Lead Kafka Developer - Hybrid

Lead Kafka Developer - Hybrid Genesis10 life insurance, 401(k) United States, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh May 07, 2026 Genesis10 is currently seeking a Lead Kafka Developer for a hybrid position (3 days in office) with a Major Financial Institution located in Pittsburgh, PA; Strongsville, OH; Birmingham, AL; Farmers Branch, TX; or Phoenix, AZ. This is a contract to hire opportunity. We are seeking a Lead Kafka Developer to design, build, and operate scalable, high-throughput event streaming platforms using Apache Kafka. This role provides technical leadership, sets best practices, and drives the implementation of reliable, secure, and performant data streaming solutions across the organization.

Responsibilities:

Lead the design and development of Kafka-based streaming architectures and data pipelines Own Kafka cluster setup, configuration, tuning, monitoring, and upgrades Establish standards for topic design, schema management, security, and reliability Collaborate with application, platform, and data teams to integrate event-driven solutions Troubleshoot complex production issues and drive root-cause analysis Mentor developers and provide technical guidance and code reviews Apply modern principles, methodologies and tools to advance business initiatives and capabilities

Requirements:

8+ years of relevant experience Bachelor's degree Expertise with Apache Kafka (producers, consumers, streams, connectors) Experience operating Kafka in production environments Proficiency in Java and/or Scala (Python a plus) Solid understanding of distributed systems, messaging patterns, and event-driven architecture Experience with schema registries, monitoring, and performance Strong written and verbal communication skills Desired skills: Kafka Streams ksqlDB Kafka Connect Cloud-based Kafka platforms and containerized deployments Familiarity with CI/CD, observability, and security best practices Pay range: $60.70 - $68.70 per hour Only candidates available and ready to work directly as Genesis10 employees will be considered for this position. If you have the described qualifications and are interested in this exciting opportunity, please apply! Ranked a Top Staffing Firm in the U.S. by Staffing Industry Analysts for six consecutive years, Genesis10 puts thousands of consultants and employees to work across the United States every year in contract, contract-for-hire, and permanent placement roles. With more than 300 active clients, Genesis10 provides access to many of the Fortune 100 firms and a variety of mid-market organizations across the full spectrum of industry verticals. For contract roles, Genesis10 offers the benefits listed below. If this is a perm-placement opportunity, our recruiter can talk you through the unique benefits offered for that particular client. Benefits of Working with Genesis10: Access to hundreds of clients, most who have been working with Genesis10 for 5-20+ years. The opportunity to have a career-home in Genesis10; many of our consultants have been working exclusively with Genesis10 for years. Access to an experienced, caring recruiting team (more than 7 years of experience, on average.) Behavioral Health Platform Medical, Dental, Vision Health Savings Account Voluntary Hospital Indemnity (Critical Illness & Accident) Voluntary Term Life Insurance 401K Sick Pay (for applicable states/municipalities) Commuter Benefits (Dallas, NYC, SF, and Illinois) For multiple years running, Genesis10 has been recognized as a Top Staffing Firm in the U.S., as a Best Company for Work-Life Balance, as a Best Company for Career Growth, for Diversity, and for Leadership, amongst others. To learn more and to view all our available career opportunities, please visit us at our website. Genesis10 is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Candidates will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.