We are currently seeking a Research and Development Engineer to assist with delivering the best quality service to our customers through industry-leading infrastructure. Your focus will be researching, procurement, and testing of the latest computer components. Success will be measured by your ability to test these components for compatibility with each other, production hardware, and our software resulting in the delivery of a stable, performant product; but also in finding the correct balance between performance and price throughout the procurement and testing phase. You will also be expected to develop, maintain, and document burn-in testing procedures for accuracy, efficiency, and repeatability. You will be held accountable for maintaining certain quality standards and KPIs, mentor junior members of the team, and provide coaching and guidance within the R&D department and throughout the organization. More importantly, you will be a key component to the R&D department and working to ensure our hardware is not only running optimally but that our equipment is the fastest on the market.

You will be a natural problem solver and someone who is able to quickly adapt to uncertain conditions without costing unnecessary downtime. Impeccable communication skills and attention to detail along with the technical skills to do the job are a must. You will be passionate about IT, quick to grasp new concepts and have a strong desire to help others. In addition, you will thrive in a high-energy environment where you must solve problems and perform work that is routinely done with minimal direct supervision.

This position will report to Linode’s Datacenter Operations Manager. The position is 40 hours per week and may require travel among our two Philadelphia offices as well as our 11 worldwide data centers.

Primary Responsibilities

  • Perform, compile, and interpret hardware and software benchmarks
  • Advice on best-fit component and configuration recommendations for performance and stability improvements as well as for new hardware builds
  • Keep abreast of new component releases and make configuration recommendations
  • Maintain testing area
  • Create, improve, and maintain benchmarking, testing, and burn-in scripts/programs/procedures
  • Maintain documentation of benchmarking and burn-in testing procedures
  • Drive the development of new products and proof of concepts
  • QA testing of all firmware and drivers for use with our current Linux distro and kernel version
  • Optimize BIOS settings to work with our current Linux distro and kernel version
  • Maintain relationships with vendors, hardware manufacturers, and technical contacts
  • Participate in quarterly vendor roadmap meetings
  • Create purchase orders using our inventory management software
  • Assist with root cause analysis and mitigation of hardware-related stability issues

Must Haves:

  • Strong understanding of server hardware and components
  • Strong understanding of Linux
  • Strong research and documentation skills
  • Ability to write, interpret, and edit BASH or Python scripts
  • Ability to apply the scientific method
  • Ability to speak with Managers, technical/non-technical people, and datacenter contacts.
  • Strong ability to research, plan, and execute necessary repairs
  • Experience working in a high-scale data center environment
  • Ability to work out of our headquarters in Philadelphia, PA (relocation assistance is available)
  • Ability to travel to Linode’s global data centers on average 4 weeks per year.

Nice to haves:

  • BA/BS in computer science equivalent work experience

Work With Us

  • Flexible work hours: We have flexible start times and a very generous paid time off package!
  • Unbelievable benefits: We provide free comprehensive health/dental insurance, 401(k) contributions, a profit-sharing program, and pension plans!
  • Monthly wellness reimbursements: up to $100 towards gym memberships, diet plans, massages, etcetera
  • A Macbook Pro: to use around the office and at home
  • Free hosting service: Take advantage of some Linode service - we’ll pick up the tab!
  • Linode Lunch: What goes better with technology than food? Nothing. We’ll bring in a catered lunch every week.
  • Competitive salary: It all begins with fair compensation. We believe in paying people well and rewarding those who go the extra mile.

Equal Employment, Equal Treatment, No Judgment
Linode is committed to a culture that creates a sense of inclusion and belonging. We understand that teams perform their best when they include people with diverse backgrounds and differing perspectives, but also that to achieve greatness, people need to feel like they can be themselves; they need to be equal, included, and comfortable in order to perform at their best. Linode stands for equal pay, equal treatment, and equal experiences for all of our people, past, present, and future, regardless of age, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic class, disability status, or any other differentiating factor. We strive to make sure every last person who we interact with feels like they belong and has the same opportunities as everyone else.

About Linode

Since 2003, Linode has been providing cloud computing services to customers around the world. Linode offers compute, storage, and networking services from ten data centers in regions spanning across North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. We are committed to making Linode the most simple, powerful, and reliable hosting provider that thousands of customers—from the fastest-growing startups to established enterprises—trust. This industry moves fast, but we strive to hire the kind of people who can stay a step ahead and keep us - and themselves - at the top. We are an equal opportunity employer and we are committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming workplace for all.

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