Staff Software Engineer I – Control Plane Core Infrastructure

Confluent2 days ago

Location

CA Remote Ontario

Type

Full Time

Salary

CAD 225,100 – 264,500

Level

Staff

Role

Staff Software Engineer

Posted

Apr 17, 2026

Full TimeStaff

The role

Summary

Confluent is seeking a Staff Software Engineer to lead the design and delivery of core control-plane infrastructure for Confluent Cloud. The ideal candidate will drive complex technical initiatives, architect resilient distributed systems, and contribute to the strategic development of cloud-native infrastructure across multiple teams.

What you'll do

Control Plane Infrastructure Ownership: Own end-to-end architecture and delivery of complex control-plane systems including APIs, controllers, orchestration workflows, and data models for Confluent Cloud products

Technical Leadership: Lead open-ended technical initiatives by clarifying requirements, defining approaches, and driving cross-team execution

System Reliability: Enhance system reliability by building resilient infrastructure with strong observability, clear SLOs, comprehensive runbooks, and safe deployment patterns

Cross-Organizational Collaboration: Collaborate across multiple engineering organizations to align on designs, evaluate trade-offs, and shape long-term platform direction

Engineering Mentorship: Mentor engineers at multiple levels, provide high-quality code and design reviews, and contribute to team growth

Developer Experience: Continuously improve developer experience for control-plane stack through advanced tooling, automation, CI/CD, and test strategy improvements

Strategic Influence: Identify high-impact opportunities, propose strategic roadmaps, and help prioritize work aligned with business objectives

What we look for

Technical

Distributed SystemsExpert-level understanding of distributed systems design, including consistency models, failure modes, data modeling, and scalability

Cloud PlatformsHands-on experience with cloud platforms like AWS, GCP, or Azure, and cloud-native architectures

Container OrchestrationProficiency with Kubernetes or similar container orchestration platforms

Education

Computer ScienceBachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related technical field preferred

Experience

Software EngineeringMinimum 6+ years of software engineering experience with a proven track record of delivering complex backend or distributed systems to production

Skills

Required skills

Programming LanguagesProficiency in Go, Java, or Scala

System DesignStrong ability to design end-to-end system architectures and break down complex problems

CommunicationExceptional technical communication skills, ability to write clear design documents and lead technical discussions

Nice to have

Kafka ExperienceBackground with Apache Kafka or similar streaming/data systems

Infrastructure SecurityExperience in security-sensitive infrastructure, including identity management, certificates, and compliance

Compensation & benefits

Salary

CAD 225,100 – 264,500 (annual)

Stock options

Available

Benefits

Equity

Stock options as part of compensation package

Inclusive Workplace

Commitment to diversity, equity, and belonging

Interview process

1
Initial Screening — Phone or video call with recruiting team to assess background and fit
2
Technical Interview — In-depth technical discussions focusing on distributed systems design, system architecture, and problem-solving skills
3
System Design Challenge — Comprehensive assessment of candidate's ability to design complex, scalable infrastructure solutions
4
Leadership and Cultural Fit Interview — Evaluation of cross-team collaboration, communication skills, and alignment with company values