Staff Software Engineer - Apache Kafka at Confluent

We’re not just building better tech. We’re rewriting how data moves and what the world can do with it. With Confluent, data doesn’t sit still. Our platform puts information in motion, streaming in near real-time so companies can react faster, build smarter, and deliver experiences as dynamic as the world around them. It takes a certain kind of person to join this team. Those who ask hard questions, give honest feedback, and show up for each other. No egos, no solo acts. Just smart, curious humans pushing toward something bigger, together. One Confluent. One Team. One Data Streaming Platform. ABOUT THE ROLE: We are looking for a Staff Software Engineer to work on various features and improvements in the Apache Kafka software. In this role, you will work closely with the Apache community as well as senior engineers on the team to build features, work on Kafka improvements and help review designs.. The features you build will cut across various components in the Kafka software stack including the Clients, Streams, Broker and other backend services. You will contribute to the performance improvements, operational aspects and innovate the stack. WHAT YOU WILL DO: As a Staff Software Engineer, you will be a technical leader whose work significantly impacts the product, engineering organization, and customer success. - Collaborate with the Apache Kafka community via KIPs, code contributions, reviews, and technical discussions; represent Confluent’s interests while keeping the broader ecosystem in mind. - Drive projects that have high complexity requiring technical acumen, a high level of judgement and able to deal with ambiguity. - Be a force multiplier and show strong ability to mentor and grow the team with guidance on strong design principles and software architecture. - Insist on high standards for the quality of software the team is developing. - Communicate with product management and engineering leaders on the roadmap, understand the specs and the product interfaces. - Drive operational excellence on reliability improvements, operational events and supportability - Demonstrate strong verbal and written communication skills to influence teams/peers beyond immediate span of control. WHAT YOU WILL BRING: Experience: - Track record of delivering complex systems projects with large scope (multi quarter design and development) leading a team of engineers, setting direction for projects, working with stakeholders, adept at using AI tools for coding and working backwards from the customers. - 4+ years driving staff-level or equivalent technical initiatives across multiple teams or components. Leadership & Influence: - Demonstrated ability to lead through ambiguity, set direction, and align multiple teams around complex technical plans. - Track record of mentoring senior engineers and enabling others to deliver on high-risk, high-impact projects. - Clear, concise technical communication, both written (design docs, KIPs) and verbal (reviews, cross-team forums). WHAT GIVES YOU AN EDGE: - Prior experience as a committer/PMC or core maintainer on Apache Kafka or a similar project. READY TO BUILD WHAT'S NEXT? LET’S GET IN MOTION. COME AS YOU ARE Belonging isn’t a perk here. It’s the baseline. We work across time zones and backgrounds, knowing the best ideas come from different perspectives. And we make space for everyone to lead, grow, and challenge what’s possible. We’re proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. Employment decisions are based on job-related criteria, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other classification protected by law. PRIVACY STATEMENT Confluent is an IBM subsidiary which has been acquired by IBM and will be integrated into the IBM organization. By proceeding with this application, you understand that Confluent will share your personal information with other IBM affiliates involved in your recruitment process, wherever these are located. More Information on how IBM protects your personal information, including the safeguards in case of cross-border data transfer, are available here [Upgrade to PRO to see link]