Software Engineer I

About The Company
Confluent is a leading data streaming platform dedicated to transforming how data moves and is utilized across organizations. Our mission is to enable companies to harness the power of real-time data streams, allowing them to react faster, build smarter applications, and deliver dynamic experiences in an increasingly data-driven world. As an IBM subsidiary, Confluent benefits from the extensive resources and innovation capabilities of a global technology leader. We foster a collaborative environment that values diversity, inclusion, and continuous learning, ensuring that our team members are empowered to push the boundaries of what is possible with data streaming technology.
About The Role
We are seeking a highly skilled Software Engineer to join our Compute Platform team. In this pivotal role, you will serve as a technical leader responsible for developing and enhancing our next-generation, multi-tenant, cloud-native compute infrastructure that powers Confluent Cloud’s diverse workloads. The platform orchestrates workloads across thousands of Kubernetes clusters worldwide, providing a unified abstraction layer for scheduling, lifecycle management, and operational excellence. Your expertise will be instrumental in building systems such as multi-cluster workload orchestration, platform APIs, cloud platform integrations, multi-tenancy security, and observability tools. You will work closely with product management, engineering teams, and other stakeholders to shape the technical roadmap, deliver high-impact initiatives, and ensure the platform’s high availability, security, and scalability for enterprise clients. This role requires strategic thinking, technical excellence, and leadership capabilities to guide the team through complex architectural decisions and operational challenges.
Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience delivering scalable software solutions
• Proven track record of leading large-scale, highly available, low-latency systems
• Deep expertise in Kubernetes, including controller development, operator patterns, and multi-cluster architectures
• Strong proficiency in Go programming language, with experience building production-grade distributed systems
• Experience designing multi-tenant platform architectures and implementing security isolation patterns
• Familiarity with gRPC, Protobuf, and API design for internal platform services
• Experience with observability tools and operational excellence practices
• Hands-on experience working in multi-cloud environments such as AWS, GCP, and Azure, including cloud-provider integrations
• Proven leadership and mentorship skills in technical settings
• Ability to collaborate effectively across teams including product management, SRE, and engineering
• Strong problem-solving skills with a focus on innovative solutions in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent communication skills and a team-oriented mindset

Responsibilities

• Drive the technical vision and strategy for the Compute Platform, focusing on multi-cluster orchestration, workload placement, and security architecture
• Design, develop, and maintain platform APIs and Kubernetes operators using Go to support evolving workload requirements
• Collaborate with product management and engineering leadership to define and execute the roadmap for Confluent’s Compute Platform
• Lead the development of high-impact features such as workload scheduling, disruption management, network isolation, and cross-cluster resource management
• Conduct architectural reviews and make informed decisions to optimize platform performance and security
• Mentor and grow engineering team members through code reviews, technical guidance, and knowledge sharing
• Oversee operational aspects including system availability, reliability, performance monitoring, emergency response, and disaster recovery
• Ensure compliance with security standards and implement workload isolation strategies to safeguard multi-tenant environments
• Enhance observability and automation capabilities to improve operational efficiency and self-healing processes

Benefits

• Competitive salary ranging from $197,400 to $232,000, with equity options
• Remote work flexibility across the United States
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans
• Generous paid time off and holiday policies
• Professional development opportunities and continuous learning programs
• Inclusive and diverse work environment that promotes belonging and growth
• Access to cutting-edge technology and innovative projects
• Supportive company culture emphasizing teamwork, transparency, and impact

Equal Opportunity
Confluent is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where all employees and applicants are treated with respect and dignity. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We believe that diverse perspectives and backgrounds foster innovation and drive our success. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds to apply and join our team in building the future of data streaming technology.