Staff Software Engineer I - Internal Access Management at Confluent

Role Overview

As a Staff Software Engineer in Internal Access Management at Confluent, you will play a pivotal role in securing our trusted compute environment. You will be responsible for defining the technical vision, architecture, and execution strategy for managing internal access across our systems. This involves deep expertise in distributed systems, cloud security, authentication, and policy-driven authorization frameworks. Your primary goal is to ensure that Confluent enforces least privilege, manages workload identity, governs access boundaries, and maintains secure, auditable authorization across all engineering systems. You will collaborate closely with Security, Product, and Engineering teams to establish a cohesive and robust end-to-end access posture.

A Day in the Life

Your day-to-day activities will be varied and challenging, encompassing a mix of strategic planning, hands-on implementation, and collaborative problem-solving. Here’s a glimpse:

• Architectural Design: You’ll spend time designing and refining the long-term architecture for Internal Access Management, ensuring it scales effectively across Kubernetes and multi-cloud environments.
• Implementation: You’ll be actively involved in implementing least privilege, just-in-time access, and zero-trust models, leveraging technologies like OPA, cloud IAM policies, workload identity solutions, and internal enforcement engines.
• Collaboration: You’ll partner with various teams, including Platform, Kafka, Observability, Developer Productivity, Release Engineering, and SRE, to drive the adoption of secure identity and access patterns.
• Security Reviews: You’ll conduct threat modeling exercises, identify potential security vulnerabilities, and implement defense-in-depth strategies.
• Mentoring: You’ll mentor senior engineers, sharing your expertise and elevating engineering standards across the organization.
• Communication: You’ll communicate complex technical decisions clearly and align stakeholders across engineering and security.

Why Remote United States?

Confluent embraces remote work, allowing you to contribute to our mission from anywhere in the United States. This flexibility provides numerous benefits:

• Work-Life Balance: Enjoy a better work-life balance by eliminating commutes and having more control over your daily schedule.
• Diverse Talent Pool: Access to a wider range of talent across the country, fostering a more diverse and innovative team.
• Cost Savings: Potential cost savings on commuting, housing, and other expenses associated with living in a specific geographic location.
• Increased Productivity: Many employees find they are more productive in a remote environment, free from office distractions.

Career Path

This Staff Software Engineer role offers significant opportunities for career growth within Confluent. You can advance along a technical track, becoming a Principal Engineer or even a Distinguished Engineer, focusing on deep technical expertise and innovation. Alternatively, you can pursue a management track, leading a team of engineers and influencing the direction of our access management strategy. Confluent supports your professional development through mentorship programs, training opportunities, and internal mobility options.

Salary & Benefits

Confluent offers a competitive salary and benefits package that reflects the value we place on our employees. The estimated salary range for this role is $170,000 to $250,000 annually. In addition to salary, we provide:

• Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• Parental Leave: Paid parental leave for new parents.
• Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan with company matching.
• Stock Options: Opportunity to participate in the company's equity program.
• Professional Development: Access to training and development resources to enhance your skills.
• Wellness Programs: Programs designed to support your physical and mental well-being.

Confluent Culture

Confluent is built on a culture of collaboration, innovation, and respect. We believe in empowering our employees to do their best work and fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and supported. We are committed to diversity and inclusion, creating a workplace where individuals from all backgrounds can thrive. Our core values include:

• Customer Focus: We prioritize the needs of our customers and strive to exceed their expectations.
• Innovation: We embrace new ideas and continuously seek ways to improve our products and processes.
• Collaboration: We work together as a team, sharing knowledge and supporting each other.
• Integrity: We act with honesty and transparency in all our interactions.
• Excellence: We are committed to delivering high-quality results and continuously raising the bar.

How to Apply

If you are passionate about security, access management, and distributed systems, and you are looking for a challenging and rewarding opportunity, we encourage you to apply. Please submit your resume and a cover letter outlining your qualifications and experience through our online application portal. We look forward to hearing from you!

FAQ

1. What is Confluent's mission?

   Confluent's mission is to set data in motion. We enable companies to build real-time data pipelines and streaming applications.

2. What technologies does Confluent use?

   We use a wide range of technologies, including Apache Kafka, Kubernetes, AWS, GCP, Azure, OPA, and various IAM solutions.

3. What are the key responsibilities of this role?

   The key responsibilities include defining the architecture for Internal Access Management, implementing security controls, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and mentoring other engineers.

4. What qualifications are required for this role?

   We require 10+ years of engineering experience, with 4+ years in security, IAM, or distributed systems. Deep expertise in Kubernetes, workload identity, and cloud IAM is also essential.

5. What is the work environment like at Confluent?

   Confluent fosters a collaborative, innovative, and inclusive work environment. We value diversity and encourage employees to bring their whole selves to work.

6. What opportunities are there for career growth?

   Confluent offers various career paths, including technical and management tracks. We support your professional development through mentorship and training opportunities.

7. What is the salary range for this role?

   The estimated salary range for this role is $170,000 to $250,000 annually.

8. What benefits does Confluent offer?

   We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, paid time off, parental leave, retirement savings, and stock options.

9. How does Confluent support remote work?

   Confluent embraces remote work and provides the tools and resources necessary for employees to be successful in a remote environment.

10. What is the interview process like?

    The interview process typically involves a phone screening, technical interviews, and a final interview with the hiring manager.