Support for Linux is coming to Windows Azure, and the latest job listing found on Microsoft’s website points exactly in this direction.

The Redmond-based company is currently hiring a SR Software Development Engineer to help ensure “interoperability between Windows and Linux in Microsoft virtual and cloud environments.”

According to Microsoft, the position is within a “highly specialized development team” that will ensure the support of Linux environments on Windows cloud products.

The main responsibilities for this job include:

Define and scope open source projects designed to enable Linux on Microsoft’s virtualization and cloud platforms

Work directly with the Linux kernel community to develop Linux device drivers and kernel technology to support Linux on Microsoft platforms

Work with Microsoft product groups to help ensure the design and implementation of Microsoft virtualization and cloud technology will support Linux architectures and runtime paradigms.

Moreover, the position involves being a member of the OSTC leadership team, which means, among other things, providing a helping hand to define and articulate open source strategy in the Server and Tools Business division of Microsoft.

The Redmond-based company also notes that it is looking for a person with at least 10 years of coding experience in relevant operating system development.

This is not the first time we learn that Microsoft is working on ensuring that its Windows Azure offering will include support for Linux, and that there will also be virtualization capabilities added into the mix.

According to ZDNet’s Mary-Jo Foley, Linux virtual-machine capability for Windows Azure is expected to go live in March. The fact that Microsoft is hiring experts for the job suggests that things are indeed moving in this direction.

This is so especially since Microsoft requires candidates to demonstrate understanding of Linux virtualization methods, approaches and deployment, in addition to Linux device driver development and implementation; and Linux kernel architecture, including kernel debugging and runtime libraries.