Kernel Engineer

If you're comfortable with your current setup — the predictable sprints, the 47-person Slack channel for a single feature flag, the quarterly roadmap that never changes — this isn't for you. No hard feelings.

But if you've been staring at your screen thinking "I used to actually build things," then keep reading.

We're PamirAI — a 9-person startup building Distiller, a dedicated computer for AI agents. Not another SaaS dashboard. Not another cloud wrapper. A real, physical machine that ships to customers and lets AI agents control other computers. We've sold 400+ units and we're gearing up for our next major launch.

We need a kernel engineer who wants to own the entire low-level software stack — from U-Boot to userspace. We're building the computer for AI agents, and we believe agency matters more than knowledge. If you're the kind of person who figures things out — not the kind who waits to be told — keep reading.

You'll own the low-level software that makes our hardware work — from boot to drivers to system integration.

• BSP and board bring-up — getting new boards from "nothing on serial" to fully booting Linux. This is the core of the job.
• U-Boot bootloader — customization, configuration, and debug for our platform.
• Kernel driver development — writing and maintaining drivers for displays, communication buses, power management, and peripheral muxing.
• Device tree work — pin configuration, peripheral setup, and platform integration.
• System-level work — power management, OTA update systems, and boot optimization.
• Hardware collaboration — working directly with Kevin on schematic reviews, signal integrity, and board debug. You'll have test equipment on your desk.

If you also have MCU/RTOS experience, even better — we have embedded microcontrollers in the system and the ability to work across both Linux and firmware makes you incredibly valuable here.

• Strong BSP and board bring-up experience on ARM platforms.

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• Deep understanding of U-Boot — you can configure, customize, and debug it without hand-holding.
• Linux kernel driver development — SPI, UART, device trees, interrupt handling, character devices. You've written real drivers, not just loaded modules.
• Proficient in C. Comfortable reading schematics and datasheets.
• Debugging with JTAG, serial consoles, logic analyzers, and oscilloscopes.
• Based in the Bay Area or willing to relocate. We work in person.

• MCU firmware development — FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or bare-metal on ARM Cortex-M.
• Experience with Rockchip, NXP, or similar ARM SoC ecosystems.
• Yocto / Buildroot for custom Linux distributions.
• Wire protocol experience — binary framing, checksums, error recovery.
• USB-C Power Delivery at the driver level.
• Upstream Linux kernel or U-Boot contributions.
• You actively use AI agents (Claude Code, Codex, etc.) to write and debug code. We're building the hardware for AI agents — we want someone who lives in that world.

Let's save each other some time. This role is not a good fit if:

• You need someone to hand you tasks every morning.
• You want to specialize in one narrow subsystem and never touch anything else.

Discover our full range of relocation jobs with comprehensive support packages to help you relocate and settle in your new location.

• You've only worked in application-level software and want to "try out" embedded. We need someone who's been in the trenches.
• You optimize for process over shipping. We have 9 people and a product to launch.

• Structu2-month contractor engagement first. Converts to full-time after mutual fit.
• Salary: $120,000 – $200,000 depending on experience (full-time).
• LocatioBay Area, in person. Relocation support available.
• Gear:  Keysight oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, dev boards, and test equipment on your desk. Not just a MacBook.

If you're at a big company right now, you probably recognize some of these:

• Your code goes through 4 review cycles before anyone tests it on real hardware.
• You wrote a driver once. Now you maintain someone else's config files.
• Your "impact" is measured in OKR dashboards, not in products people hold in their hands.
• You haven't touched an oscilloscope since school, and you miss it.
• You know you're capable of more, but the org chart won't let you prove it.

Here, your code boots the machine. Your driver talks to the hardware. When a customer unboxes Distiller and it lights up — that's your work.