About Canonical

Canonical is the company behind Ubuntu, the world's leading open-source operating system powering enterprise innovation worldwide. As a pioneer in open-source software, Canonical delivers Ubuntu to global leaders in public cloud, data science, AI, engineering, and IoT. Our customers include top public cloud providers, silicon manufacturers, and industry giants across sectors. With over 1100 colleagues in 75+ countries, Canonical embodies a remote-first culture, minimizing office-based roles and fostering globally distributed collaboration. Teams align through 2-4 annual in-person meetings in exciting global locations, blending strategy with execution. Founder-led and profitable, Canonical continues to grow, shaping the future of open source.

Role Overview

The Engineering Manager - Web role at Canonical is a leadership position focused on guiding talented web engineers to deliver reliable, scalable, and delightful user experiences for Canonical's products. Based remotely in the EMEA region, you'll collaborate with product managers, engineering teams, and stakeholders across the organization. Your primary duty is people-focused: supporting your team's growth, ensuring valuable work, and fostering an enjoyable environment. With your technical leadership and deep web development expertise, you'll challenge and elevate your team while influencing culture, technical delivery, strategy, and execution in Ubuntu's ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities

• Demonstrate sound engineering principles by directly contributing to team goals through hands-on coding.
• Estimate work accurately, set ambitious goals, and consistently meet them to drive project success.
• Design, implement, and deploy well-tested, documented software using web technologies or Flutter.
• Debug and resolve issues encountered by users, ensuring high reliability and uptime.
• Participate actively in engineering processes via code reviews, architectural reviews, and technical specifications.
• Collaborate with community members and colleagues to refine technical documentation to industry-leading standards.
• Seek and implement improvements in engineering and operations practices for greater efficiency.
• Deploy and operate team-developed services, contributing to product success through technical advocacy.

Qualifications & Requirements

Canonical seeks passionate leaders with proven expertise in web development. Essential qualifications include:

• Knowledge and passion for web and software development, with experience in Typescript, React, or Flutter.
• Exceptional academic record from high school and university, plus an undergraduate degree in Computer Science, STEM, or a compelling alternative path.
• Strong soft skills: passion, enterprise, thoughtfulness, self-motivation, excellent interpersonal and communication abilities.
• Track record of exceeding expectations, well-organized delivery to schedule, and professional interactions.
• Eye for accessibility, performance, and experience with Linux (Debian or Ubuntu preferred).
• Professional English proficiency and ability to travel twice yearly for up to two weeks per event.

Nice-to-have skills: Experience with containers (LXD, Docker, Kubernetes), team building, REST API design, performance engineering, and security.

Benefits & Perks

Canonical offers an exceptional package for colleagues:

• Fully remote work from anywhere in EMEA, embracing a distributed global model.
• Competitive salary with performance upside in a profitable, growing company.
• World-class professional development, focusing on engineering growth and leadership.
• Annual in-person team summits in inspiring locations for strategy and bonding.
• Access to cutting-edge open-source projects, influencing Ubuntu and enterprise tech.
• Comprehensive support for work-life balance in a founder-led culture prioritizing innovation.

Career Growth

At Canonical, Engineering Managers thrive in a merit-based environment. You'll mentor strong engineers, shape team culture, and contribute to strategic initiatives. With hands-on technical involvement, you'll stay sharp while leading. Opportunities abound to influence Canonical's roadmap, collaborate on Ubuntu advancements, and grow into senior leadership. Our remote-first model and global network provide unparalleled exposure, backed by investment in your skills through training, conferences, and peer learning.

Why Join Canonical

Joining Canonical means contributing to Ubuntu's global impact on open source and enterprise tech. Work on breakthrough initiatives in cloud, AI, IoT, and beyond with industry pioneers. Our remote-first culture eliminates commutes, enabling focus on high-impact work. As a profitable, founder-led company, we offer stability and rapid growth. Passionate about web engineering? Lead teams delivering scalable experiences for millions, all while enjoying flexibility, travel perks, and a supportive community driving open-source innovation.

Role FAQs

Q: Is this role fully remote? Yes, home-based anywhere in EMEA.

Q: What tech stack is used? Primarily web technologies with Typescript, React, or Flutter; Linux expertise preferred.

Q: What's the travel requirement? Two company events per year, up to two weeks each.

Q: Do I need prior management experience? Nice-to-have; strong technical background and leadership skills are essential.

Q: How does Canonical support career growth? Through mentorship, technical challenges, global collaboration, and professional development resources.

Q: What's the company culture like? Remote-first, open-source driven, with emphasis on growth, accountability, and fun global meetups.