Director of Engineering II, Kafka Connect

Confluent1 months ago

Location

IN Office Bangalore

Type

Full Time

Level

Director

Role

Engineering Manager

Posted

Feb 2, 2026

Full TimeDirector

The role

Summary

Director of Engineering II role at Confluent leading Kafka Connect teams, responsible for strategic vision and technical innovation in data streaming connectors. Requires 5+ years of second-level engineering management experience with distributed systems and cloud infrastructure expertise.

What you'll do

Team Leadership: Lead a highly productive, global team of software engineers and engineering leaders across multiple time zones

Strategic Vision: Drive the long-term direction and strategy of Confluent Kafka connectors while partnering with internal stakeholders

Technical Innovation: Create competitive advantages for Kafka connectors by driving technical innovation and establishing design principles

Product Enhancement: Drive improvements in Kafka connectors to make them more usable, powerful, and easier to adopt and scale for customers

Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with peer engineering leaders to prioritize improvements and high-impact initiatives

Talent Acquisition: Continue strong growth trajectory by hiring top-tier engineers and maintaining high hiring standards

Quality Standards: Establish quality standards, design principles, and operational maturity for the engineering teams

Performance Management: Coach, mentor, and manage performance of engineering team members while maintaining team productivity

What we look for

Technical

Distributed SystemsStrong fundamentals in distributed systems design and development

Cloud InfrastructureExperience with running large stateful data systems in public clouds (AWS/Azure/GCP)

Data StreamingDeep understanding of Apache Kafka and data streaming technologies

System ArchitectureAbility to anticipate future technical needs and craft implementation plans

Education

Bachelor's DegreeBachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related technical field preferred

Advanced DegreeMaster's degree in relevant technical discipline is a plus

Experience

Management Experience5+ years of second-level engineering management experience leading productive, high-functioning teams

Production ServicesProven experience running production services in public cloud environments

Delivery Track RecordDemonstrated track record of shipping features and hitting deadlines consistently

Hiring and MentoringExperience recruiting, motivating, coaching, and mentoring engineering talent while maintaining high hiring standards

Skills

Required skills

Engineering Leadership5+ years of second-level engineering management experience with global teams

Distributed SystemsStrong fundamentals in distributed systems design and development

Cloud InfrastructureExperience running large stateful data systems in public clouds

Performance ManagementAbility to recruit, motivate, coach, and mentor engineering talent

Strategic PlanningSense of urgency and excellent prioritization skills for achieving results

Nice to have

Apache KafkaDeep experience with Kafka Connect framework and ecosystem

Data IntegrationExperience with data connectors and integration patterns

Stream ProcessingKnowledge of real-time data processing and analytics

Influence and CommunicationAbility to influence teams, peers, and upper management through effective communication

Compensation & benefits

Benefits

Equal Opportunity

Equal opportunity workplace with employment decisions based on job-related criteria

Inclusive Culture

Culture of belonging and collaboration across time zones and backgrounds

Professional Growth

Opportunities to lead, grow, and challenge what's possible in data streaming technology

Interview process

1
Initial Screening — Phone or video screening with recruiter to discuss background and role alignment
2
Hiring Manager Interview — Technical and leadership discussion with hiring manager covering management philosophy and technical depth
3
Technical Leadership Panel — Panel interview with senior engineering leaders focusing on system design and technical strategy
4
Behavioral Interview — Leadership scenarios and team management situations with cross-functional stakeholders
5
Executive Interview — Final interview with senior leadership to discuss strategic vision and cultural fit
6
Reference Checks — Professional references validation and background verification process