage with volunteer developers in the Ubuntu community, addressing their concerns and helping them to create successful tools. You will help to ensure their success and the overall autonomy and sustainability of projects.

You will provide the content and technical support to ensure the community stays engaged and informed. This will include regular blog and social media posts about community initiatives, events, accomplishments, and collaborative efforts between Canonical and the Ubuntu community.

You will communicate effectively with developers and software engineers and represent not only the Ubuntu community but Canonical as a contributor to the wider Linux ecosystem. Our team attends conferences and expos, and talks about technical community projects and their development processes.

Location: These are fully remote roles, open to candidates across the globe.

What Your Day Will Look Like

  • Write high quality content to promote and support community initiatives
  • Discuss ideas and collaborate on finding good solutions to community problems
  • Work from home with global travel 2 to 4 weeks for internal and external events
  • Potential opportunity to travel more if you wish
  • Nurture community contributions to Ubuntu
  • Engage with the Ubuntu community through Discourse, Matrix, social media, conferences, etc.
  • Represent Ubuntu via speaking engagements at events and conferences
  • Support the engagement by Canonical teams into the open source ecosystem

What We Are Looking For in You

  • You love technology and working with brilliant people
  • You are curious, flexible, articulate, and accountable
  • You value soft skills and are passionate, enterprising, thoughtful, and self-motivated
  • You have experience with developer tools and open source projects
  • You have a clear public record of accomplishments (talks, blog posts, GitHub, X, etc.)
  • You have interest and experience with some of the following: Ubuntu Linux (kernel or userspace), DevOps, software development, testing and QA, package management, container technology
  • You can work autonomously and assume full ownership of objectives as needed
  • You can be flexible with your time and enjoy working with new technology in a fast-paced environment
  • You are experienced working with open source communities and understand the workflow of volunteer contributors
  • You have experience in (technical) program management and have excellent organizational, communication and interpersonal skills

Additional Skills That You Might Also Bring

  • Experience with community management
  • Experience with Developer advocacy
  • Experience as a software developer
  • Examples of contributions to the Ubuntu Community
  • Experience with contributing to open source projects

What We Offer

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 recognize outstanding performance. In addition to base pay, we offer a performance-driven annual bonus or commission. 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
  • 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 Program
  • Opportunity to travel to new locations to meet colleagues
  • Priority Pass, and travel upgrades for long haul company events

About Canonical

Canonical is a pioneering tech firm 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 of software. 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. Most colleagues at Canonical have worked from home since its inception in 2004. Working here is a step into the future, and will challenge you to think differently, work smarter, learn new skills, and raise your game.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Community Engineer role at Canonical fully remote?
Yes, the role is fully remote and open to candidates anywhere in the world. Canonical has operated as a distributed, work-from-home company since 2004.
How much travel is required for this role?
The role requires approximately 2 to 4 weeks of global travel per year for internal team sprints and external events and conferences. Additional travel opportunities are available for those who wish to travel more.
What technical background do I need to apply?
You should have experience with developer tools and open source projects, and ideally familiarity with Ubuntu Linux, DevOps, software development, package management, or container technology. A public record of contributions (GitHub, blog posts, talks) is important.
Does Canonical disclose salary ranges for this role?
No specific salary range is listed. Canonical states that compensation is determined by geographical location, experience, and performance, and is reviewed annually.
Are there multiple seniority levels available for this position?
Yes, Canonical states there are multiple positions available at different seniority levels, all handled through this single application entry point.
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