At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and develop cutting-edge AI infrastructure for real-time data streaming.
- Company: Join IBM Software, a leader in AI-powered cloud solutions.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, remote work options, and continuous learning opportunities.
- Other info: Dynamic team environment with high ownership and career growth potential.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by building systems that redefine AI capabilities.
- Qualifications: Strong knowledge of distributed systems and experience with cloud platforms.
At IBM Software, we transform client challenges into solutions. Building the world’s leading AI-powered, cloud-native products that shape the future of business and society. Our legacy of innovation creates endless opportunities for IBMers to learn, grow, and make an impact on a global scale. Working in Software means joining a team fueled by curiosity and collaboration. You’ll work with diverse technologies, partners, and industries to design, develop, and deliver solutions that power digital transformation. With a culture that values innovation, growth, and continuous learning, IBM Software places you at the heart of IBM’s product and technology landscape. Here, you’ll have the tools and opportunities to advance your career while creating software that changes the world. With Confluent, data doesn’t sit still. We put information in motion, streaming in near real time so organizations can react faster, build smarter, and deliver experiences as dynamic as the world around them.
Your Role And Responsibilities
We’re a small, focused engineering team building the AI capabilities of Confluent Cloud. Our job is to make it possible to run machine learning and AI agents directly on real-time data — without customers having to stitch together a separate stack to do it. We own our products end to end, from the user-facing API down to the serving layer that runs inference in production, and we work closely with the broader platform teams whose systems we build on top of. It’s a high-ownership, high-autonomy environment: small enough that what you build ships and matters, broad enough that the problems are genuinely hard.
About The Role
As a Software Engineer on the AI team, you will take ownership of the infrastructure that enables our “in-place, at-scale” AI value proposition. Your team isn’t just building a feature; you are architecting the systems that allow customers to run complex inference and AI agents directly on streaming data, eliminating the need to move data to external stacks. This is a high-impact role where your work on scalable, cost-efficient serving layers directly drives Confluent’s growth and redefines the possibilities of real-time data. We are looking for engineers who thrive on the technical complexity of large-scale distributed systems. You will tackle deep infrastructure challenges across networking, compute, and security to ensure our AI capabilities are as reliable as the core data plane itself. If you are passionate about building the foundational systems that power the next generation of AI in the cloud, this is the place to do it.
What You’ll Do
- Design, develop, and operate large-scale, high-performance infrastructure that powers Confluent Cloud.
- Build foundational software to improve reliability, scalability, and efficiency across cloud environments.
- Work on distributed systems challenges such as consensus algorithms, failover strategies, and resource allocation.
- Collaborate with teams across Confluent to optimize and enhance infrastructure for real-time data streaming use cases.
- Troubleshoot and improve system reliability, observability, and performance across multiple cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP).
Preferred Education
None
Required Technical And Professional Expertise
- Strong fundamentals in distributed systems, cloud infrastructure, and networking.
- Experience in building and operating large-scale, high-availability systems.
- Good understanding of cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and their services.
- Proficiency in Java, Scala, C++, Go, or other statically typed languages.
- A self-starter with strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
- Education in computer science or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
Preferred Technical And Professional Experience
- Exposure to model serving, LLM/agent infrastructure, or streaming data systems.
Software Engineer - Confluent Stream Processing & Analystics employer: IBM
At Confluent, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration. Our hybrid engineering roles provide employees with the opportunity to work on cutting-edge technology while enjoying the flexibility of remote work. With a strong focus on professional growth, we support our staff in developing their skills and advancing their careers in a thriving environment located in Hursley, where the potential for impact is immense.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Software Engineer - Confluent Stream Processing & Analystics
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at IBM or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to IBM.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like IBM.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like IBM that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Software Engineer - Confluent Stream Processing & Analystics
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at IBM.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at IBM and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at IBM
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If IBM uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
