[Confluent] Senior Software Engineer II - Stream Processing & Analytics

IBM; Lowell (MA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

IBM is seeking a skilled Stream Processing Engineer to join the SPA team. You will work on the Flink-based engine for Confluent Cloud, building user-defined functions and interfaces while collaborating with the community to shape open source foundations.

You will implement production-grade cloud-scale runtime, contribute to scalable, reliable services, and participate in on-call rotations across AWS, Azure, and GCP regions.

Qualifications

• BS/MS/PhD in computer science or related field or equivalent work experience.
• 4+ years of relevant stream processing experience.
• Strong fundamentals in distributed systems design and development.
• Experience running production services in the cloud and being part of on-call rotation.
• Proficiency in Java, and comfortable working with Go and Python.

Responsibilities

• Work on Flink user-defined functions to provide a great experience for customers with sophisticated use-cases.
• Design, develop and operationalize critical user-facing interfaces as well as the backing cloud infrastructure.
• Collaborate with the Apache Flink community to establish standards and improve open source foundations.
• Independently drive execution of software projects to deliver complex projects in production with a focus on quality.
• Evaluate and enhance the efficiency of our platform's technology stack, keeping pace with industry trends and adopting state-of-the-art solutions.
• Develop, manage, and maintain a mission-critical service with a 99.99 SLA across 88+ AWS, GCP, and Azure regions.
• Enhance stability, performance, scalability, and operational excellence across multiple systems.

Skills

Java

Python

Go

Distributed systems

Cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP)

Kubernetes

Flink

On-call rotation

Education

Master's Degree

BS/MS/PhD in CS or related field

Tools

Kubernetes operators

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.

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.

Your Role And Responsibilities

About the Role:

The Stream Processing & Analytics (SPA) team is building an elastic, reliable, durable, cost-effective, and performant stream processing engine based on Apache Flink for Confluent Cloud.

This role is critical for enabling our customers to build custom functions and apps in Confluent Cloud, extending the stream processing engine to meet the specific needs of their use‑cases no matter how complex. You will champion a best-in-class SDLC and high-performance cloud-scale runtime for users who build custom pipeline logic in Java or Python and want to leverage the power of managed stream processing on Confluent Cloud without sacrificing best‑practices from their typical workflows.

What You Will Do

• Work on Flink user-defined functions to provide a great experience for customers with sophisticated use‑cases
• Play a crucial role in designing, developing and operationalizing critical user-facing interfaces as well as the backing cloud infrastructure
• Collaborate with the Apache Flink community to establish standards and improve open source foundations
• Independently drive execution of software projects to deliver complex projects in production with a focus on quality.
• Evaluate and enhance the efficiency of our platform's technology stack, keeping pace with industry trends and adopting state‑of‑the‑art solutions
• As a vital member of our team, take responsibility for developing, managing, and maintaining a mission‑critical service with a 99.99 SLA running on 88+ AWS, GCP, and Azure regions
• Enhance the stability, performance, scalability, and operational excellence across multiple critical systems

Preferred Education

Master's Degree

Required Technical And Professional Expertise

What You Will Bring:

• BS, MS, or PhD in computer science or a related field, or equivalent work experience
• 4+ years of relevant stream processing experience
• Strong fundamentals in distributed systems design and development
• Experience running production services in the cloud and being part of oncall rotation
• A self-starter with the ability to work effectively in teams
• Proficiency in Java, and comfortable working with Go and Python

Preferred Technical And Professional Experience

What Gives You an Edge:

• A strong background in distributed storage systems or databases
• Experience/knowledge with public clouds (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and Kubernetes operators
• Contributions to open‑source projects, especially in Flink or the stream processing area