1

Kafka Engineer Jobs in Minnesota (NOW HIRING)

Staff Engineer

Minneapolis, MN · On-site +1

$173K/yr

... Kafka. Ensure that data pipelines are scalable, reliable, and performant, and that they adhere to ... Lead, mentor, and develop up and coming engineers. Engage in technology strategy and data ...

Senior Java Software Engineer Location: Minneapolis, MN, On-Site Engagement Type: Contractor via ... Apache Kafka * Amazon Web Services (AWS) * SQL Databases * NoSQL Databases (MongoDB, Cassandra, or ...

New

Java Developer- Payments

Minneapolis, MN · On-site

$53.25 - $69/hr

Java Microservices Developer (Banking) Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota- hybrid 4 days Long term ... Strong working knowledge of Apache Kafka and event-driven application development. * Experience ...

New

Staff Engineer (e-ST)

Minneapolis, MN · On-site

$156 - $191/hr

## Staff Engineer (e-ST)Applylocations: MN - Minneapolistime type: Full timeposted on: Posted Todayjob ... Kafka. Ensure that data pipelines are scalable, reliable, and performant, and that they adhere to ...

Engineer Location : Brooklyn Park, MN | Hybrid - onsite Wednesdays & connection weeks Job Type ... Develop and maintain Kafka consumers and producers for large-scale event-driven systems. * Ensure ...

Sr. Data Engineer

Wayzata, MN · On-site

$116K - $139K/yr

Demonstrated proficiency in data collection, ingestion tools (Kafka, AWS Glue), and storage formats ... Advanced programming skills in Python, Java, Scala, or similar languages. Expert-level proficiency ...

Sr. Data Engineer

Wayzata, MN · On-site

$116K - $139K/yr

Demonstrated proficiency in data collection, ingestion tools (Kafka, AWS Glue), and storage formats ... Advanced programming skills in Python, Java, Scala, or similar languages. Expert-level proficiency ...

Showing results 21-40

Kafka Engineer information

See Minnesota salary details

$38.2K

$99.7K

$134.7K

How much do kafka engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 3, 2026, the average yearly pay for kafka engineer in Minnesota is $99,657.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $82,300.00 and $114,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a Kafka engineer do?

A Kafka Engineer specializes in designing, building, and maintaining distributed data streaming systems using Apache Kafka. They are responsible for configuring Kafka clusters, ensuring data reliability and scalability, and integrating Kafka with other systems. Kafka Engineers also monitor system performance, troubleshoot issues, and optimize data pipelines to support real-time data processing needs. Their work is essential for organizations that rely on high-throughput, low-latency data streaming for applications such as analytics, event sourcing, and microservices architectures.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Kafka engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Kafka Engineer, you need a strong understanding of distributed systems, proficiency in Apache Kafka, and experience with programming languages like Java or Python, often supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with tools such as Kafka Connect, Kafka Streams, monitoring systems (e.g., Prometheus, Grafana), and relevant certifications like Confluent Certified Developer for Apache Kafka are typically required. Problem-solving skills, effective communication, and the ability to work collaboratively make someone stand out in this position. These skills and qualities are crucial to ensure reliable data pipelines, seamless integration, and efficient troubleshooting in mission-critical, real-time data environments.

How does a Kafka engineer typically collaborate with development and operations teams?

Kafka Engineers play a key role in bridging the gap between development and operations teams. They work closely with developers to design and implement event-driven architectures using Kafka, ensuring data flows reliably between services. Simultaneously, they partner with operations teams to deploy, monitor, and maintain Kafka clusters, addressing issues like scalability, fault tolerance, and security. Effective communication and a strong understanding of both software development and infrastructure are essential for success in this collaborative environment.

What is the difference between Kafka Engineer vs Data Engineer?

AspectKafka EngineerData Engineer
Required CredentialsCertifications in Kafka, cloud platforms, programming languagesCertifications in data tools, cloud, SQL, programming
Work EnvironmentFocus on Kafka setup, streaming data, real-time processingBroader data pipeline, storage, and processing tasks
Employer & Industry UsageTech companies, data-driven organizations using KafkaVarious industries managing large data systems
Common Search & ComparisonOften compared for specialization in streaming dataBroader role encompassing multiple data technologies

The Kafka Engineer specializes in designing, implementing, and maintaining Kafka-based streaming data systems, focusing on real-time data processing. In contrast, Data Engineers work on building comprehensive data pipelines, integrating various data sources, and managing storage solutions. While Kafka Engineers focus on Kafka-specific tasks, Data Engineers handle a wider range of data tools and platforms, making their roles complementary but distinct in data infrastructure teams.

Infographic showing various Kafka Engineer job openings in Minnesota as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 89% Full Time, 7% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $99,657 per year, or $47.9 per hour.

Staff Engineer

Thrivent Financial

Minneapolis, MN • On-site, Remote

$173K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 20 days ago


Thrivent rating

8.8

Company rating: 8.8 out of 10

Based on 20 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

Design, develop, and maintain data pipelines to handle large and complex data sets using Big Data technologies such as Hadoop, Spark, and Kafka. Ensure that data pipelines are scalable, reliable, and performant, and that they adhere to data governance, data security, and data quality best practices. Help develop sustainable data solutions with current and leading next generation data technologies to transform business capabilities. Collaborate with end users to ensure data availability and accessibility. Work with cross-functional teams to identify and implement process improvements for data pipelines and data workflows. Monitor and troubleshoot data pipeline issues to ensure high availability and reliability. Participate in code reviews and provide feedback to other team members to ensure that code is high quality and adheres to best practices. Remain current with industry trends and emerging technologies in Big Data and data engineering and evaluate their potential impact on our data infrastructure and systems. Lead, mentor, and develop up and coming engineers. Engage in technology strategy and data architecture across enterprise. The position is based out of and reports to Thrivent's HQ in Minneapolis, MN, but allows for the option to telecommute from a home office anywhere in the US.

Requirements:

- Minimum of a Bachelor's or foreign equivalent degree in Management Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field plus 6 years of progressively responsible post baccalaureate experience as a data engineer.

- At least 6 years of Data Engineering experience with Big Data Technologies: Apache Spark and Hadoop.

- At least 5 years of experience with the following:

  • Programming with Python, Java or Scala;
  • Designing and architecting big data solutions using Spark and Hadoop.

- At least 4 years of experience with the following:

  • Building data pipelines, CICD pipelines, and fit for purpose data stores;
  • BI development and reports;
  • Data Warehouse modelling with star schema; modelling data in big data eco system;
  • Developing and executing test cases.

At least 3 years of experience building data pipelines using Snowflake, Databricks and Kafka.

At least 2 years of experience with the following:

  • Streamsets and Bamboo;
  • Working with Informatica, IICS and DB2;
  • Cloud technologies: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, OpenStack, Docker, Ansible, Chef, Lambdas, Microservices and Terraform.

Salary: at least $173,400/year


Other


Thrivent is unique in our commitment to helping people to be wise with money and live balanced and generous lives. That extends to our benefits.


The following benefits may be offered: various bonuses (including, for example, annual or long-term incentives); medical, dental, and vision insurance; health savings account; flexible spending account; 401k; pension; life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance; disability insurance; supplemental protection insurance; 20 days of Paid Time Off each year; Sick and Safe Time; 10 paid company holidays; Volunteer Time Off; paid parental leave; EAP; well-being benefits, and other employee benefits. Eligibility for receipt of these benefits is subject to the applicable plan/policy documents. Thrivent's plans/policies are subject to change at any time at Thrivent's discretion.


Thrivent provides Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, marital status, citizenship status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable local, state, or federal law. This policy applies to all employees and job applicants.

Thrivent is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please let us know by sending an email tohuman.resources@thrivent.comor call800-847-4836and request Human Resources.


What Thrivent employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom