Senior Staff Linux Kernel Engineer

About the role

You will set the technical direction for Crusoe's Linux kernel team, owning the roadmap and architecting critical development projects. This role requires a balance of high-level architectural design and hands-on kernel coding. You will tackle the most complex kernel problems while mentoring and growing the engineers around you to deliver production-ready infrastructure at scale.

What You’ll Be Working On

• Perform deep-dive root-cause analysis of issues across the OS and hardware layers. You will lead the triage and backporting for kernel CVEs while building automated tooling for vulnerability analysis.
• Architect and lead critical projects - new kernel features, security patching infrastructure, deployment systems - from design through production and upstream.
• Develop kernel code with an upstream-first mindset - we aim to contribute all changes to the Linux kernel community and keep our downstream patches zero; this is a core part of how the team works, not an afterthought
• Develop and review kernel code: memory management, scheduler, networking, storage, and GPU-related subsystems
• Design and implement advanced virtualization technologies tailored for GPU-accelerated AI and HPC workloads. You will optimize the stack for low latency and high scalability across hypervisors and device emulation.
• Find and develop kernel efficiency improvements proactively (e.g., DAMON-based memory management, hugepage optimization, memory overcommit)
• Mentor and review work from mid-level and junior engineers

What You’ll Bring to the Team

• Deep knowledge of Linux kernel internals - memory management, scheduler, networking, storage subsystems and/or device drivers
• Strong C programming skills; fluency in kernel development workflow (patch submission, mailing lists, Lore)
• Experience evaluating kernel security vulnerabilities: CVE analysis, exploitability assessment, backporting fixes
• Demonstrated ability to set technical direction and drive projects end-to-end
• Track record of upstream Linux kernel contributions is a strong plus
• Deep knowledge of Linux kernel internals (memory management, scheduler, I/O) and virtualization technologies (KVM, Xen, or QEMU)
• 10+ years of experience in systems software engineering working on low-level systems or infrastructure teams.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and equity packages
• Restricted Stock Units
• Paid time off, paid holidays & leave of absence programs
• Comprehensive health, dental & vision insurance
• Employer contributions to HSA account
• Paid parental leave
• Paid life insurance, short-term and long-term disability
• Professional development & tuition reimbursement
• Mental health & wellness support
• Commuter benefits (parking & transit)
• Cell phone stipend
• 401(k) Retirement plan with company match up to 4% of salary
• Volunteer time off
• Global travel insurance & emergency assistance
• Daily meals allowance
• Additional perks & programs specific to location

Compensation Range

Compensation will be paid in the range of up to $250,000 -$300,000 + Bonus. Restricted Stock Units are included in all offers. Compensation to be determined by the applicant's knowledge, education, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.