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Kafka Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

K-Tek Resourcing LLC

Lead Kafka Developer

Dallas, TX · On-site

$48 - $50/hr

Lead Kafka Developer Location: Dallas, TX / Cleveland, OH (Hybrid) Employment Type: Contract Rate: $48-50/hr Experience Required: 8+ Years We are seeking an experienced Lead Kafka Developer with ...

New

CEI

Lead Kafka Developer

Pittsburgh, PA

$60/hr

Lead Kafka Developer * Location: Pittsburgh, Cleveland, or Dallas * Contract: W2 only, 9+ month contract with potential for extension or conversion to full time with either the client or CEI * Pay ...

System One

Lead Kafka Developer

Pittsburgh, PA · On-site

$57.25 - $75/hr

... Engineer Lead Location: Pittsburgh, PA Type: Contract Compensation: Contractor Work Model: Onsite - onsite Hours: 40.0 Security Clearance: Responsibilities * Design and develop Kafka-based streaming ...

Ventures Unlimited Inc

Kafka Developer

Pittsburgh, PA · On-site

Kafka Developer Must Have Technical/Functional Skills * We are seeking an experienced Java/Kafka Developer with strong expertise in Java, J2EE, Spring Boot, Microservices, Kafka, REST APIs, and ...

System One

Lead Kafka Developer

Pittsburgh, PA · On-site

$57.25 - $75/hr

... Engineer Lead Location: Pittsburgh, PA Type: Contract Compensation: Contractor Work Model: Onsite - onsite Hours: 40.0 Security Clearance: Responsibilities * Design and develop Kafka-based streaming ...

System One

Lead Kafka Developer

Pittsburgh, PA · On-site

$57.25 - $75/hr

... Engineer Lead Location: Pittsburgh, PA Type: Contract Compensation: Contractor Work Model: Onsite - onsite Hours: 40.0 Security Clearance: Responsibilities * Design and develop Kafka-based streaming ...

System One

Lead Kafka Developer

Pittsburgh, PA · On-site

$57.25 - $75/hr

... Engineer Lead Location: Pittsburgh, PA Type: Contract Compensation: Contractor Work Model: Onsite - onsite Hours: 40.0 Security Clearance: Responsibilities * Design and develop Kafka-based streaming ...

System One

Lead Kafka Developer

Pittsburgh, PA · On-site

$57.25 - $75/hr

... Engineer Lead Location: Pittsburgh, PA Type: Contract Compensation: Contractor Work Model: Onsite - onsite Hours: 40.0 Security Clearance: Responsibilities * Design and develop Kafka-based streaming ...

System One

Lead Kafka Developer

Pittsburgh, PA · On-site

$57.25 - $75/hr

... Engineer Lead Location: Pittsburgh, PA Type: Contract Compensation: Contractor Work Model: Onsite - onsite Hours: 40.0 Security Clearance: Responsibilities * Design and develop Kafka-based streaming ...

System One Holdings, LLC

Lead Kafka Developer

Pittsburgh, PA · On-site

$57.25 - $75/hr

... Engineer Lead Location: Pittsburgh, PA Type: Contract Compensation: Contractor Work Model: Onsite - onsite Hours: 40.0 Security Clearance: Responsibilities * Design and develop Kafka-based streaming ...

Macro Solutions

Java Kafka Developer (Hybrid)

Ashburn, VA · Hybrid

$52.25 - $67.50/hr

Java Kafka Developer - Full-Time Ashburn, VA (Hybrid - 1 to 2 days onsite / 3 to 4 days remote) Must be a U.S. Citizen and currently reside in the Metro Washington, D.C. area We have an immediate ...

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All JobsKafka Engineer Jobs

Kafka Engineer information

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$39K

$101.8K

$137.5K

How much do kafka engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 23, 2026, the average yearly pay for kafka engineer in the United States is $101,752.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $84,000.00 and $116,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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 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.

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 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.

More about Kafka Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Kafka Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Kafka Engineer job openings:
What states have the most Kafka Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Kafka Engineer jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Kafka Engineer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Kafka Engineer jobs are:
Kafka Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Kafka Engineer job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 96% Full Time, 1% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $101,752 per year, or $48.9 per hour.
Lead Kafka Developer

Lead Kafka Developer

K-Tek Resourcing LLC

Dallas, TX • On-site

$48 - $50/hr

Other

This job post has expired today. Applications are no longer accepted.

Job description

Job Title: Lead Kafka Developer

Location: Dallas, TX / Cleveland, OH (Hybrid)

Employment Type: Contract

Rate: $48–50/hr

Experience Required: 8+ Years

We are seeking an experienced Lead Kafka Developer with expertise in Apache Kafka, Java, Spring Boot, and Event-Driven Architecture to build and support enterprise-scale real-time messaging and data streaming platforms. This role is ideal for professionals with strong experience designing high-throughput, low-latency distributed systems within Banking or Financial Services environments.

The ideal candidate will provide technical leadership, drive Kafka best practices, mentor development teams, and collaborate with enterprise architects to deliver scalable, cloud-native integration solutions.

Top Required Skills:

  • Apache Kafka & Confluent Platform

  • Java, Spring Boot & Microservices

  • Event-Driven Architecture & Real-Time Data Streaming

Key Responsibilities:

  • Design, develop, and maintain enterprise-scale event-driven architectures using Apache Kafka.

  • Build Kafka producers, consumers, and stream-processing applications using Kafka Streams.

  • Develop scalable microservices using Java, Spring Boot, and RESTful APIs.

  • Design and implement real-time data integration solutions across enterprise systems.

  • Configure and manage Kafka topics, partitions, replication, retention policies, and messaging infrastructure.

  • Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize Kafka environments for high availability and performance.

  • Collaborate with application, infrastructure, DevOps, and business teams to deliver reliable messaging solutions.

  • Implement security, access management, governance, and compliance standards across Kafka platforms.

  • Support CI/CD pipelines, automated deployments, and DevOps best practices.

  • Participate in architecture reviews, code reviews, production support, and technical design discussions.

  • Lead architecture decisions, establish Kafka standards and governance, mentor developers, and drive platform optimization.

  • Work closely with business stakeholders to translate requirements into scalable technical solutions.

Required Qualifications:

  • Bachelor''s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.

  • 8+ years of software development experience.

  • 5+ years of hands-on Apache Kafka development experience.

  • Strong expertise in Apache Kafka, Kafka Streams, and Confluent Platform.

  • Strong programming experience with Java/J2EE and Spring Boot.

  • Experience developing RESTful APIs and Microservices.

  • Strong understanding of distributed systems, messaging patterns, and event-driven architectures.

  • Experience building high-volume, fault-tolerant, low-latency enterprise applications.

  • Strong debugging, troubleshooting, and performance tuning skills.

  • Experience working with Oracle, SQL Server, or PostgreSQL databases.

  • Experience with Docker, Kubernetes/OpenShift, Jenkins, GitHub/GitLab, and CI/CD pipelines.

  • Financial Services or Banking domain experience is preferred.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Confluent Kafka Certification.

  • Experience with AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform cloud platforms.

  • Experience with OpenShift or Kubernetes.

  • Knowledge of monitoring tools such as Splunk, Prometheus, or Grafana.

  • Experience with Banking, Payments, Lending, or Financial Services applications.

  • Experience with Kafka Connect, Schema Registry, Avro, Protobuf, Apache Flink, Spark Streaming, Event Sourcing, or Domain-Driven Design (DDD).

If you are a seasoned Kafka Developer with expertise in enterprise messaging, real-time streaming, and distributed systems, we encourage you to apply with your updated resume.

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