Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Straffing AI is seeking a Principal Linux Kernel SDET Engineer to lead test strategy and automation for a highly distributed Linux-based AI and Compute platform. The role focuses on kernel validation, debugging, performance and reliability testing, security, CI infrastructure, and large-scale automated testing, while providing technical leadership and mentorship.
Responsibilities
- Lead the test strategy for a custom Linux kernel supporting AI and Compute platforms
- Design and develop automated tests for Linux kernel functionality, reliability, performance, and security
- Validate new kernel enhancements and support porting existing kernel modifications to newer kernel and VM infrastructure versions
- Build and scale automated testing infrastructure across distributed systems
- Debug and isolate complex kernel and system-level failures
- Perform Linux kernel debugging, performance benchmarking, and system-level validation
- Architect and improve CI/build/test infrastructure
- Develop test frameworks and tooling using C and scripting languages
- Work directly with engineering teams to establish system-level quality standards
- Provide technical leadership and mentorship to other engineers
Skills
- Have 12+ years of relevant professional experience
- Have substantial hands-on C development experience in Linux/kernel or low-level systems environments
- Have hands-on experience with Linux kernel internals
- Be able to work in the United States without visa sponsorship now or in the future
- 12+ years of relevant software engineering, systems engineering, development, or SDET experience
- Strong hands-on C development and validation experience
- Deep hands-on knowledge of Linux kernel internals
- Experience with several of the following areas:
- KVM / virtualization
- Virtio
- Cgroups
- Linux memory management
- File systems
- Block I/O
- Ethernet/network drivers
- TCP/IP stack
- Hands-on Linux kernel/system debugging experience
- Experience troubleshooting complex low-level failures across software and infrastructure layers
- Experience with Linux performance benchmarking and system-level validation
- Strong experience building automated testing frameworks, not merely executing predefined test cases
- Strong scripting experience with Python, Shell, and/or Perl
- Experience designing and supporting CI and continuous testing infrastructure
- Experience developing large-scale regression, validation, reliability, or performance test suites
- Ability to diagnose failures at the OS/kernel/system level, rather than only at the application layer
- Demonstrated technical leadership in complex engineering environments
- Ability to provide technical direction and mentor engineers
- Strong communication and collaboration skills
- Ability to operate independently within distributed engineering teams
- Candidates must already be authorized to work in the United States and must be able to continue working without employer-sponsored visa support now or in the future
- AI infrastructure
- Compute infrastructure
- GPU/accelerator platforms
- Distributed systems
- Cloud infrastructure
- Virtualization platforms
- High-performance computing
- Linux networking
- Linux storage
- Hardware/software validation
Benefits
- Annual incentives
- Equity opportunities
- ESPP
- Healthcare
- 401(k)
- PTO
- Parental/family benefits
- Other employee programs
Company Overview