On Wed, Feb 3, 2010 at 10:11 PM, Jason Hsu, Linux user
<jhsu802701 at jasonhsu.com> wrote:
> What types of jobs/careers involve using Linux?  I'd like to hear from those of you who use Linux on the job, whether Linux is your main job/career or just one aspect of your job/career.
>
> Although I am currently seeking an embedded engineering position (working with microcontrollers), I have also thought of turning Linux into a career as well.  An embedded engineering position at a workplace that uses Linux would be a good way to combine the two.

IT and engineering are where you'll end up using linux the most.

I used to work in IT, and my linux usage was limited to utility
computing.  Primarily a WIndows shop, I used linux where it made sense
to set up a single function box (like our proxy server running squid).
 Linux has a potential to be part of almost any IT infrastructure,
right tool for the job I say.  I spent less than 5% of my time playing
with linux, just because I wore so many hats that tinkering with the
linux boxes wasn't a common activity.  Some organzations find value in
running primarily linux, most don't.  The important thing is not to
force linux into the infrastructure.  Sometimes linux doesn't make
sense, sometimes it does.  Right tool for the job.  I think I said
that already.  The nice thing now vs 5 years ago is that you don't
scare people away when you say "linux" in the datacenter.  Linux is
widely accepted now, and plays well with others.  Not to mention most
VARs support linux, so boxes are now supportable by more than just the
guy who set it up.

Now I work support for Xiotech, and my linux roles have changed
tremendously.  Our core products are built on linux, and even though I
don't do any sort of development on those products, I'm constantly
looking at linux logs and playing with the CLI (in the lab and in the
field).  My lapotp runs Windows because all of our support tools are
WIndows based.  The engineers run whatever they want to.  Some run
Windows, some linux, some OS X, and the hardcore guys run OpenBSD or
Solaris.

Brian