Senior Linux C/C++ Developer

Job Title: Senior Linux C/C++ Developer
Location: Philadelphia PA
Duration: 16+ Months

Purpose:
The Linux Developer is responsible for engineering reliable, performant, and secure software solutions on Linux platforms. This role supports both legacy systems and modern applications, with emphasis on desktop environments, real-time processing, and mission-critical functions. By leveraging C/C++, scripting, GUI modernization, and enterprise integration capabilities, the developer ensures that system deliverables meet operational requirements, compliance standards, and scalability goals.
This position is essential to technology initiatives requiring deterministic behavior, platform stability, and efficient migration from outdated frameworks (e.g., Motif/X11) to current solutions (e.g., Wayland/ GTK). It contributes directly to product resilience, business continuity, and long-term platform sustainability.

Essential Functions:
Design, develop, and maintain real-time, fault-tolerant desktop applications using C and C++ on Linux platforms
Migrate legacy GUI applications from Motif/X11 environments to modern Linux display protocols such as Wayland, using toolkits like GTK, Qt, or EFL
Write and maintain Bash scripts to automate build processes, deployment routines, and system-level diagnostics
Optimize application performance through multithreading, memory management, and low-latency scheduling techniques
Debug and profile applications using tools such as gdb, valgrind, perf, and strace to ensure stability and responsiveness
Implement secure coding practices and support audit-readiness for mission-critical systems
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate GUI applications with enterprise platforms and middleware
Configure and support lightweight desktop environments and custom window managers, including MWM and Wayland compositors
Manage source code and development workflows using Bitbucket, Git, and CI/CD pipelines
Develop and maintain IPC mechanisms (e.g., sockets, shared memory, DBus) for inter-process communication
Document system architecture, migration strategies, and operational procedures for modernization initiatives
Participate in code reviews, refactoring efforts, and legacy system analysis to support long-term maintainability
Support containerized deployment of desktop applications using Docker in secure, isolated environments

Deliverables:
24x7 system availability
Compiled binaries and executables for Linux systems, optimized for performance and reliability
Source code repositories with well-structured C/C++ code, adhering to coding standards and version control best practices
Bash scripts for build automation, deployment, diagnostics, and system integration
Makefiles or CMake/Meson build configurations for reproducible and portable builds across Linux distributions
GUI application components, including migrated interfaces from Motif/X11 to modern toolkits like GTK, Qt, or Wayland-compatible frameworks
Documentation artifacts, such as API references, architecture diagrams, migration plans, and user manuals
Unit, integration, and performance test suites, with automated scripts and benchmarks for latency-sensitive applications
CI/CD pipeline configurations, integrated with Bitbucket or Git-based workflows for automated build and release cycles
Accessibility and compliance features, such as AT-SPI integration and support for screen readers or keyboard navigation
Legacy code refactoring reports, detailing modernization efforts from older GUI frameworks to current Linux standards

Requirements:
Bachelor s degree in computer science, Software Engineering, or related field (required)
Minimum 10 years of hands-on experience in C/C++ development on Linux systems
Expertise in C and C++ development for Linux desktop applications, including event-driven programming and UI logic
Proficiency in Bash scripting for build automation, deployment, and system-level integration
Experience with legacy GUI frameworks, including Motif, X11, and MWM, with the ability to analyze and refactor legacy codebases
Familiarity with modern display protocols, especially Wayland, including compositor-client architecture and protocol handling
Understanding of GUI migration strategies, including porting from Motif/X11 to toolkits like GTK, Qt, or EFL
Proficiency with Bitbucket and Git workflows, including branching, pull requests, and CI/CD pipelines
Experience with build systems such as CMake, Make, and debugging tools like gdb, valgrind,
Ability to work with low-level graphics APIs, such as OpenGL or Vulkan, for rendering and display optimization
Comfortable working in lightweight or minimal desktop environments, including configuration of .xinitrc, .Xresources, and custom window manager setups
Understanding of Linux system internals, including IPC, permissions, and performance tuning for GUI responsiveness
Strong documentation and communication skills, with the ability to translate technical migration plans into actionable development tasks

Preferred:
10 years of hands-on experience in C/C++ development on Linux systems
Deep knowledge of Linux kernel scheduling policies for deterministic latency.
Ability to write custom Wayland protocols and implement both client and compositor-side extensions for specialized GUI behavior.
Experience with Zero-Copy Inter-Process Communication (IPC) use of share memory to reducing latency and improving performance.




About IDEXCEL, INC
Idexcel is an IT services organization, with a mission to bring great people and great organizations together. Our diverse client base represents a wide range of industries, including technology, telecom, insurance, healthcare, manufacturing, banking & financial services, food & commodities trading and federal organizations. Our teams of experienced recruiters directly work with client companies seeking exceptional people to help with their business initiatives. Idexcel, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, military status, national origin or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, or applicable local law