About Canonical

Canonical is the company behind Ubuntu, the world's leading open source operating system powering 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 very few office-based roles. Teams align on strategy through in-person meetings two to four times yearly in exciting global locations. Founder-led and profitable, Canonical delivers enterprise-grade open source solutions to the world's top public cloud providers, silicon manufacturers, and industry leaders.

Canonical's mission is to realize the potential of free software for individuals and organizations worldwide. Ubuntu reduces costs, boosts efficiency, and enhances security for businesses globally. With a remote-first culture since 2004, Canonical sets the standard for the 21st-century digital workplace.

Role Overview

The Software Engineer - App Stores position joins Canonical's Store team, responsible for developing and operating backend services powering the Snap Store (snapcraft.io/store) and Charmhub.io marketplaces. Built primarily in Python with some Golang, these services handle massive scale for software delivery across IoT, enterprise, public cloud, and beyond.

Exciting challenges include scaling production architecture, expanding software delivery capabilities, and enhancing IoT and large enterprise offerings. Ideal for engineers passionate about clean APIs, rapid shipping, and automated testing for velocity and reliability. This remote role offers worldwide flexibility with occasional travel.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate remotely with a globally distributed team of top engineers.
• Write clean, scalable web service APIs in Python (optionally Golang) for CLI and web clients.
• Design and implement new features and enhancements from specification to production at scale.
• Review code and technical designs from fellow engineers to maintain high standards.
• Discuss ideas collaboratively to find optimal solutions.
• Work remotely with 2-4 weeks annual travel for internal strategy sessions and external events.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Demonstrated professional proficiency developing public-facing APIs and web applications in Python.
• Broad technology foundation with preference for backend code and infrastructure.
• Expertise in relational and non-relational databases, including performant data model design and query tuning.
• Comfortable using Ubuntu as both development and deployment platform.
• Strong academic record in Computer Science, STEM, or equivalent degree.
• Passionate about technology, diverse teams, open source, Linux, and web services at scale.
• Curious, flexible, articulate, accountable, with strong soft skills; enterprising, thoughtful, self-motivated.

Benefits & Perks

• 100% remote work from anywhere worldwide, joining a truly global team.
• Annual travel to inspiring locations for team alignment and networking.
• Work on high-impact projects shaping Ubuntu's app ecosystems for AI, IoT, cloud.
• Competitive compensation in a profitable, growing company.
• Opportunity to collaborate with the best minds in open source technology.
• Flexible, high-trust culture emphasizing excellence, innovation, and work-life balance.

Career Growth

At Canonical, career progression is driven by impact and excellence. Engineers advance through technical leadership, architectural contributions, and cross-team influence. With rapid growth in cloud, AI, IoT, and enterprise segments, opportunities abound for specialization or broadening expertise. Regular feedback, mentorship, and global exposure ensure continuous development. Many colleagues have built long-term careers since Canonical's inception, evolving with Ubuntu's global dominance.

Why Join Canonical

Join a unique tech company: global, remote-first, open source-focused. Canonical isn't about being the biggest—it's about being the best. Contribute to Ubuntu, the #1 cloud OS, and marketplaces serving millions. Experience a founder-led environment prioritizing innovation over bureaucracy. Work with diverse, talented professionals across continents, tackling real-world challenges in scalable web services, open source delivery, and emerging tech like IoT. This role positions you at the forefront of software distribution evolution.

Role FAQs

Q: Is this role fully remote? Yes, home-based worldwide with 2-4 weeks travel per year.

Q: What tech stack is used? Primarily Python, some Golang, for backend services with databases.

Q: Do I need Golang experience? Python proficiency is essential; Golang is optional.

Q: What's the team structure? Globally distributed, collaborative, with regular in-person strategy meetings.

Q: How does Canonical support open source? As Ubuntu's publisher, we drive free software adoption at enterprise scale.

Q: What makes this role exciting? Scaling app stores for IoT/enterprise, clean APIs, high-velocity shipping with automation.