Embedded Linux development

Key Responsibilities1. Kernel Lifecycle & MaintenanceUpstream Alignment: Lead the strategy for upgrading enterprise kernels (e.g., migrating from LTS 5.15 to 6.6) while maintaining binary compatibility where required.Patch Porting: Expertly port functional and performance patches between disparate kernel versions, resolving complex code conflicts and API changes.CVE Mitigation: Monitor the Linux Kernel Mailing List (LKML) and security advisories to identify and backport CVE patches from upstream to production environments.2. Deep-Dive Debugging & StabilityPanic Analysis: Act as the final escalation point for Kernel Panics and "Oops" messages. Utilize kdump, crash, and gdb to perform post-mortem analysis of vmcores.Boot-Time Resolution: Debug critical failures during the early boot process (UEFI handoff, initramfs, and early kernel init) where standard logging is unavailable.Performance Tuning: Use ebpf, ftrace, and perf to identify bottlenecks in memory management, scheduler latency, or I/O throughput.3. Driver Development & Hardware IntegrationDriver Ownership: Design, develop, or maintain at least one Open Source or Proprietary Device Driver (Network, Storage, GPU, or Character devices).Hardware Abstraction: Interface directly with hardware registers, managing DMA mappings, and optimizing interrupt handling (MSI-X, Threaded IRQs).Out-of-Tree Management: Maintain driver compatibility across kernel updates using DKMS or similar frameworks.4. Infrastructure & AutomationRegistry Management: Oversee the distribution of custom kernel builds and modules via GitLab Container/Package Registries.CI/CD for Kernel: Build automated testing pipelines (Hardware-in-the-loop) to validate kernel stability before enterprise-wide deployment.Required Technical Skills:Languages: Mastery of C/C++ Programming (C is preferred)Kernel Internals: Deep understanding of VFS, Memory Management (MMU/Paging), Process Scheduling, and Networking Stacks.Debugging Tools: Expert-level use of kprobes, trace-cmd, valgrind, and hardware-level debuggers (JTAG/Serial Console).Build Systems: Proficiency with Kbuild, Makefiles, and building RPM/Debian packages for kernel distribution.Security: Hands-on experience with SELinux/AppArmor policy development and kernel hardening (FIPS, KSPP).