About Canonical

Canonical is the company behind Ubuntu, the world's leading open source operating system powering enterprise initiatives in public cloud, data science, AI, engineering innovation, and IoT. As a pioneer in global distributed collaboration, Canonical employs over 1200 colleagues across 75+ countries, with most roles remote-first. The company is founder-led, profitable, and rapidly growing, serving top public cloud providers, silicon giants, and industry leaders worldwide. Ubuntu's ubiquity in breakthrough technologies makes Canonical a cornerstone of modern computing.

Role Overview

Canonical seeks a Silicon Alliances Ecosystem Development Manager for an office-based role in Beijing or Shanghai, China. This position drives joint initiatives and technical engagements with major semiconductor partners, combining open source adoption with chip-specific optimizations. You'll develop product roadmaps, go-to-market plans, and new business models to deliver frictionless Ubuntu experiences from cloud to edge hardware. Ideal for hardware-software enthusiasts ready to evolve into business development, this role demands navigating complex technical challenges across global teams.

Key Responsibilities

In this dynamic role, you'll bridge Canonical's engineering prowess with silicon partners' innovation:

• Collaborate with product, engineering, and alliance teams at silicon partners to align on open-source strategies.
• Ensure Canonical’s product requirements are clearly communicated and deliveries executed on schedule.
• Maintain strong relationships with engineering teams to integrate and optimize Ubuntu on partner hardware.
• Serve as the product champion and primary point of contact for key silicon partners.
• Coordinate with marketing and product teams on messaging, content creation, and launch strategies.
• Create compelling partner- and customer-facing materials, including webinars, presentations, videos, and white papers.
• Drive Ubuntu adoption across partner products, advocating its benefits to stakeholders.
• Lead efforts to position Canonical products as the default choice for partners, accelerating end-user adoption.

Qualifications & Requirements

Canonical looks for top talent with a blend of technical depth and business acumen:

• Exceptional academic track record from high school and university, or a compelling alternative path narrative.
• Bachelor’s degree in science, technology, and/or engineering.
• Fundamental understanding of the semiconductor industry and ecosystem.
• Hands-on experience in software and system architecture.
• Customer-facing experience in business development, technology strategy, or similar roles.
• Excellent communication skills to grasp complex topics and synthesize key insights.
• Ability to operate at strategic and tactical levels.
• Disciplined, self-motivated mindset suited for a remote-first environment.

Nice-to-have skills include open source software experience, team leadership, program management, marketing/go-to-market strategy, and working with Chinese tech companies.

Benefits & Perks

Canonical offers competitive, location-adjusted compensation with annual reviews, performance bonuses, and commissions. Beyond base pay, enjoy:

• Distributed work environment with 2-4 yearly in-person team sprints in exciting global locations.
• USD 2,000 annual personal learning and development budget.
• Recognition rewards for outstanding contributions.
• Generous annual holiday leave, maternity, and paternity leave.
• Team Member Assistance Program and Wellness Platform.
• Travel perks including Priority Pass and upgrades for company events.

Benefits balance local needs with global fairness, ensuring equity across our diverse workforce.

Career Growth

At Canonical, career progression is driven by performance and impact. This role offers exposure to semiconductor giants, open source ecosystems, and enterprise tech strategy. Grow from technical alliances to business leadership, leveraging Ubuntu's global reach. With annual reviews, learning budgets, and cross-team sprints, you'll build skills in partnership management, product strategy, and innovation. Canonical's remote-first culture fosters autonomy, while in-person alignments spark collaboration and networking.

Why Join Canonical

Join a profitable, growing company shaping open source's future. Work on Ubuntu, the OS behind AI, cloud, and IoT revolutions, partnering with silicon leaders for hardware-software synergy. Thrive in a remote-first setup with occasional global travel, backed by founder-led vision and inclusive benefits. Located in Beijing or Shanghai, this office-based role positions you at China's tech forefront, driving Canonical's mission for seamless, open source-powered computing worldwide.

Role FAQs

Q: Is this role fully remote? No, it's office-based in Beijing or Shanghai, with remote collaboration elements and periodic global sprints.

Q: What salary can I expect? Competitive for Beijing tech sector, based on experience; includes bonuses and reviews.

Q: Do I need semiconductor experience? Fundamental understanding required; deep expertise a plus.

Q: How does Canonical support open source? Ubuntu exemplifies our commitment, optimized for partners' chips.

Q: What's the team structure? Part of Silicon Alliances, working globally with engineering, product, and marketing.