Requirements

Experience in software development, with strong experience in distributed systems or messaging platforms at scale.
Proven experience delivering complex, large-scale infrastructure or platform components.
Proficiency in Java, Scala, or other languages used in Kafka development.
Strong understanding of algorithms, data structures, fault tolerance, and performance for large-scale messaging systems.
Hands-on experience designing, building, and operating systems using Apache Kafka.

Nice to Haves

Solid understanding of Kafka broker internals, including replication, partitioning, and client interaction.
Familiarity with distributed systems concepts such as consensus, consistency models, and fault tolerance.
Experience with multi-datacenter deployments, load balancing, quota management, or tenant isolation.
Experience with testing methodologies such as fault injection, performance benchmarking, or property-based testing.
Proven ability to maintain strong operational standards, including monitoring, incident response, and remediation.
Experience contributing to or working with open-source projects, ideally Apache Kafka or related ecosystems.
Hands-on experience with distributed system design and debugging at scale.
Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Computer Science or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.

Building and operating Apple-scale Kafka deployments.
Contributing directly to Kafka internals, including brokers, client libraries, replication, fault tolerance, partitioning, and system-level optimizations.
Designing and implementing core features, driving performance and reliability improvements.
Taking ownership of critical components across the Kafka ecosystem.
Contributing to upstream open-source projects with responsibility for high-quality code.

Shape the evolution of Apple’s Kafka ecosystem.
Impact all users of Apple products and services.
Ensure the reliability, performance, and evolution of Apple’s messaging platforms.