What Canonical does

Canonical is the company behind Ubuntu, the most popular Linux distribution for cloud, IoT, and desktop computing. If you’ve ever used a cloud server, there’s a strong chance it was running Ubuntu – the distribution powers over 40% of cloud workloads worldwide. Canonical provides the enterprise support, security, and tooling that large organisations need to run open source at scale.

Founded in 2004 by Mark Shuttleworth, Canonical’s mission is to make open-source software accessible to everyone. Beyond Ubuntu, they build Juju, MAAS, Snapcraft, and a growing suite of enterprise open-source tools. They’ve been profitable and growing steadily for years.

Remote culture: what it’s actually like

Canonical has been distributed since its founding – two full decades of remote-first experience. Their 1,900 people work across 75+ countries, making them one of the most geographically diverse tech companies in the world. When Canonical talks about distributed work, they’re drawing on 20+ years of refinement through multiple generations of tooling and culture shifts.

The operating model is structured and rigorous. Twice-yearly team sprints bring the whole company together in different global locations for intensive in-person working sessions. These aren’t casual retreats, or team building fun, they’re serious work sprints where teams align, build, and plan. The in-person component is considered essential to making the distributed model work.

Career paths are structured with clear progression frameworks, even in a fully distributed environment. Every employee gets a $2,000 annual learning budget. Open-source contribution is valued and encouraged – it’s embedded in the company’s identity.

The honest assessment: Canonical’s culture is more formal and structured than many remote-first companies. The hiring process is famously rigorous, with multiple stages including written assessments, technical deep dives, and culture fit conversations. The leadership style is direct and expectations are high. If you want a relaxed, flat-hierarchy startup vibe, Canonical may feel corporate by comparison. If you want clear structure, defined career paths, and the credibility of working on one of the most widely used operating systems in the world, it’s a compelling option.

Hiring in Europe: the details

Countries: 75+ countries – one of the widest geographic footprints in tech. London serves as the nominal HQ, with strong European hiring infrastructure across the EU and beyond.

Employment model: Primarily direct hire. Canonical has established entities and compliance infrastructure across their operating countries, enabling direct employment relationships rather than relying on EOR arrangements.

Timezone expectations: Flexible, though the twice-yearly sprints require international travel. Most roles are timezone-agnostic for day-to-day work, with some customer-facing positions noting regional preferences.

Salary approach: Structured and role-based, with clear levelling and progression. Compensation is competitive for the open-source and enterprise software market.

Language requirements: English is the working language. Given the global nature of the team, strong written English is essential.

Who they’re looking for

Canonical hires at scale across a wide range of functions:

  • Engineering (Python, Go, C/C++, Rust)
  • DevOps and cloud infrastructure
  • Security engineering
  • Product management and design
  • Marketing and communications
  • Technical writing and documentation
  • Sales and business development
  • Finance and operations

The hiring process is thorough. Multiple stages, written assessments, technical challenges, and several interview rounds. They invest heavily in hiring because getting the right people matters disproportionately in a distributed company. Don’t be discouraged by the length – it’s a sign they take every role seriously.

What current and former employees say

Employees praise the technical depth, the calibre of colleagues, and the prestige of working on Ubuntu. The structured career paths and learning budget are valued by people who want clear professional development. The twice-yearly sprints are consistently described as highlights – intensive but energising weeks that build the relationships sustaining remote collaboration.

The challenges: the rigorous hiring process can feel exhausting (4-6 rounds is common), the management style is described as demanding, and the formal culture doesn’t suit everyone. Some employees note a gap between the autonomous promise of remote work and the structured expectations of leadership. The open-source community can be politically complex to navigate.

People who thrive at Canonical tend to be technically strong, comfortable with formal communication, and motivated by working on infrastructure that powers a significant portion of the internet.

How to apply

Specific tips: Contribute to Ubuntu or related open-source projects before applying – even documentation improvements or bug reports count, and are genuinely noticed. Come prepared with concrete examples of independent work and technical problem-solving. Strong written communication is non-negotiable given the distributed model. If you use Ubuntu or contribute to open source, lead with that in your application.

See our full guide to Remote-First Companies That Actually Hire in Europe.