Staff Software Engineer I - Confluent Platform

Confluent5 days ago

Location

IN Remote India

Type

Full Time

Salary

USD 200,000 – 250,000

Level

Staff

Role

Staff Software Engineer

Posted

Jun 8, 2026

Full TimeStaff

The role

Summary

Confluent is seeking a Staff Software Engineer to drive technical innovation in their Platform team, focusing on the Unified Stream Manager (USM) and enterprise-grade data streaming capabilities. The ideal candidate will lead complex distributed systems development, shape platform architecture, and mentor senior engineers while contributing to Confluent's mission of revolutionizing how data moves across organizations.

What you'll do

Platform Technical Leadership: Lead the technical evolution of Confluent Platform, with deep ownership of Unified Stream Manager (USM), hybrid-first management, and platform-wide operational capabilities

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with product management, engineering leadership, and cross-organizational stakeholders to define and execute the Confluent Platform roadmap

Technical Mentorship: Mentor and grow senior engineers and technical leads, providing hands-on guidance and career development support

System Architecture: Lead architecture and design of large, complex distributed systems spanning Kubernetes, security, and observability domains

Engineering Excellence: Champion domain health, operational hygiene, and platform reliability through rigorous design and code reviews

What we look for

Technical

Distributed SystemsDeep experience building and operating large-scale distributed systems with strong fundamentals in OS, networking, storage, and cloud infrastructure

ConcurrencyExcellent understanding of multi-threaded programming and concurrent system design

System ArchitectureProven ability to design complex systems from concept to production with focus on scalability and reliability

Education

Computer Science DegreeBS/MS in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent practical experience

Experience

Software Development10+ years of hands-on software development experience with proven track record of anticipating and executing future technical needs

Production SystemsExtensive experience handling high-severity production issues, including on-call ownership and deep debugging skills

Skills

Required skills

Distributed SystemsExpertise in designing and implementing large-scale distributed computing architectures

Systems ProgrammingAdvanced skills in low-level system design and implementation

Cloud InfrastructureStrong knowledge of cloud platforms and infrastructure management

Nice to have

Open SourceExperience contributing to or leading open-source projects

Stream ProcessingBackground in Apache Kafka, Apache Flink, or Apache Spark ecosystem

Technical EvangelismExperience in conference speaking or technical writing about data streaming technologies

Compensation & benefits

Salary

USD 200,000 – 250,000 (annual)

Stock options

Available

Benefits

Health Insurance

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage

Stock Options

Equity compensation as part of total rewards package

Remote Work

Flexible work arrangements with remote work options

Professional Development

Ongoing learning and career growth opportunities

401k Matching

Retirement savings plan with company match

Interview process

1
Initial Screening — Phone or video call with recruiting team to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit
2
Technical Phone Screen — Detailed technical interview focusing on distributed systems design and problem-solving skills
3
Architectural Design Challenge — Comprehensive system design interview evaluating candidate's approach to complex distributed computing problems
4
Onsite/Virtual Interviews — Multiple rounds of interviews with engineering leaders, potential teammates, and cross-functional stakeholders
5
Final Leadership Interview — Discussion with senior engineering leadership to assess strategic thinking and long-term potential