Technical Manager Automotive and Industrial

Technical Manager Automotive and Industrial

Canonical is seeking a Technical Manager for our Automotive and Industrial division, passionate about open source and precision engineering. We provide secure, reliable products for industrial and automotive partners, bridging open-source innovation with industry-specific requirements and stringent certification processes. Our goal is to enable industries like automotive to leverage our open-source portfolio from factory to cloud, offering the most secure and advanced platform for automotive innovation.

Role Responsibilities

You will lead a team of engineers dedicated to adapting our products for automotive and industrial needs. This includes representing Canonical and Ubuntu in industrial and automotive communities and standards consortia. Your team will ensure our Linux distribution and products support standards for processes, cybersecurity, and safety (e.g., IEC 61508, ISO9001, ISO 21434, UNECE R155 & R156, ISO26262 ASIL B-D, ASPICE). You will also enhance delivery quality, security, and developer experience, driving strategy and execution. Reporting to the VP of Engineering Excellence, you will collaborate with the Automotive Product Manager on the vision and roadmap.

What You Will Do:

• Collaborate with Product Management to refine the vision and strategy for automotive at Canonical.
• Define and execute an engineering roadmap for the automotive team.
• Represent Ubuntu and Canonical in the automotive community, with customers, partners, and consortia.
• Lead our Linux distribution and open-source software strategy in Automotive.
• Build and lead a globally distributed team of engineers, coordinating and overseeing their work.
• Develop skills through coaching, feedback, and hands-on technical leadership.
• Set and manage expectations with other engineering teams, senior management, and external stakeholders.
• Advocate and advance modern, agile software development practices.
• Help develop and evangelize great engineering and organizational practices.
• Grow a healthy, collaborative engineering culture aligned with company values.
• Work remotely with international travel up to two weeks per year for company events.

Who You Are:

• Strong background in software engineering, Linux, and open source.
• In-depth knowledge of Linux packages and embedded development.
• Knowledge of automotive and industry standards (ISO21434, ISO26262, SOTIF, IEC 61508), with experience leading compliant product development.
• Proficiency in C/C++ and Python programming.
• Practical experience in automotive, including functional safety, embedded systems, and cloud trends.
• Proven experience leading, managing, coaching, and mentoring software developers.
• Track record of timely delivery and high-quality software.
• Passion for developing and growing people.
• Experience in agile development environments.

What We Offer You:

• Competitive base pay determined by location, experience, and skills.
• Additional benefits reflecting company values (may vary by location).
• Fully remote working environment (company has been remote-first since 2004).
• Personal learning and development budget ($2,000 USD per annum).
• Annual compensation review.
• Recognition rewards.
• Annual holiday leave.
• Parental Leave.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Opportunity to travel for company events.
• Priority Pass and travel upgrades for long-haul company events.

About Canonical:

Canonical is a pioneering tech firm leading the open-source movement. As the publisher of Ubuntu, a critical platform for AI, IoT, and the cloud, we are making a global impact. We maintain high standards for our employees, expecting excellence and a commitment to being the best. Canonical has been remote-first since 2004, offering a forward-thinking work environment that challenges individuals to think differently, work smarter, learn new skills, and elevate their performance. We provide a unique perspective on 21st-century digital business.

We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace, free from discrimination. We believe that diversity in experience, perspectives, and background leads to better work environments and superior products. We offer fair consideration for all applications, regardless of identity.

Key skills/competency

• Technical Management
• Automotive Engineering
• Industrial Engineering
• Open Source Software
• Linux Kernel
• Embedded Systems
• Functional Safety
• Agile Methodologies
• Team Leadership
• C/C++ and Python