Software Engineer I - IAM

About The Company Confluent is a leading data streaming platform provider dedicated to transforming how organizations move and utilize data in real-time. Our mission is to enable businesses to harness the power of streaming data, allowing them to react swiftly, innovate continuously, and deliver dynamic experiences in an ever-changing digital landscape. Confluent’s platform integrates seamlessly into enterprise environments, providing scalable, reliable, and secure data streaming solutions that support modern data architectures. We are committed to fostering a collaborative and innovative work culture where curiosity and expertise drive progress. Our team is composed of talented professionals passionate about redefining data movement and security, ensuring our clients stay ahead in their respective industries. About The Role We are seeking a highly skilled Staff Software Engineer to lead the development and strategic direction of Internal Access Management at Confluent. This pivotal role involves shaping the architecture, security policies, and operational practices that govern our trusted compute environment. The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience in distributed systems, cloud security, authentication protocols, and policy-driven authorization frameworks. As the domain owner, you will establish and enforce security standards that ensure least privilege access, workload identity management, and comprehensive auditability across our multi-cloud and Kubernetes environments. Collaborating closely with Security, Product, and Engineering teams, you will craft a cohesive security posture that aligns with industry best practices and zero-trust principles. Your leadership will influence architectural decisions, mentor engineering teams, and drive the adoption of secure identity and access patterns across the organization.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of engineering experience, with at least 4 years in security, IAM, or distributed systems.
• Deep expertise in Kubernetes, workload identity, and cloud IAM services (AWS, GCP, Azure).
• Strong understanding of zero-trust security architectures and principles.
• Proficiency in authentication technologies such as IAM, OAuth2, OIDC, and policy engines.
• Proven experience leading multi-team technical initiatives at a Staff or Senior Staff level.
• Extensive knowledge of distributed systems, cloud infrastructure, container orchestration, and service mesh architectures.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders across technical domains.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive the long-term architecture and strategic roadmap for Internal Access Management across Kubernetes and multi-cloud environments.
• Architect and implement security models including least privilege, just-in-time access, and zero-trust frameworks for Confluent services.
• Develop and enhance scalable access-authorization workflows and lifecycle management systems utilizing technologies such as OPA, cloud IAM policies, workload identity, and internal enforcement engines.
• Strengthen security boundaries through threat modeling, defense-in-depth practices, and comprehensive access auditing capabilities.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams—including Platform, Kafka, Observability, Developer Productivity, Release Engineering, and SRE—to promote secure identity and access patterns.
• Mentor senior engineers, elevate engineering standards, and influence architectural decisions organization-wide.
• Communicate complex security and architecture decisions clearly to diverse stakeholders and ensure alignment across teams.

Benefits

• Competitive salary ranging from CA$225.1K to CA$264.5K, with equity options.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• Flexible remote work environment supporting work-life balance.
• Generous paid time off and holidays.
• Opportunities for professional development and continuous learning.
• Inclusive and collaborative workplace culture that values diversity and belonging.
• Access to cutting-edge technology and participation in innovative projects.

Equal Opportunity Confluent is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment where all employees and applicants are treated with respect and fairness. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We believe that diverse perspectives and backgrounds foster innovation and drive our success, and we welcome applicants from all walks of life to join our team.