Operations Engineer (Kafka Platform Support)

About Company: Solstice Analytics is Poland’s leading nearshore and offshore IT provider. Since 2008 we successfully create and develop software for our clients. We specialize in Agile and DevOps-based software development. From the analysis stage through implementation. We develop backend, frontend, and mobile applications. For one of our clients, we are looking for an Operations Engineer (Kafka Platform Support) This role is ideal for an IT Operations Engineer focused on maintaining and supporting a Kafka-based platform in production. The position emphasizes operational excellence, incident management, and user support rather than platform development, ensuring reliable and efficient system performance. Key Responsibilities: IT Operations & Platform Support Operate, monitor, and maintain the Kafka-based messaging platform in a production environment Ensure platform availability, stability, and performance in line with operational SLAs Monitor system health using logs, metrics, and alerting tools Perform routine operational checks and maintenance activities Incident Management & Troubleshooting Handle incidents and service requests via ticketing systems and internal support channels Troubleshoot issues across Kafka components (brokers, producers, consumers, integrations) Analyze logs, metrics, and system behavior to identify root causes Escalate complex issues to engineering teams where necessary Runbook Execution & Operational Processes Execute operational procedures based on runbooks and standard operating procedures (SOPs) Perform configuration changes (topics, access controls, settings) following established processes Maintain and continuously improve operational documentation and runbooks User Support & Communication Act as a primary support contact for internal users of the Kafka platform Provide technical support via collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Teams) Assist users with troubleshooting and best practices Translate user-reported issues into actionable insights for technical teams Collaboration & Continuous Improvement Work closely with engineering and platform teams to resolve incidents Identify recurring operational issues and suggest improvements or automation Participate in incident reviews and post-mortems Provide feedback to improve platform usability and support processes Required Skills & Qualifications: Technical Skills Hands-on experience with Apache Kafka or similar event streaming platforms Understanding of distributed systems (partitioning, replication, scaling) Strong troubleshooting skills in production IT environments Experience with monitoring, logging, and alerting tools Knowledge of Git and version control practices Familiarity with GitLab CI/CD and working with existing pipelines IT Operations Experience Experience in IT operations, production support, or platform support roles Familiarity with incident management processes and tools Experience working with runbooks, SOPs, and structured support models Communication & Collaboration Strong communication skills and ability to explain technical issues clearly Experience working with internal customers and cross-functional teams Customer-focused mindset with a proactive approach to support Fluency in English (written and spoken) Nice to Have: Experience with AWS or other cloud platforms Familiarity with Kubernetes and containerized environments Experience with monitoring tools such as Grafana and Prometheus Benefits: Long-term cooperation Multisport, private healthcare, life insurance Training budget English lessons Support from a dedicated partnership consultant