Job Title: Confluent Engineer - SME

Day rate: £500 - £550 outside IR35 (negotiable)

Primary Skills: Apache Kafka, PySpark
Secondary Skills: Python
Work Mode: Hybrid - 3 days a week in City of London office
Contract Type: 6-12 months (with potential extension)

About the Role
We are seeking an experienced Confluent Engineer to join our team on a contract basis. In this role, you will design, develop, and maintain high-performance, scalable real-time data pipelines using Kafka and PySpark. You will work collaboratively with cross-functional teams to integrate diverse data sources and ensure reliable, low-latency data streaming solutions.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and implement scalable, fault-tolerant data pipelines using Kafka and PySpark for real-time and batch processing.
• Configure, manage, and optimize Confluent Kafka clusters to support high-throughput, low-latency environments.
• Build and deploy custom Kafka Connectors, Kafka Streams, and producer/consumer applications.
• Integrate multiple data sources into the pipeline while ensuring data quality and consistency.
• Collaborate with data scientists, analysts, and developers to deliver solutions aligned with business needs.
• Monitor, debug, and optimize Kafka and PySpark applications for high availability and performance.
• Implement security, fault tolerance, and disaster recovery best practices for Kafka ecosystems.
• Create and maintain clear documentation for system design, processes, and operational guidelines.

Must-Have Skills:

• 4-7 years of hands-on experience with Kafka and PySpark in production environments.
• Deep understanding of distributed systems, real-time data streaming, and processing frameworks.
• Expertise with Confluent Kafka, including Schema Registry, KSQL, and REST Proxy.
• Proven track record in building scalable, resilient data pipelines.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and documentation abilities.

Nice-to-Have Skills:

• Experience in Python for scripting and automation.
• Familiarity with DevOps practices and tools for CI/CD pipelines.

Why Join Us as a Contractor?

• Competitive daily rates.
• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge technologies in real-time data streaming.
• Be part of a collaborative and fast-paced team environment.

If you are a highly skilled Confluent Engineer ready for your next challenge, we'd love to hear from you!