Kafka Developer Consultant (Event-Driven Integration)

Kafka Developer / Consultant (Event-Driven Integration)
Location: Columbus OH (Remote with occasional travel as required)--Expenses to be paid by client
Duration: Multi-Year Engagement

We are looking for a highly skilled Kafka Developer / Consultant to design and implement scalable event-driven architecture solutions using Apache Kafka. The role involves building robust real-time data pipelines and integrating enterprise systems within a complex utility modernization program.

The ideal candidate will have strong hands-on Kafka development experience along with prior exposure to the Public Utility industry and CIS transformation initiatives.

• Design and implement event-driven architectures using Apache Kafka (producers consumers topics streams)
• Build and support real-time data pipelines for enterprise integration and CIS transformation programs
• Configure Kafka clusters including partitioning replication retention and performance tuning
• Develop integration solutions between SAP CIS and utility enterprise systems
• Implement event-driven patterns such as publish/subscribe event sourcing and asynchronous messaging
• Ensure high availability scalability and fault tolerance of streaming platforms
• Integrate Kafka with enterprise middleware and APIs (e.g. SAP integration platforms MuleSoft Azure APIs)
• Support real-time data exchange across customer billing metering and field operations systems
• Monitor and troubleshoot Kafka environments using enterprise monitoring tools
• Collaborate with architects business analysts and integration teams for solution delivery
• Participate in SIT UAT deployment cutover and production support activities
• Contribute to architecture reviews documentation and integration best practices

• Bachelors degree in Computer Science Engineering Information Systems or related field
• 4 years of software development and integration experience
• Strong hands-on experience with Apache Kafka (development configuration and support)
• Solid understanding of event-driven architecture and distributed systems
• Experience building Kafka producers consumers and topic/partition strategies
• Proficiency in Java Scala or Python
• Experience with REST APIs and enterprise integration patterns
• Strong debugging performance tuning and troubleshooting skills
• Experience supporting integration testing and deployment cycles

• Experience with Confluent Kafka Platform (Schema Registry Kafka Connect KSQL Control Center)
• Experience with SAP integration platforms (e.g. SAP BTP Integration Suite)
• Experience integrating enterprise systems such as SAP Salesforce or CIS platforms
• Exposure to cloud platforms (AWS Azure or GCP streaming services)
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices
• Understanding of security protocols (SSL SASL) and data formats (Avro JSON Protobuf)

• Prior experience in the Public Utility industry is required
• Experience in CIS transformation or utility modernization programs strongly preferred
• Understanding of utility business processes such as:
  • Customer Service
  • Billing
  • Metering
  • Work Management
  • Asset Management
  • Field Operations

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to work in fast-paced enterprise environments
• Self-driven with an architecture-oriented mindset
• Ability to collaborate with both technical and business stakeholders

• Real-time enterprise integration across SAP and CIS systems
• High-volume event streaming and data processing pipelines
• Publish/subscribe architecture for utility operations
• Large-scale utility modernization and digital transformation initiative
• End-to-end integration across billing metering customer and operations systems