IBM

Staff Software Engineer - Confluent Control Plane Core Infrastructure

IBM$110K — $130K *
Information Technology
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree required; Master's preferred.
  • 6+ years experience in software engineering, particularly in backend or distributed systems.
  • Deep expertise in distributed systems design and cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure).
  • Proficient in Kubernetes or similar orchestration technologies.
  • Strong coding skills in Go, Java, or Scala; comfortable with systems and automation.
  • Operational mindset focused on SLOs, observability, and incident response.
  • Proven ability to lead cross-team projects and influence technical direction.

Responsibilities

  • Design and deliver complex control-plane systems for Confluent Cloud.
  • Lead technical initiatives from ambiguous problems to execution.
  • Enhance reliability through resilient systems and solid observability practices.
  • Collaborate with multiple teams to align on platform designs and strategies.
  • Mentor engineers, conduct code reviews, and foster team development.
  • Improve developer experience through tooling, automation, and CI/CD.
  • Drive technical strategy by identifying opportunities and prioritizing aligned work.
  • Contribute to the engineering culture by sharing knowledge and documentation.

Benefits

  • Flexible remote work opportunity from anywhere in Canada.
  • Collaboration with cross-functional teams and exposure to large-scale projects.
  • Engagement in a culture that values knowledge sharing and professional growth.
Full Job Description
Your role and responsibilities

About the Role:

We're looking for a Staff Software Engineer I to lead the design and delivery of core control-plane infrastructure that powers Confluent Cloud. In this role you will own highly technical projects across multiple services and teams, shaping the architecture and reliability of our cloud platform. You'll combine deep distributed systems expertise with strong execution and cross-team leadership, identifying high-leverage problems and driving them from idea to durable impact.

What You Will Do:
  • Own end-to-end architecture and delivery of complex control-plane systems (APIs, controllers, orchestration workflows, data models) that support Confluent Cloud products.
  • Lead open-ended technical initiatives: take ambiguous problems, clarify requirements, define the approach, and drive execution across teams and services.
  • Raise the bar on reliability and operations by building resilient systems with strong observability, clear SLOs, runbooks, and safe rollout/rollback patterns.
  • Collaborate across orgs (Cloud Platform, Kafka, Compute, Security, Traffic, SRE and others) to align on designs, trade-offs, and long-term platform direction.
  • Mentor and unblock engineers at multiple levels; provide high-quality design and code reviews, and help grow the broader engineering team.
  • Continuously improve developer experience for our control-plane stack (tooling, automation, CI/CD, test strategy) to remove toil and increase velocity.
  • Influence technical strategy in your domain: identify high-impact opportunities, propose roadmaps, and help prioritize work aligned with business goals.
  • Contribute to engineering culture via documentation, design reviews, and knowledge sharing (internal talks, wikis, or external content where appropriate).
    This job can be performed from anywhere in the Canada.


Required education

Bachelor's Degree

Preferred education

Master's Degree

Required technical and professional expertise

What You Will Bring:
  • Experienced builder: Typically 6+ years of software engineering experience, with a strong track record of delivering complex backend or distributed systems to production.
  • Distributed systems & cloud expert: Deep hands-on experience with at least some of:
  • Distributed systems design (consistency models, failure modes, data modeling, scalability).
  • Cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure) and cloud-native architectures.
  • Kubernetes or similar orchestration platforms.
  • Strong systems and coding skills: Proficiency in one or more of Go, Java or Scala, and comfort working across services, infrastructure, and automation.
  • Architect & executor: Able to define end-to-end designs, break them into milestones, de-risk early, and land them on time with high quality.
  • Operationally rigorous: You think in terms of SLOs, failure modes, observability, and incident response; you design for safe change and graceful degradation.
  • Great communicator: You write clear design docs, explain trade-offs crisply, and can lead technical discussions with diverse stakeholders (engineers, PMs, leadership).
  • Leader without authority: You've successfully led cross-team projects, influenced technical direction beyond your immediate code, and helped others level up.
  • Values-aligned: You care about customer impact, reliability, long-term maintainability, and helping the team win, not just shipping features.


Preferred technical and professional experience

What Gives You an Edge:

  • Experience building control-plane systems (APIs, operators/controllers, metadata services, provisioning/orchestration workflows).
  • Background with Apache Kafka or other streaming/data systems.
  • Prior work on multi-region, high-availability, or disaster-recovery architectures.
  • Experience in security-sensitive infrastructure (identity, certificates, secrets, mTLS, policy) or compliance-driven environments.
  • Contributions to open source projects, public talks, or technical blogs in relevant areas.


OTHER RELEVANT JOB DETAILS

Must have the ability to work in Canada without sponsorship.

This role will involve working with technology that is covered by Export Regulations sanctions. If you are a Foreign National from any of the following US sanctioned countries (Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and the Crimea, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia regions of Ukraine) on a work permit, you are not eligible for employment in this position.

The salary range for the position is based on a full-time schedule. Your ultimate salary within this range may vary depending on your job-related skills and experience for this position.

About IBM

Sequent Computer Systems designs and manufactures multiprocessing computer systems based on Cache Coherent Non-Uniform Memory Access architecture, which are used primarily as application and database servers for commercial applications. Through a partnership with Oracle Corporation, Sequent became a dominant high-end UNIX platform in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Later it introduced a next-generation high-end platform for UNIX and Windows NT based on non-uniform memory access architecture, NUMA-Q. Sequent Computer Systems, Inc. was incorporated in 1983 and is based in Beaverton, Oregon. In July 1999 Sequent Computer Systems, Inc. was acquired by International Business Machines Corp.

IBM Careers

Joining IBM presents a prime opportunity to be part of our global team of professionals, leading the way in technological innovation and business solutions. At IBM, we offer more than just job opportunities; we provide a platform for growth, leadership development, and a chance to be at the forefront of industry innovation. Work You’ll Do At IBM, your work impacts global markets and helps reshape industries. As part of our team, you will contribute to projects that harness the power of cloud computing, AI, and blockchain technologies. With IBM, you are positioned to lead in the marketplace, leveraging our deep industry expertise and commitment to digital innovation. Transform Your Career IBM is not just a company; it's a culture of innovation and leadership. We are committed to diversity and providing an inclusive environment where all professionals can thrive. Joining IBM means being part of a team that values your unique skills and perspectives. IBM offers a variety of career paths, including full-time positions and internships, that allow you to explore your interests and develop new skills. Our professional development programs are designed to help you grow at every stage of your career, featuring robust training, certification support, and opportunities for advancement. Innovate with Us Engage in work that matters with a team of over 350,000 IBMers worldwide, driving progress in over 170 countries. At IBM, innovation isn’t just about technology, it’s about transforming how businesses operate and compete. Your work will deliver solutions that anticipate and fulfill the needs of our clients in an ever-evolving landscape. Be Part of a Great Team IBMers are diverse, talented, and globally connected. You’ll collaborate with thought leaders and industry experts who are shaping the future of technology. Our culture fosters creativity, teamwork, and the continuous pursuit of excellence. Networking and Professional Growth IBM is deeply invested in the professional growth of its employees. We encourage networking within the company to foster connections that can lead to greater innovation and career advancement. Our leadership is committed to providing every employee with the tools they need to succeed, from mentorship programs to diversity training. Explore Job Opportunities Whether you’re looking for an internship, a graduate role, or a leadership position, IBM offers a range of career opportunities. Our hiring process is designed to be transparent and fair, providing you with all the resources you need to succeed in your interview and resume preparation. Stay Connected Join Our Team Discover the various positions available that match your skills and interests. At IBM, we look for passionate, curious, and solution-driven team players. Explore our open positions and find where you can make a difference. Keep Up to Date Stay informed with career tips, insider perspectives, and industry-leading insights you can put to use today—all from the people who work here. Job Alert Emails Customize your subscription to receive job alerts, the latest news, and insider tips tailored to your preferences. See what exciting and rewarding opportunities await at IBM. Join IBM and be part of a legacy of leadership and innovation. Shape your future and build a career designed to last.
Learn more about IBM
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307,600 employees
Market Cap
$128 billion
Industry
Net Income
$5.5 billion
Founded
1911
5 Year Trend
-6.4%
Revenue
$73.6 billion
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