The Linux Kernel Mentorship Program offers a structured remote learning opportunity to aspiring Linux Kernel developers. Experienced Linux Kernel developers and maintainers mentor volunteer mentees and help them become contributors to the Linux Kernel.
The Linux Kernel Mentorship Program includes three 12-week, full-time volunteer mentee positions, and two 24-week part-time volunteer mentee positions each year. Please check the The Linux Foundation Mentorship Programs and get started. This is a remote opportunity and there is no need to relocate or move to participate.
Through funding from the Linux Foundation, the Linux Kernel Mentorship Program might offer location based Stipend and travel funding to attend industry conferences to present the work they’ve done during the program. Sone Linux keenel Mentorship Programs are unpaid (credit-only) to offer the opportunity to larger number of people without funding constraints.
Please see below regarding additional matching grants that the Linux Foundation is providing to other projects on LFX Mentorship in support of diversity initiatives.
The program serves as a vehicle to reach out to students and developers to inject new talent into the Linux Kernel community. It aims to increase diversity in the Linux Kernel community and work towards making the kernel more secure and sustainable. We strongly encourage applicants who are from traditionally underrepresented or marginalized groups in the technology and open source communities, including, but not limited to: persons identifying as LGBTQ, women, persons of color, and/or persons with disabilities.
The mentors are experienced developers and maintainers seeking additional help on the project as well as an opportunity to teach aspiring developers. Many mentors and mentees will be focused on improving security and stability of the kernel.
Graduated Mentees will be invited to speak at LFX Mentorship Showcase once a year to share the work they have done during the program and will be given an opportunity to network with the community and prospective employers. Mentees are encouraged to write blogs to share their experience and their project.
What are the licensing guidelines for the mentorship work? All Linux Kernel Mentorship work product must be contributed and made available under GPL-2.0 and submitted with Developer Certificate of Origin (DCO) sign-off statements. This applies regardless of whether the work product is for kernel code or for user space code.
If you are selected for the program and completed your paperwork (unpaid programs skip the paperwork):
Mentors should expect to spend two to four hours per week during the entire duration of the Mentorship Program starting from the application process to the end of the program.