Senior Software Engineer - Stream Processing

IBM; Calgary; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

IBM Software is seeking a Software Engineer to own the infrastructure for AI value delivery on streaming data. You will architect systems enabling in-place, at-scale AI on real-time data, reducing data movement and enabling complex inference directly on streams.

You’ll tackle architecture across networking, compute, and security to ensure reliability of AI capabilities as part of a fast-moving team building scalable cloud services.

Qualifications

• 2–5 years of experience designing, building, and supporting backend systems in production.
• Strong fundamentals in distributed systems, cloud infrastructure, and networking.
• Experience in building and operating large-scale, high-availability systems.
• Proficiency with at least one statically typed language (Java/Scala/C++/Go).

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and operate large-scale infrastructure powering Confluent Cloud.
• Build foundational software to improve reliability, scalability, and efficiency.
• Address distributed-systems challenges like consensus, failover, and resource allocation.
• Collaborate with teams across Confluent to optimize real-time data streaming infra.
• Troubleshoot and improve observability, reliability, and performance across clouds.

Skills

Backend systems

Distributed systems

Cloud infrastructure

Problem solving

Java

Scala

C++

Go

Education

CS degree (BS/MS/PhD)

Tools

AWS

Azure

GCP

Job description

Introduction

At IBM Software, we transform client challenges into solutions. Building the world’s leading AI-powered, cloud-native products that shape the future of business and society. Our legacy of innovation creates endless opportunities for IBMers to learn, grow, and make an impact on a global scale. Working in Software means joining a team fueled by curiosity and collaboration. You’ll work with diverse technologies, partners, and industries to design, develop, and deliver solutions that power digital transformation. With a culture that values innovation, growth, and continuous learning, IBM Software places you at the heart of IBM’s product and technology landscape. Here, you’ll have the tools and opportunities to advance your career while creating software that changes the world. With Confluent, data doesn’t sit still. We put information in motion, streaming in near real time so organizations can react faster, build smarter, and deliver experiences as dynamic as the world around them. We’re not just building better tech. We’re rewriting how data moves and what the world can do with it. With Confluent, data doesn’t sit still. Our platform puts information in motion, streaming in near real-time so companies can react faster, build smarter, and deliver experiences as dynamic as the world around them. It takes a certain kind of person to join this team. Those who ask hard questions, give honest feedback, and show up for each other. No egos, no solo acts. Just smart, curious humans pushing toward something bigger, together.

Your Role And Responsibilities

As a Software Engineer on the AI team, you will take ownership of the infrastructure that enables our "in-place, at-scale" AI value proposition. You aren't just building a feature; you are architecting the systems that allow customers to run complex inference and AI agents directly on streaming data, eliminating the need to move data to external stacks. This is a high-impact role where your work on scalable, cost-efficient serving layers directly drives Confluent's growth and redefines the possibilities of real-time data. We are looking for engineers who thrive on the technical complexity of large-scale distributed systems. You will tackle deep infrastructure challenges across networking, compute, and security to ensure our AI capabilities are as reliable as the core data plane itself. If you are passionate about building the foundational systems that power the next generation of AI in the cloud, this is the place to do it.

What You’ll Do

• Design, develop, and operate large-scale, high-performance infrastructure that powers Confluent Cloud.
• Build foundational software to improve reliability, scalability, and efficiency across cloud environments.
• Work on distributed systems challenges such as consensus algorithms, failover strategies, and resource allocation.
• Collaborate with teams across Confluent to optimize and enhance infrastructure for real-time data streaming use cases.
• Troubleshoot and improve system reliability, observability, and performance across multiple cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP).

Preferred Education

Master's Degree

Required Technical And Professional Expertise

• 2-5 years of industry experience designing, building, and supporting backend systems in production.
• Strong fundamentals in distributed systems, cloud infrastructure, and networking.
• Experience in building and operating large-scale, high-availability systems.
• Good understanding of cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and their services.
• Proficiency in Java, Scala, C++, Go, or other statically typed languages.
• A self-starter with strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• BS, MS, or PhD in computer science or a related field, or equivalent work experience.

Preferred Technical And Professional Experience

• Exposure to model serving, LLM/agent infrastructure, or streaming data systems.