Join Optum as a Software Engineering Lead, specializing in Kafka, Kubernetes, and Terraform. This role is pivotal in managing and scaling our Kafka platforms across GCP and on-premises Kubernetes environments. You will be instrumental in shaping platform architecture, driving operational excellence, and implementing innovative solutions, including AI-driven enhancements.

This is an opportunity to work within a leading health services organization that is dedicated to improving the healthcare system for everyone. You'll be part of a high-performance team tackling sophisticated challenges that truly matter.

Key responsibilities include managing Kafka platforms, planning capacity, and designing disaster recovery solutions. You will build and enhance automation using DevOps tools like Terraform and Jenkins, and support Kafka Connect integrations. Researching and implementing new messaging platform capabilities, including AI-driven improvements, is also a core function. Analyzing data dependencies, driving platform architecture, and translating technical data into actionable insights for stakeholders are essential.

This role also involves participating in a 24x7 on-call rotation, monitoring platform health, troubleshooting incidents, and coordinating with various teams to resolve production issues. Supporting platform upgrades, maintenance, and DR testing, while maintaining operational documentation, runbooks, and monitoring standards, will be critical.

We are seeking candidates with hands-on experience managing Kafka clusters within GCP and on-premises Kubernetes environments, coupled with expertise in AI technologies for automation. A strong background in designing, deploying, and administering Kafka platforms, including performance tuning and disaster recovery, is required. Proficiency with Kafka, Kubernetes, Terraform, Helm, Docker, Jenkins, and CI/CD automation is essential.

Candidates should have experience building and automating Kafka infrastructure using Infrastructure-as-Code and scripting. Knowledge of Kafka security, authentication, and authorization mechanisms is crucial. Experience with Kafka ecosystem components like Kafka Connect, Schema Registry, and ZooKeeper is highly valued. Familiarity with monitoring solutions like Prometheus and Grafana, along with proficiency in Python, is also necessary. Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills are expected.