Overview

An Amazing Career Opportunity for a Senior Linux Engineer

Location: Cardiff, UK

Job ID: 40088

This is a role as a senior engineer in our core systems biometrics team focused on low-level Linux development. The ideal candidate will design, maintain, and evolve our custom Linux distribution and should be deeply familiar with Linux kernel internals, custom builds, device driver development, and system performance optimization. This is a hands-on, initiative-driven role that tackles complex technical challenges involving embedded systems, OS-level programming, and secure platforms. The position is hybrid in Cardiff, UK, with 2 remote days per week.

Responsibilities

• Designing and maintaining a custom Linux distribution tailored to embedded use cases.
• Contributing to and modifying the Linux kernel (mainline or forks).
• Writing and debugging device drivers for bespoke hardware.
• Creating and maintaining device tree source.
• Implementing robust bootloaders, kernel modules, and init systems.
• Managing distro build systems using tools like Yocto and Buildroot.
• Enforcing security such as secure boot, trusted execution environments and read-only rootfs.
• Debugging kernel panics.
• Reviewing kernel configurations with a security focus (e.g. KASLR).
• Creating and managing SELinux/AppArmor profiles.
• Leading the design of scalable system update mechanisms and diagnostics tools.
• Performing code reviews and mentoring junior engineers.
• Interfacing with hardware, product, and application teams to ensure holistic system behavior.
• Staying current with upstream changes, patches, and security advisories.

What we will love about your background

• 5+ years of Linux kernel development experience.
• Proven track record working on kernel-space and user-space integration.
• Deep experience with kernel debugging tools (ftrace, kprobes, perf, etc.).
• Expertise in C and shell scripting; familiarity with Python and Rust is a plus.
• Familiarity with secure boot processes (e.g., U-Boot, GRUB with TPM, dm-verity).
• Familiarity with file system overlays, systemd and initramfs.
• Experience with deploying Linux on Arm.
• Knowledge of filesystems, memory management, and I/O subsystems.
• Exposure to real-time Linux (PREEMPT_RT or similar) is a strong advantage.
• Experience managing custom Linux distro lifecycle (build, release, patching).
• Comfortable working with Git, CI/CD systems, and collaborative tools.

Your Experience and Education

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Electronics Engineering, or related field.
• Legally eligible to work in the UK or designated location.
• Experience working in cross-functional, geographically distributed teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

What we can offer you

• Competitive salary and rewards package.
• Competitive benefits and annual leave offering, enabling work-life balance.
• A vibrant, welcoming & inclusive culture.
• Extensive career development opportunities and resources to maximize your potential.
• Be part of a global organization pioneering hardware, software and services for trusted identities.

Why apply?

• Empowerment: Work as part of a global team in a flexible work environment. If you have most of the skills and experience, we encourage you to apply.
• Innovation: Embrace challenges and drive change, with openness to flexible work arrangements or part-time options.
• Integrity: You are results-oriented and value being treated with respect and inclusivity.

We make it easier for people to get where they want to go. HID technology supports billions of interactions in more than 100 countries. Join HID and be part of the ASSA ABLOY Group, with a global presence and opportunities for career growth.