Information Systems - Open Source Technical Architect
Canonical · EMEA
- Hybrid
- Full-time
- $150,000 / year
- EMEA
Job highlights
- Define global infrastructure as code best practices.
- Shape infrastructure for millions of Ubuntu devices.
- Lead SREs and DCEs in cloud infrastructure.
- Coach team on automation and scalability.
- Improve Canonical products and open-source technologies.
About the role
About Canonical
Canonical is a leading provider of open source software and operating systems to the global enterprise and technology markets. Our platform, Ubuntu, is very widely used in breakthrough enterprise initiatives such as public cloud, data science, AI, engineering innovation and IoT. Our customers include the world's leading public cloud and silicon providers, and industry leaders in many sectors. The company is a pioneer of global distributed collaboration, with 1200 colleagues in more than 80 countries and very few office based roles. Teams meet two to four times yearly in person, in interesting locations around the world, to align on strategy and execution. The company is founder led, profitable and growing.About the Role
We are hiring an Information Systems Architect to define the best practice in infrastructure as code at a global scale. Join us to advance the state of the art, and shape the infrastructure behind tens of millions devices running Ubuntu.The Information Systems (IS) team is responsible for all IT operations at Canonical, including the infrastructure for building, packaging and distributing Ubuntu globally. As the IS architect, you will own the design of hardware and software implementation from PCI lanes to CDN and everything in between. Our goal is to be a reference operation, using the latest capabilities in Ubuntu and open source more generally, with the most modern operating principles. Your choices will impact the Ubuntu user experience for millions of users, and drive how Canonical’s engineers engage with compute and network resources in a devops setting.
As the IS Architect, you’ll be in a unique position to improve Canonical products and the open-source technologies they’re based on. You do this by leading System Reliability Engineers (SRE) and Data Center Engineers (DCE) to embrace best practices, and make informed decisions on technology choices in all aspects of cloud infrastructure and services. You will coach the IS team on automation, reliability, operational/technical scalability, network infrastructure and security.
This is a home based position, with twice-annual travel to company events totaling around 4 weeks per year.
Location: This role will be based remotely in the EMEA region.
The Role Entails
- Define, get buy-in and implement the holistic vision of a world class internal cloud
- Setup, maintain and update the technical design roadmap and guidelines for the SREs within IS, with the aim of improving reliability, resilience, operational scalability, and technical scalability
- Collaborate with, and provide the cloud-ops software development teams with input for roadmap, requirements and prioritization to build a world-class, highly standardized and automated operation
- Provide the IS management with input and advice with regards to technology, reliability, resilience and business cases
- Lead technical choices to implement solutions as self-service products, ensuring scalable operation
- Collaborate with product security as well as operations security to set best practice and mitigate new threats in a timely manner
- Automate operations for reuse across the world's largest companies, taking into consideration the complexities of distributed systems
- Collaborate with development teams to design service architecture, documentation, playbooks, policies and operational procedures
- Analyze incidents and events, and establish what the reason behind the reasons are, and what structural improvements can be made to minimize the chance of them reoccurring
What we are looking for in you
- Exceptional academic track record from both high school and university
- Undergraduate degree in a technical subject or a compelling narrative about your alternative chosen path
- Confidence to respectfully speak up, exchange feedback, and share ideas without hesitation
- Track record of going above-and-beyond expectations to achieve outstanding results
- Extensive knowledge of cloud computing concepts, technologies & operation
- Practical knowledge of Linux networking, routing, and firewalls, internet transit and large scale/bandwidth networking.
- Experience dealing with significant production outages, incident response and postmortems
- A passion for writing, sharing, and maintaining enterprise open-source software solutions
- Able to communicate clearly and effectively in English over email, chat, video or voice calls and in-person
- Be familiarized and passionate about open-source, especially Ubuntu or Debian
Nice-to-have Skills
- Modern software engineering background (peer-review, unit testing, SCM, CI/CD, Agile)
- Hands-on experience of automatic administration of enterprise Linux servers at scale
What we offer colleagues
- 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 recognise 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
Key skills/competency
- Information Systems Architecture
- Infrastructure as Code
- Cloud Computing
- Linux Networking
- System Reliability Engineering
- DevOps
- Open Source Software
- Incident Response
- Scalability
- Automation
Skills & topics
- Information Systems Architect
- Cloud Computing
- Infrastructure as Code
- Linux Networking
- DevOps
- Open Source
- System Reliability Engineering
- Ubuntu
- Automation
- Scalability
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight experience in cloud computing, Linux networking, and open source.
- Showcase open-source passion: Detail contributions to Ubuntu, Debian, or similar projects.
- Demonstrate leadership: Emphasize experience in defining visions and coaching teams.
- Prepare for technical deep-dives: Be ready to discuss incident response and infrastructure design.
- Understand Canonical's culture: Research their distributed work model and commitment to open source.
Technical preparation
Master cloud computing concepts and operations.,Deepen Linux networking, routing, and firewall knowledge.,Practice infrastructure as code tools.,Prepare for incident response scenario discussions.
Behavioral questions
Describe a time you defined a technical vision.,How do you encourage best practices in a team?,Share an experience with a major production outage.,How do you communicate complex technical ideas?
Frequently asked questions
- What are the key responsibilities of an Information Systems Architect at Canonical?
- As an Information Systems Architect at Canonical, you will define best practices for infrastructure as code on a global scale. This includes owning the design of hardware and software implementation, leading SREs and DCEs, coaching the IS team on automation, reliability, scalability, and security, and improving Canonical products and open-source technologies.
- What is the work environment like at Canonical for an Information Systems Architect?
- Canonical operates a distributed work environment, with most colleagues working from home. This Information Systems Architect role is home-based, with twice-yearly in-person team sprints in various global locations. This allows for flexibility while fostering collaboration and strategy alignment.
- What technical skills are most important for this Information Systems Architect role at Canonical?
- Key technical skills include extensive knowledge of cloud computing concepts and operations, practical knowledge of Linux networking, routing, firewalls, and large-scale networking. Experience with production outages, incident response, and a passion for open-source software, especially Ubuntu or Debian, are also crucial.
- How does Canonical approach compensation and benefits for remote employees like this Information Systems Architect?
- Canonical shapes compensation worldwide based on geographical location, experience, and performance. They offer annual compensation reviews, performance-driven bonuses, and a range of benefits including a personal learning and development budget, recognition rewards, and support for remote work with travel opportunities.
- What is expected academically for an Information Systems Architect candidate at Canonical?
- Canonical looks for an exceptional academic track record from both high school and university. While an undergraduate degree in a technical subject is preferred, they also consider candidates with a compelling narrative about an alternative chosen path, emphasizing a strong foundation and a drive for excellence.
- How can I demonstrate my suitability for the Information Systems Architect role at Canonical?
- To demonstrate your suitability, highlight your experience in defining holistic visions for internal clouds, creating roadmaps for SREs, and leading technical choices for self-service products. Showcase your ability to automate operations and analyze incidents for structural improvements, alongside your passion for open-source.