Software Architect - Containers / Virtualisation

Overview

Canonical is seeking a Software Architect to lead the architecture, design and evolution of system containers and cluster virtualization with LXD and Canonical MicroCloud. This remote role supports teams across the Americas and Europe, enabling you to contribute from anywhere while collaborating with global engineers.

About Canonical

Canonical is the company behind Ubuntu and a leader in open-source software and cloud-native technologies. We enable developers and enterprises to deploy, manage, and scale modern software in the cloud and at the edge.

Role Summary

Drive the architecture, design and evolution of containerization and virtualization capabilities across Canonical’s platforms. You will define the technical direction for container runtimes, virtualization layers, and cloud-native platform components to ensure scalable, secure, and high-performance deployments using LXD and Canonical MicroCloud.

Responsibilities

• Define and communicate architectural vision for containerization and virtualization.
• Design scalable container runtimes, virtualization layers (LXD), and orchestration primitives.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives, review designs and code, and establish engineering standards.
• Collaborate with the Canonical MicroCloud team to ensure compatibility with the Ubuntu ecosystem and cloud-native tooling.
• Evaluate new technologies, prototype approaches, and drive adoption of best practices in distributed systems.
• Mentor and guide engineers to raise the overall technical quality of the product.

Requirements

• Proven experience in software architecture for distributed systems and cloud-native architectures.
• Deep knowledge of container technologies (LXD, Docker, Kubernetes) and virtualization.
• Strong background in designing scalable, reliable, and secure systems.
• Experience with remote/work-from-anywhere teams and effective communication across time zones.
• Ability to influence and lead technical direction while collaborating with product and engineering teams.

Nice to Have

• Experience with Canonical MicroCloud or similar enterprise containerization platforms.
• Familiarity with Ubuntu ecosystem and related cloud tooling.

Benefits

Remote-friendly work arrangement; collaboration with global teams; opportunities to influence strategic containerization technologies.