Apache Kafka / Confluent Engineer - Onsite - Chandler, AZ

Job Title: Apache Kafka / Confluent Engineer Location: Chandler, AZ Pay Rate: Competitive (based on experience) Client: Confidential (Leading Financial Services Organization) Job Summary We are looking for a skilled Apache Kafka / Confluent Engineer to design, implement, and support real-time data streaming platforms in a large-scale enterprise environment. The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience with Kafka and Confluent Platform setup, configuration, and administration , along with strong expertise in distributed systems and event-driven architecture. Key Responsibilities Install, configure, and manage Apache Kafka and Confluent Platform environments Design and implement high-throughput, fault-tolerant data streaming solutions Perform cluster setup, topic configuration, partitioning, and replication strategies Monitor and optimize Kafka cluster performance, availability, and scalability Troubleshoot production issues and perform root cause analysis (RCA) Manage Kafka brokers, Zookeeper/KRaft mode, and Confluent components Implement security (SSL, SASL, ACLs) and governance best practices Work closely with development teams to integrate Kafka-based solutions Support production environments , including on-call rotation if needed Develop automation scripts for environment provisioning and monitoring Required Skills & Experience 5+ years of experience in distributed systems / middleware support Strong hands-on experience with Apache Kafka and Confluent Platform Proven experience in Kafka setup, configuration, and cluster management Knowledge of Kafka architecture (brokers, topics, partitions, consumers, producers) Experience with Linux/Unix environments and scripting (Shell, Python, or similar) Familiarity with monitoring tools (Prometheus, Grafana, or Confluent Control Center) Strong troubleshooting skills in production environments Understanding of event-driven architecture and messaging systems Preferred Qualifications Experience in financial services or banking domain Exposure to cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) Experience with Kafka Connect, Schema Registry, ksqlDB Knowledge of CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices Familiarity with containerization tools (Docker, Kubernetes) Soft Skills Strong communication and collaboration skills Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-availability environment Analytical and problem-solving mindset Detail-oriented and proactive approach