Principal Technologist (Austin, TX)

About the role

The Principal Open Source Technologist is a senior technical leadership role focused on open source strategy, community engagement, and technical excellence in open source projects. This role drives Wind River's open source initiatives, represents the company in open source communities, and ensures our contributions align with business objectives while advancing the open source ecosystem.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute Wind River's open source strategy and roadmap
• Identify strategic open source projects and communities for engagement
• Drive technical vision for open source contributions and initiatives
• Represent Wind River in open source communities and working groups
• Influence open source project direction and technical decisions
• Build relationships with key open source maintainers and contributors
• Lead significant contributions to open source projects (Linux kernel, Yocto Project, etc.)
• Design and implement features that benefit both Wind River and the open source community
• Review and approve open source contributions from Wind River engineers
• Ensure code quality and adherence to open source project standards
• Maintain upstream patches and ensure compatibility with upstream projects
• Drive upstream-first development practices
• Actively participate in open source communities and mailing lists
• Present at open source conferences and events (Linux Plumbers, FOSDEM, etc.)
• Organize and lead open source community events and meetups
• Build and maintain relationships with open source community leaders
• Mentor engineers on open source contribution practices
• Foster a culture of open source contribution within Wind River

Requirements

• Bachelor degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field
• 12+ years of software engineering experience
• 8+ years of experience with embedded Linux or systems programming
• 5+ years of active open source contribution experience
• Proven track record of significant open source contributions
• Experience as a maintainer or core contributor to major open source projects
• Expert-level proficiency in C/C++ and systems programming
• Deep understanding of Linux kernel architecture and development
• Extensive experience with embedded systems and real-time systems
• Strong knowledge of open source development practices and tools
• Expertise in code review and open source contribution workflows
• Understanding of open source licensing and compliance

Qualifications

• Legal authorization to work in the United States on a permanent basis
• Local resident of Greater Austin, TX, with ability to work on campus

Preferred Qualifications

• Maintainer or core contributor status in major open source projects
• Extensive Yocto Project experience and leadership
• Significant Linux kernel contributions and recognition
• Experience in safety-critical industries (aerospace, automotive, medical)
• Knowledge of functional safety standards (ISO 26262, DO-178C, etc.)
• Open source project governance experience
• Industry recognition (awards, keynote speaking, etc.)
• Published technical papers or articles on open source topics