Senior Software Developer (C – Linux Kernel & User Space)

Keysight Technologies

Overview

Keysight is at the forefront of technology innovation, delivering breakthroughs and trusted insights in electronic design, simulation, prototyping, test, manufacturing, and optimization. Our ~15,000 employees create world-class solutions in communications, 5G, automotive, energy, quantum, aerospace, defense, and semiconductor markets for customers in over 100 countries. Learn more about what we do.

Our award-winning culture embraces a bold vision of where technology can take us and a passion for tackling challenging problems with industry-first solutions. We believe that when people feel a sense of belonging, they can be more creative, innovative, and thrive at all points in their careers.

We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Software Developer with strong expertise in C programming to work across Linux kernel space and user space components. The role involves designing, developing, optimizing, and maintaining low-level system software, with a focus on performance, reliability, and security.

You will work closely with cross-functional teams including system architects, QA, and hardware engineers to build robust and scalable system-level solutions.

Responsibilities

Core Development

  • Design, develop, and maintain software components in C for both:
    • Kernel space (Linux kernel modules, drivers, subsystems)
    • User space applications, daemons, and system services
  • Implement high-performance and low-latency solutions with attention to memory and CPU efficiency
  • Develop and maintain device drivers, kernel modules, and system-level interfaces

System-Level Engineering

  • Work with Linux internals (process scheduling, memory management, IPC, networking stack)
  • Debug complex issues across kernel and user space boundaries
  • Analyze system performance and implement optimizations

Debugging & Troubleshooting

  • Investigate and resolve issues using tools such as:
    • gdb, strace, perf, ftrace
    • Kernel crash dumps (kdump, crash tool)
  • Root cause analysis for system crashes, memory leaks, and race conditions

Integration & Collaboration

  • Collaborate with hardware teams for driver development and bring-up
  • Work with DevOps and QA to integrate solutions into CI/CD pipelines
  • Participate in design reviews and contribute to architectural decisions

Code Quality & Security

  • Write clean, maintainable, and well-documented code
  • Ensure adherence to coding standards (e.g. Linux kernel guidelines where applicable)
  • Address vulnerabilities and ensure secure coding practices

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent experience
  • 5–10+ years of professional experience in C programming
  • Strong experience with:
    • Linux kernel development
    • User space system programming
  • Solid understanding of:
    • Operating systems concepts (processes, threads, memory, synchronization)
    • POSIX APIs, system calls, and low-level I/O
  • Experience with:
    • Kernel module development and debugging
    • Multithreading and concurrency primitives
    • IPC mechanisms (pipes, sockets, shared memory)
    • script languages (bash/python);

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience with embedded Linux systems
  • Knowledge of cross-compilation and toolchains
  • Familiarity with networking protocols and kernel networking stack
  • Experience with:
    • Build systems (Make, CMake, Yocto, Buildroot)
    • Version control systems (Git, GitLab/Bitbucket workflows)
  • Exposure to security concepts (SELinux, secure boot, sandboxing)
  • Hardware interfaces knowledge – PCIE, XFI, ILK, GMII would be appreciated

Soft Skills

  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
  • Ability to work independently and in a collaborative team environment
  • Clear communication and documentation abilities
  • Proactive mindset with ownership of task

What we offer

  • Opportunity to work on low-level, high-impact system software
  • Exposure to cutting-edge kernel and performance optimization challenges
  • Collaborative engineering environment
  • Competitive compensation and growth opportunities

Careers Privacy Statement***Keysight is an Equal Opportunity Employer.***

Read Full Description
Confirmed 8 hours ago. Posted 30+ days ago.

Discover Similar Jobs

Suggested Articles