Linux Distribution Engineer - Embedded Software

Linux Distribution Engineer - Embedded Software

About Zipline
Do you want to change the world? Zipline is on a mission to transform the way goods move. Our aim is to solve the world’s most urgent and complex access challenges by building, manufacturing and operating the first instant delivery and logistics system that serves all humans equally, wherever they are. From powering Rwanda’s national blood delivery network and Ghana’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution, to providing on-demand home delivery for Walmart, to enabling healthcare providers to bring care directly to U.S. homes, we are transforming the way things move for businesses, governments and consumers. The technology is complex but the idea is simple: a teleportation service that delivers what you need, when you need it. Through our technology that includes robotics and autonomy, we are decarbonizing delivery, decreasing road congestion, and reducing fossil fuel consumption and air pollution, while providing equitable access to billions of people and building a more resilient global supply chain.

Join Zipline and help us to make good on our promise to build an equitable and more resilient global supply chain for billions of people.

About You and The Role
As the Linux Distribution Engineer at Zipline, you will own the distribution of Linux across our fleet and ground systems. You’ll be responsible for building, maintaining, and scaling our Linux distribution using Yocto and Nvidia JetPack, ensuring reliable integration with hardware and long-term maintainability of the kernel. Instead of writing lightweight application software, your focus will be on kernel configuration, build tooling, drivers, and maintaining the foundation that all higher-level software depends on.

You’ll collaborate with hardware, embedded, and software teams to deliver a stable, secure, and performant Linux distribution tailored to Zipline’s mission-critical environment.

What You'Ll Do

• Own the design, customization, and maintenance of Zipline’s Linux distribution.
• Build and maintain Linux kernels, drivers, and system-level configurations for production hardware.
• Work with Yocto to maintain distribution and SDK.
• Integrate and manage Nvidia JetPack into our distribution, ensuring hardware acceleration and GPU-related features perform reliably.
• Use tools like bitbake and kas-container to automate and streamline distribution builds.
• Apply security patches, fix CVEs, hardening, and updates to maintain a secure production environment.
• Debug and resolve kernel-level and driver-related issues in collaboration with hardware and software teams.
• Establish processes for release management and long-term support of the distribution.

What You'Ll Bring

• 3+ years of experience building and maintaining Linux distributions.
• Deep experience with Yocto (required).
• Hands-on experience with Nvidia JetPack and related drivers (required).
• Strong background in Linux kernel configuration, patching, and maintenance.
• Proficiency with bitbake and build systems such as kas-container.
• Strong debugging skills at the OS, kernel, and hardware/software boundary.

Nice To Have

• Understanding of security fundamentals (key management, privileged user permissions)
• Understanding of Linux internals, including the /proc filesystem, cgroups, memory subsystem, networking and CPU scheduling.
• Experience with container runtimes and orchestration (e.g. Docker, Kubernetes).
• Familiarity with Bazel

What Else You Need To Know

This is an in-office office position where candidates that are not in the Bay Area will be expected to relocate.  The starting cash range for this role is $155,000 - $210,000. Please note that this is a target, starting cash range for a candidate who meets the minimum qualifications for this role. The final cash pay for this role will depend on a variety of factors, including a specific candidate's experience, qualifications, skills, working location, and projected impact. The total compensation package for this role may also include: equity compensation; discretionary annual or performance bonuses; sales incentives; benefits such as medical, dental and vision insurance; paid time off; and more.    Zipline is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship, or other characteristics protected by state, federal or local law or our other policies.   We value diversity at Zipline and welcome applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in tech. If you like the sound of this position but are not sure if you are the perfect fit, please apply!