Lead Software Engineer - Kafka

Requirements

Must have:

• We require a bachelors degree plus 6 years of experience in software application development and maintenance, or a high school diploma/GED plus 10 years of relevant experience.
• We prefer prior experience designing, configuring, and supporting Confluent Kafka clusters in multi-data-center and cloud environments.
• We look for hands-on expertise in Kafka topic design, schema evolution, and DevOps automation best practices.
• We value experience with Kafka Connect, Kafka Streams, and Schema Registry.
• We prefer proficiency in Java, Python, or Go.
• We seek experience integrating legacy systems and modernizing monolithic applications.
• We value cloud-native architecture experience.
• We prefer experience with DevOps tools, CI/CD pipelines, and container orchestration tools such as Docker, Kubernetes, and OpenShift.
• We look for the ability to manage technical risks, dependencies, and escalations with proactive communication and resolution.

Responsibilities:

• We design, configure, and maintain Confluent Kafka clusters across multi-data-center and cloud environments.
• We implement authorization, authentication, and schema governance controls.
• We build real-time data pipelines using Kafka Connect, Kafka Streams, and KSQL/FlinkSQL.
• We monitor system metrics and resolve performance issues to maintain high availability.
• We stay current on technology trends and provide consultative guidance on their impact to our infrastructure.
• We train and mentor others on emerging technologies.
• We advise associates, management, and project teams with technical direction and software solutions for complex problems.
• We help align development initiatives with long-term business strategy and technology direction.
• We support management in carrying out division-wide initiatives and strategic efforts.

Company:

We are hiring a Lead Software Engineer for our Enterprise Architecture team in a remote role available across several U.S. markets, with priority for candidates located in North Carolina, Arizona, and Texas. This is a technical leadership opportunity focused on building scalable enterprise integration solutions that support our architecture standards and business goals. We offer competitive base pay for eligible locations, with total compensation that may also include incentives, bonuses, benefits, and other awards. We are committed to providing a thoughtfully designed benefits program to support our associates.