Linux Software Engineer Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Linux Software Engineers are strong H-1B visa sponsorship candidates. Roles in kernel development, embedded systems, and systems programming typically qualify as specialty occupations, and employers across cloud infrastructure, defense, and semiconductor industries sponsor regularly. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.
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Get Access To All JobsPrincipal Linux Kernel Developer
This role has been designed as ‘Hybrid’ with an expectation that you will work on average 2 days per week from an HPE office.
Who We Are:
Hewlett Packard Enterprise is the global edge-to-cloud company advancing the way people live and work. We help companies connect, protect, analyze, and act on their data and applications wherever they live, from edge to cloud, so they can turn insights into outcomes at the speed required to thrive in today’s complex world. Our culture thrives on finding new and better ways to accelerate what’s next. We know varied backgrounds are valued and succeed here. We have the flexibility to manage our work and personal needs. We make bold moves, together, and are a force for good. If you are looking to stretch and grow your career our culture will embrace you. Open up opportunities with HPE.
Job Description:
Key Responsibilities
- Lead architecture and design of Linux kernel components including filesystems, memory management, networking, and I/O subsystems.
- Drive performance optimization, scalability improvements, and reliability across the storage stack.
- Debug and resolve complex kernel-level issues including system crashes, memory corruption, and performance bottlenecks.
- Provide technical leadership through design reviews, mentoring, and establishing engineering best practices.
- Collaborate across storage, networking, firmware, and hardware teams to deliver integrated solutions.
- Engage with upstream open-source communities (e.g., Linux kernel, Lustre) and contribute patches and reviews.
- Lead root-cause analysis and resolution of critical customer issues and escalations.
- Define and influence long-term architectural direction for HPE storage platforms.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field.
- 8–12+ years of experience in systems or kernel-level software development.
- Expert-level proficiency in C programming.
- Deep expertise in Linux kernel internals (e.g., memory management, filesystems, networking, block I/O).
- Strong experience debugging kernel using tools such as crash, perf, ftrace, and tracepoints.
- Experience with distributed systems or storage platforms.
- Proven technical leadership and ability to influence architecture and cross-functional teams.
- Strong collaboration and communication skills within global engineering organizations.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with distributed storage systems such as Lustre, Ceph, or DAOS.
- Experience contributing to upstream Linux kernel or open-source projects.
- Knowledge of HPC environments and high-performance computing architectures.
- Familiarity with RDMA, InfiniBand, or high-speed interconnects.
- Experience with CI/CD, testing automation, and performance benchmarking.
- Experience handling customer escalations and production system issues.
What We Can Offer You:
Health & Wellbeing
We strive to provide our team members and their loved ones with a comprehensive suite of benefits that supports their physical, financial and emotional wellbeing.
Personal & Professional Development
We also invest in your career because the better you are, the better we all are. We have specific programs catered to helping you reach any career goals you have — whether you want to become a knowledge expert in your field or apply your skills to another division.
Unconditional Inclusion
We are unconditionally inclusive in the way we work and celebrate individual uniqueness. We know varied backgrounds are valued and succeed here. We have the flexibility to manage our work and personal needs. We make bold moves, together, and are a force for good.
Let's Stay Connected:
Follow @HPECareers on Instagram to see the latest on people, culture and tech at HPE.
Job: Engineering
Job Level: TCP_05
The expected salary/wage range for this position is provided below. Actual offer may vary from this range based upon geographic location, work experience, education/training, and/or skill level.
- United States of America: Annual Salary USD 160,000 - 303,000 in Colorado // 152,000 - 349,000 in Minnesota
The listed salary range reflects base salary. Variable incentives may also be offered.
Information about employee benefits offered in the US can be found at https://myhperewards.com/main/new-hire-enrollment.html
The estimated job application period closure is August 28 2026; this timeline is provided for transparency and internal planning purposes.
HPE is an Equal Employment Opportunity/ Veterans/Disabled/LGBT employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, or any other protected category, and all decisions we make are made on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need. Our goal is to be one global team that is representative of our customers, in an inclusive environment where we can continue to innovate and grow together. Please click here: Equal Employment Opportunity.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise is EEO Protected Veteran/ Individual with Disabilities.
HPE will comply with all applicable laws related to employer use of arrest and conviction records, including laws requiring employers to consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories.
Recruitment Fraud Alert
We have become aware of an increase in fraudulent recruitment activities in which individuals impersonate our company or authorized recruitment agencies to offer fake employment opportunities. These scams may occur through false websites, emails, social media, or chat-based applications and often aim to obtain personal information or money. Please note that Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), its direct and indirect subsidiaries and affiliated companies, and its authorized recruitment agencies/vendors will never charge a candidate a registration fee, hiring fee, or any other fee in connection with its recruitment and hiring process. We also never request personal information such as back account details, Social Security numbers, or national IDs via social media or chat applications.
All legitimate job opportunities will come through official company channels, and candidates are responsible for verifying the credentials of any third party claiming to represent the company. Any reliance on fraudulent communication is at the individual’s own risk, and HPE disclaims legal liability for any resulting damages. If you suspect recruitment fraud, do not share personal information or make any payments and report the incident to your local authorities immediately.
Principal Linux Kernel Developer
This role has been designed as ‘Hybrid’ with an expectation that you will work on average 2 days per week from an HPE office.
Who We Are:
Hewlett Packard Enterprise is the global edge-to-cloud company advancing the way people live and work. We help companies connect, protect, analyze, and act on their data and applications wherever they live, from edge to cloud, so they can turn insights into outcomes at the speed required to thrive in today’s complex world. Our culture thrives on finding new and better ways to accelerate what’s next. We know varied backgrounds are valued and succeed here. We have the flexibility to manage our work and personal needs. We make bold moves, together, and are a force for good. If you are looking to stretch and grow your career our culture will embrace you. Open up opportunities with HPE.
Job Description:
Key Responsibilities
- Lead architecture and design of Linux kernel components including filesystems, memory management, networking, and I/O subsystems.
- Drive performance optimization, scalability improvements, and reliability across the storage stack.
- Debug and resolve complex kernel-level issues including system crashes, memory corruption, and performance bottlenecks.
- Provide technical leadership through design reviews, mentoring, and establishing engineering best practices.
- Collaborate across storage, networking, firmware, and hardware teams to deliver integrated solutions.
- Engage with upstream open-source communities (e.g., Linux kernel, Lustre) and contribute patches and reviews.
- Lead root-cause analysis and resolution of critical customer issues and escalations.
- Define and influence long-term architectural direction for HPE storage platforms.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field.
- 8–12+ years of experience in systems or kernel-level software development.
- Expert-level proficiency in C programming.
- Deep expertise in Linux kernel internals (e.g., memory management, filesystems, networking, block I/O).
- Strong experience debugging kernel using tools such as crash, perf, ftrace, and tracepoints.
- Experience with distributed systems or storage platforms.
- Proven technical leadership and ability to influence architecture and cross-functional teams.
- Strong collaboration and communication skills within global engineering organizations.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with distributed storage systems such as Lustre, Ceph, or DAOS.
- Experience contributing to upstream Linux kernel or open-source projects.
- Knowledge of HPC environments and high-performance computing architectures.
- Familiarity with RDMA, InfiniBand, or high-speed interconnects.
- Experience with CI/CD, testing automation, and performance benchmarking.
- Experience handling customer escalations and production system issues.
What We Can Offer You:
Health & Wellbeing
We strive to provide our team members and their loved ones with a comprehensive suite of benefits that supports their physical, financial and emotional wellbeing.
Personal & Professional Development
We also invest in your career because the better you are, the better we all are. We have specific programs catered to helping you reach any career goals you have — whether you want to become a knowledge expert in your field or apply your skills to another division.
Unconditional Inclusion
We are unconditionally inclusive in the way we work and celebrate individual uniqueness. We know varied backgrounds are valued and succeed here. We have the flexibility to manage our work and personal needs. We make bold moves, together, and are a force for good.
Let's Stay Connected:
Follow @HPECareers on Instagram to see the latest on people, culture and tech at HPE.
Job: Engineering
Job Level: TCP_05
The expected salary/wage range for this position is provided below. Actual offer may vary from this range based upon geographic location, work experience, education/training, and/or skill level.
- United States of America: Annual Salary USD 160,000 - 303,000 in Colorado // 152,000 - 349,000 in Minnesota
The listed salary range reflects base salary. Variable incentives may also be offered.
Information about employee benefits offered in the US can be found at https://myhperewards.com/main/new-hire-enrollment.html
The estimated job application period closure is August 28 2026; this timeline is provided for transparency and internal planning purposes.
HPE is an Equal Employment Opportunity/ Veterans/Disabled/LGBT employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, or any other protected category, and all decisions we make are made on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need. Our goal is to be one global team that is representative of our customers, in an inclusive environment where we can continue to innovate and grow together. Please click here: Equal Employment Opportunity.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise is EEO Protected Veteran/ Individual with Disabilities.
HPE will comply with all applicable laws related to employer use of arrest and conviction records, including laws requiring employers to consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories.
Recruitment Fraud Alert
We have become aware of an increase in fraudulent recruitment activities in which individuals impersonate our company or authorized recruitment agencies to offer fake employment opportunities. These scams may occur through false websites, emails, social media, or chat-based applications and often aim to obtain personal information or money. Please note that Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), its direct and indirect subsidiaries and affiliated companies, and its authorized recruitment agencies/vendors will never charge a candidate a registration fee, hiring fee, or any other fee in connection with its recruitment and hiring process. We also never request personal information such as back account details, Social Security numbers, or national IDs via social media or chat applications.
All legitimate job opportunities will come through official company channels, and candidates are responsible for verifying the credentials of any third party claiming to represent the company. Any reliance on fraudulent communication is at the individual’s own risk, and HPE disclaims legal liability for any resulting damages. If you suspect recruitment fraud, do not share personal information or make any payments and report the incident to your local authorities immediately.
See all 19,011+ Linux Software Engineer Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Linux Software Engineer roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as a Linux Software Engineer
Target industries with high sponsorship rates
Cloud infrastructure, semiconductor, defense contracting, and embedded systems companies sponsor Linux engineers at high rates. These industries depend on deep Linux expertise that's genuinely hard to source domestically, making sponsorship a practical business decision for them.
Emphasize kernel and systems-level experience
Employers and USCIS both respond to specificity. Highlight kernel module development, device driver work, or real-time OS experience. Generic 'Linux experience' is common; demonstrable low-level systems work signals the specialized skill that justifies visa sponsorship.
Confirm your degree field aligns with the role
H-1B specialty occupation requires a degree in a directly related field. Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Engineering typically satisfy this. A business or unrelated degree creates petition risk, even with strong practical experience in Linux environments.
Ask about sponsorship before the technical interview
Confirm the role is open to sponsorship during the recruiter screen, not after three interview rounds. Most Linux engineering roles at mid-to-large technology companies do sponsor, but confirming early saves significant time if a smaller employer hasn't done it before.
Understand the H-1B cap and your current status
If you're on OPT or STEM OPT, you're subject to the annual H-1B lottery. Cap-exempt employers like universities and nonprofit research organizations offer a path around the lottery entirely, which matters if your OPT expiration timeline is tight.
Use open source contributions as supporting evidence
Accepted upstream kernel patches, maintained packages, or significant open source project contributions strengthen both your job applications and any future O-1A petition. Document these carefully. They demonstrate specialized ability in a verifiable, publicly auditable way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Linux Software Engineer roles qualify for H-1B sponsorship?
Yes. Linux Software Engineer positions consistently qualify as H-1B visa specialty occupations when the role requires a bachelor's degree or higher in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field. Roles involving kernel development, device drivers, or embedded systems carry the strongest petition profiles. General IT support roles that happen to run Linux are a different matter and may not qualify.
Does my degree field matter for a Linux Software Engineer H-1B petition?
It matters significantly. USCIS requires a direct relationship between your degree and the specific duties of the role. Computer Science and Electrical Engineering are the strongest fits. A degree in an unrelated field can trigger a Request for Evidence, even if you have years of hands-on Linux experience. Some employers use a 3-for-1 experience equivalency rule, but this adds complexity to the petition.
Which types of employers sponsor Linux Software Engineers most reliably?
Cloud infrastructure providers, semiconductor manufacturers, defense contractors, telecommunications companies, and enterprise hardware vendors sponsor Linux engineers at high rates. These organizations run Linux-dependent products at scale and can't easily substitute specialized kernel or embedded systems expertise. Startups sponsor less predictably, largely depending on whether they've navigated the H-1B process before. Browse current openings on Migrate Mate to filter specifically for sponsoring employers.
Can I get an H-1B as a Linux Software Engineer if I don't have a four-year degree?
Possibly. USCIS allows three years of specialized work experience to substitute for one year of formal education, meaning 12 years of relevant Linux engineering experience can theoretically replace a four-year degree. In practice this is harder to document convincingly and more likely to face scrutiny. A two-year degree combined with six or more years of directly relevant systems-level experience is a more defensible path than no degree at all.
Are there visa options besides the H-1B for Linux Software Engineers?
Yes. Australian citizens can use the E-3 visa, which has no lottery and a much faster timeline. Canadian and Mexican citizens may qualify for TN visa status under the USMCA. Engineers with a track record of significant open source contributions, publications, or industry recognition may qualify for the O-1A extraordinary ability visa, which is cap-exempt. If your employer has international offices, an L-1 visa intracompany transfer is worth exploring if you've worked there for at least one year abroad.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Linux Software Engineer jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.