API Architect

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We are seeking an experienced API Architect to lead the end-to-end architecture and governance of Kong Konnect and Kong Gateway platforms across hybrid environments (on-premises and Google Cloud Platform). The ideal candidate will drive enterprise API strategy, ensuring secure, scalable, and high-performing API ecosystems while collaborating with cross-functional teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Architecture Ownership:
  
  

Own end-to-end architecture for Kong Konnect and Kong Gateway, including Control Plane and Data Plane across on-prem and Google Cloud Platform environments.

• Architecture Governance:
  
  

Lead Architecture Review Board (ARB) discussions, define target architectures, and ensure alignment with enterprise standards.

• Security & Compliance:
  
  

Design and implement robust security frameworks including mTLS, OAuth2/OIDC, JWT, API keys, rate limiting, WAF, and secrets/certificate management.

• Scalability & Performance:
  
  

Architect for high availability, disaster recovery (HADR), and performance optimization to support high-throughput API ecosystems.

• API Strategy & Governance:
  
  

Establish API governance standards, promote a design-first approach, and manage the full API lifecycle.

• Cross-functional Collaboration:
  
  

Partner with Security, Network, Infrastructure, and Product teams to define requirements and implement solutions.

• Observability & Monitoring:
  
  

Implement monitoring and observability solutions using tools like Dynatrace and logging frameworks to ensure reliability and compliance.

• CI/CD & Automation:
  
  

Drive automation using CI/CD pipelines, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), and version control systems.

Must-Have Technical Skills

• 10 years of experience in API architecture and integration, including at least two enterprise API gateway implementations
• Strong expertise in Kong Konnect and Kong Gateway architecture
• Hands-on experience with decK, declarative configuration, workspaces, and RBAC
• Deep understanding of API security patterns:
• mTLS, OAuth2, OIDC, JWT
• API keys, rate limiting, WAF
• Secrets and certificate management
• Experience with cloud and hybrid environments, especially:
• Google Cloud Platform (Google Cloud Platform) – VPC, load balancing
• On-prem infrastructure
• Strong knowledge of Linux and networking fundamentals
• Experience with observability and monitoring tools (e.g., Dynatrace, logging frameworks)
• Proficiency in CI/CD and IaC tools:
• Git, branching strategies
• Terraform and pipeline automation