Confluent Kafka Administrator

Confluent Kafka Administrator

Location: Coppell, TX

Workplace Type: Onsite

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Confluent Kafka Administrator to manage and maintain our Kafka infrastructure. The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 5 years of experience with Confluent Kafka and a strong background in data streaming and real-time data processing. This role is crucial for ensuring the reliability, performance, and security of our Kafka clusters, which are at the heart of our data streaming platform. The administrator will be responsible for the full lifecycle management of Kafka, from initial setup and configuration to ongoing monitoring, maintenance, and upgrades. Collaboration with development teams and other stakeholders is essential to ensure seamless integration of Kafka with various data sources and sinks. The successful candidate will possess a deep understanding of Kafka architecture, security best practices, and performance tuning techniques. They will also be adept at troubleshooting issues and implementing solutions to maintain optimal cluster performance. This is a full-time position based in Coppell, TX, offering an excellent opportunity to contribute to a dynamic and growing organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Install, configure, and manage Kafka clusters, including Confluent Kafka components.
• Monitor Kafka clusters for performance, reliability, and capacity planning. Optimize Kafka performance and troubleshoot issues.
• Implement and manage security measures for Kafka clusters, including encryption, authentication, and authorization.
• Work with development teams to integrate Kafka with various data sources and sinks.
• Plan and execute upgrades and patches for Kafka clusters to ensure they are up-to-date with the latest features and security fixes.
• Develop and maintain disaster recovery plans for Kafka clusters.
• Create and maintain documentation for Kafka configurations, processes, and procedures.
• Provide support for Kafka-related issues and work closely with other teams to resolve any problems.
• Manage Kafka topics, including adding and removing topic configurations, setting cleanup policies, and configuring retention times.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of experience with Confluent Kafka.
• Strong knowledge of Kafka architecture, Kraft mode (Kafka Raft), Kafka Connect, Kafka Streams, and KSQL.
• Proficiency in scripting languages (e.g., Python, Bash) and automation tools (e.g., Ansible, Terraform).
• Experience with monitoring tools like Prometheus, Grafana, Dynatrace, and Splunk ITSI.
• Knowledge of security best practices for Kafka, including SSL/TLS, Kerberos, and RBAC.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.

Additional Information

Preferred qualifications include Confluent Certified Administrator or Developer certification, experience with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS) and managing Kafka in cloud environments, familiarity with DevOps practices and tools, and experience with databases. The ideal candidate will be a self-starter with a passion for data streaming and a proven track record of successfully managing Kafka clusters in a production environment. They should also be comfortable working in a fast-paced, agile environment and be able to adapt to changing priorities. This position offers a competitive salary and benefits package, as well as opportunities for professional growth and development. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. The role requires the ability to work independently and as part of a team, and to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences. The successful candidate will also be expected to stay up-to-date with the latest Kafka developments and best practices, and to share their knowledge with other team members.