Staff Software Developer

Confluent2 months ago

Location

Remote, Germany

Workplace

Remote

Type

Full Time

Salary

EUR 147,600 – 173,400

Level

Staff

Role

Staff Software Engineer

Posted

Dec 30, 2025

Full TimeRemoteStaff

The role

Summary

Confluent is seeking a Staff Software Developer to join their Stream Processing & Analytics team, building an elastic and scalable Apache Flink-based stream processing engine for Confluent Cloud. The role involves architecting technical strategy for complex distributed systems, driving autoscaling and state management initiatives, and mentoring engineering teams while contributing to Confluent's data streaming platform vision.

What you'll do

Technical Architecture Leadership: Own architecture and technical strategy for complex engineering systems including scheduling, deployment, autoscaling, and state management within Apache Flink engine

Strategic Project Execution: Drive execution of open-ended, complex technical projects from inception through production while gaining stakeholder buy-in

System Design and Optimization: Improve stability, performance, scalability, and operational excellence across multiple critical systems within the Stream Processing & Analytics team

Technical Vision Translation: Contribute to broader technical vision and translate into actionable, high-impact projects aligned with Confluent Cloud's strategic goals

Code Quality and Simplification: Significantly simplify complexity of code and design to help team and company move fast while maintaining architectural health

Subject Matter Expertise: Serve as sought-out technical expert for domain, driving quality and impact to architectural designs for team and peer teams

Operational Excellence: Act as subject matter expert for troubleshooting and improving operational automation, proactively addressing systemic issues

Technical Mentorship: Mentor and coach junior and mid-level engineers, helping team grow sustainably through processes and tools

Technical Communication: Demonstrate strong technical communication skills to drive clear decisions and uplevel communication for the team

What we look for

Technical

Distributed Systems Expertise8+ years of relevant experience in stream processing or large-scale distributed systems

System ArchitectureDemonstrated strong fundamentals and extensive experience in architecture, design, and development of complex engineering systems

Cloud Native EngineeringStrong understanding of cloud engineering principles, building and operating mission-critical systems in public cloud environments

Programming Language ProficiencyProficiency in Go, Java, Scala, or Rust with ability to contribute technically to development

Technical LeadershipProven ability to lead efforts with groups or own deep technical areas individually, effectively aligning teams on technical direction

Education

Computer Science DegreeBS, MS, or PhD in computer science or related field, or equivalent work experience

Experience

Stream Processing ExperienceMinimum 8+ years of relevant experience in stream processing or large-scale distributed systems

End-to-End System DevelopmentExtensive experience in architecture, design, and development of complex engineering systems from end to end

Technical Leadership ExperienceProven track record of leading technical efforts and aligning teams on technical direction

Skills

Required skills

Apache FlinkCore expertise in stream processing framework for building elastic data processing engines

Distributed SystemsDeep understanding of large-scale distributed system architecture and implementation

Cloud PlatformsExperience with AWS, GCP, or Azure for mission-critical system deployment

System ArchitectureAbility to design and architect complex engineering systems from end to end

Technical LeadershipProven ability to lead technical teams and drive architectural decisions

Nice to have

Apache KafkaDeep expertise in high-throughput messaging systems and stream processing

Kubernetes OperatorsHands-on experience designing and operating operators for distributed applications

Open Source ContributionsRecognized technical contributions to open-source stream processing projects, particularly Apache Flink

State Management SystemsDeep expertise in design and optimization of large-scale, fault-tolerant state management systems

Distributed StorageExperience with distributed storage systems and high-throughput messaging systems

Compensation & benefits

Salary

EUR 147,600 – 173,400 (annual)

Stock options

Available

Benefits

Equity Compensation

Stock options and equity participation in Confluent's growth

Remote Work Flexibility

Fully remote position with flexibility to work across time zones

Equal Opportunity Employment

Inclusive workplace with employment decisions based on job-related criteria without discrimination

Professional Growth

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

Technical Innovation

Work on cutting-edge data streaming platform technology with Apache Kafka and Flink

Interview process

1
Initial Screening — Phone or video call to discuss background, experience, and interest in the role
2
Technical Deep Dive — In-depth technical interview focusing on distributed systems architecture, stream processing, and system design
3
System Design Interview — Design session covering large-scale distributed systems, focusing on autoscaling, state management, and cloud-native architecture
4
Technical Leadership Assessment — Discussion of past technical leadership experiences, mentoring approach, and strategic thinking
5
Team Fit and Cultural Interview — Meet with team members and hiring manager to assess cultural fit and collaboration style
6
Final Interview Panel — Final round with senior leadership to discuss vision alignment and long-term technical strategy