With Confluent, organizations can harness the full power of continuously flowing data to innovate and win in the modern digital world. We have a purpose that drives us to do better every day – we're creating an entirely new category within data infrastructure - data streaming. This technology will allow every organization to create experiences and use the power of data in ways that profoundly impact the way we all live. This impact is our purpose and drives us to do better every day. One Confluent. One team. One Data Streaming Platform. Data Connects Us. **About the Role:** The Automation Architect will play a pivotal role within the Business Systems team, providing technical leadership and oversight of enterprise-grade automation and integration solutions. In this role, you will leverage your expertise in Confluent Cloud (Kafka), Flink, and AI-powered automations to design scalable, event-driven systems that meet the complex needs of our growing organization. You will work closely with cross-functional teams to introduce AI-driven enhancements, align automation initiatives with business goals, and drive innovation across the enterprise. **What You Will Do:** + **Event-Driven Architecture:** Design and implement scalable, distributed, event-driven systems using Kafka and Flink, ensuring low latency and high reliability. + **AI Integration:** Incorporate AI technologies, such as machine learning models, natural language processing, or predictive analytics, into automation and event-driven workflows. + **Enterprise Integration:** Architect integrations across SaaS platforms, systems, and databases, leveraging Kafka streams, AI-powered tools, and microservices patterns. + **Strategic Leadership:** Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to translate business needs into cohesive automation and AI strategies. + **Microservices Development:** Lead the design of microservices that align with modern cloud-native principles, enabling robust and reusable system components. + **Technical Oversight:** Conduct technical design reviews, enforce best practices, and ensure the delivery of high-quality, secure, and maintainable solutions. + **Innovation:** Drive the adoption of emerging AI technologies alongside data streaming solutions to identify opportunities for competitive advantage. + **Mentorship:** Provide guidance and mentorship to engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous learning. **What You Will Bring:** + **Experience** + A minimum of 8+ years in enterprise automation, software architecture, or related fields, with 5+ years of hands-on experience in Kafka and event-driven systems. + Proven track record of designing and implementing large-scale, cloud-native solutions leveraging Kafka, Flink, and AI-driven tools. + **Technical Expertise** + Advanced understanding of event-driven architecture, stream processing (Kafka Streams, Flink), and distributed systems. + Experience integrating AI models or tools into enterprise systems, including real-time machine learning workflows. + Proficiency in microservices architecture, RESTful APIs, and modern DevOps practices (CI/CD pipelines). + Strong background in cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure), including infrastructure as code (e.g., Terraform). + In-depth knowledge of SQL and NoSQL database technologies. + Familiarity with containerization and orchestration tools (Docker, Kubernetes). + **Leadership** + Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives, manage dependencies across teams, and deliver enterprise-wide impact. + Skilled in stakeholder engagement, aligning technical initiatives with strategic business objectives. + **Innovation and Vision** + Passion for exploring and implementing emerging technologies, particularly in AI and automation. + Forward-looking perspective on market and technology trends. + **Communication and Collaboration** + Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey complex technical concepts to diverse audiences. + Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative mindset. **What Gives You an Edge:** + Industry recognition as a thought leader in automation and real-time data processing. + Hands-on experience deploying and managing AI/ML pipelines or integrating AI services (e.g., AWS SageMaker, GCP Vertex AI). + Experience representing technical expertise in external forums such as conferences, webinars, or panels. + A deep understanding of Kafka, Flink, AI/ML frameworks, and modern event-driven architectures. **Come As You Are** At Confluent, equality is a core tenet of our culture. We are committed to building an inclusive global team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, beliefs, and experiences. The more diverse we are, the richer our community and the broader our impact. Employment decisions are made on the basis of job-related criteria without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other classification protected by applicable law. At Confluent, we are committed to providing competitive pay and benefits that are in line with industry standards. We analyze and carefully consider several factors when determining compensation, including work history, education, professional experience, and location. This position has an annual estimated salary of $168,500 - $198,000, an annual bonus, and a competitive equity package. The actual pay may vary depending on your skills, qualifications, experience, and work location. In addition, Confluent offers a wide range of employee benefits. To learn more about our benefits click HERE (https://confluentbenefits.com/) . Click HERE (https://www.confluent.io/legal/confluent-candidate-privacy-notice/) to review our Candidate Privacy Notice which describes how and when Confluent, Inc., and its group companies, collects, uses, and shares certain personal information of California job applicants and prospective employees. \#LI-Remote