Senior OS Developer - Linux

Job Title: Senior OS Developer Linux

Experience: 6+Years

Location: Mumbai

Employment Type: Full-Time

About the Role

We are looking for experienced Linux/Unix OS engineers to work on the core operating system stack for a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) platform. The role involves deep OS-level development, desktop environment customization, and building a robust, secure, and performant Linux-based VDI client/host OS.

Key Responsibilities

OS Development & Kernel Engineering

Design, develop, and maintain Linux kernel modules, drivers, and OS-level components optimized for VDI environments

Manage internal kernel forks, patches, and contribute to upstream Linux kernel development

Debug and resolve OS-level issues including memory management, scheduling, and I/O subsystems critical to virtualized workloads

Linux OS-Level Customization

Perform deep OS-level customizations init systems (systemd/OpenRC), boot sequence, service management, and OS image hardening

Build and maintain custom Linux distributions or OS images tailored for VDI thin/zero client deployments Manage package management, overlay filesystems, and read-only OS configurations for stateless VDI endpoints

Develop custom OS modules for session management, auto-login, kiosk mode lockdown, and endpoint policy enforcement

Desktop Environment & UI Integration

Customize and optimize lightweight desktop environments Cinnamon, LXQt, XFCE for VDI client use cases

Integrate and tune display server components (X11/Wayland) for remote rendering and low latency display protocols

Develop shell extensions, window manager policies, and desktop lockdown features for managed VDI endpoints

Optimize desktop environment footprint and startup time for thin client hardware profiles

VDI & Virtualization Integration

Integrate VDI client protocols (RDP, PCoIP, HDX/Citrix, or proprietary) into the Linux OS stack

Work with hypervisors (KVM, QEMU, VMware, VirtualBox) for OS testing, virtual machine image creation, and VDI host optimization

Implement USB redirection, audio/video pass-through, and peripheral handling in virtualized desktop sessions

Performance & Optimization

Profile and optimize OS, kernel, and desktop environment performance for VDI workloads

Tune memory footprint, CPU scheduling, and I/O for concurrent virtualized session handling

Implement power management and thermal policies suitable for always-on VDI endpoint devices

Security & Hardening

Apply OS hardening for VDI endpoints SELinux/AppArmor policies, read only root filesystems, secure boot, and network-based authentication

Implement endpoint lockdown: kiosk mode, restricted user environments, and policy-based access controls

Ensure CVE patch management and compliance with enterprise security standards

Tooling, Automation & Build Systems

Build and maintain OS image pipelines using Yocto, Buildroot, or custom build frameworks

Automate OS configuration, provisioning, and updates using Python and Shell scripting

Develop CI/CD pipelines for OS image builds, regression testing, and automated deployment

Required Skills & Qualifications

6+ years of hands-on Linux/Unix OS development experience

Strong practical experience with Linux OS-level customizations init systems, boot process, service management, overlay FS, and image building

Hands-on experience with VDI technologies thin client OS, remote desktop protocols(RDP/PCoIP/HDX), or virtual desktop session management

Hands-on experience with Linux desktop environments Cinnamon, LXQt, XFCE, GNOME, or KDE Plasma Working knowledge of display server protocols X11 and/or Wayland, compositing window managers

Strong proficiency in C/C++, Python, and Shell scripting (Bash/Zsh/sh)

Deep understanding of Linux kernel internals: memory management, process scheduling, VFS, networking stack

Hands-on experience with kernel debugging tools (GDB, KGDB, perf, ftrace, strace, dmesg)

Proficiency in Docker and container technologies (LXC, podman)

Experience with virtualization platforms KVM, QEMU, VirtualBox, or VMware

B.Tech/M.Tech in Computer Science, Electronics, or related field

Preferred Certifications

RHCSA Red Hat Certified System Administrator

RHCE Red Hat Certified Engineer LFCS Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator

LFCE Linux Foundation Certified Engineer

LPIC-2 / LPIC-3 Linux Professional Institute Certification CompTIA Linux+

Preferred Skills

Experience building custom Linux OS images for thin/zero client or kiosk deployments

Customization of Cinnamon/LXQt for OEM or enterprise managed desktop environments

Knowledge of container orchestration (Kubernetes, Docker Compose) in CI/CD pipelines

Prior contributions to upstream Linux kernel or desktop environment open source projects

Exposure to secure boot, TPM integration, and endpoint DRM/policy enforcement