Senior Software Engineer

Elastic, the Search AI Company, enables everyone to find the answers they need in real time, using all their data, at scale. The Elastic Search AI Platform, used by more than 50% of the Fortune 500, brings together the precision of search and the intelligence of AI. Elastic's complete, cloud-based solutions for search, security, and observability help organizations deliver on the promise of AI.

We're looking for a Senior Software Engineer to join the Elasticsearch - Search Relevance team. This globally-distributed team of expert engineers focuses on delivering a robust and feature-rich search experience, including contributing to improving the search experience in Lucene. This technical leader is responsible for contributing to the technical direction and vision for our search capabilities, including design and implementation of new search features, enhancements to search functionality, and resolving bugs.

• Lead initiatives within Elasticsearch to produce an industry-leading search engine offering, supplying unparalleled speed and relevance in search.
• Contribute to Elasticsearch full time, building new search features and fixing intriguing bugs, all while making the code easier to understand.
• Sometimes you'll need to invent a new algorithm or data structure, or find one and implement it. Sometimes you'll need to get close to the operating system and hardware.
• Work with a globally distributed team of experienced engineers focused on the vector search capabilities of Elasticsearch.
• Be an expert on Elasticsearch search relevance. You'll identify and drive improvements in this area based on your questions and your instincts.
• Work with community members from all over the world on issues and pull requests, sometimes triaging them and handing them off to other experts and sometimes handling them yourself.
• Write idiomatic modern Java -- Elasticsearch is 99.8% Java!

• You have implemented novel techniques in vector similarity on a search platform with a large user base or progressed the field of academic research in vector similarity information retrieval.
• Professional experience with search or vector databases, and you used HNSW, IVF, or other relevant algorithms and libraries on search platforms at scale.
• You have solid skills in core Java and are conversant in the standard library of data structures and concurrency constructs, as well as other features like lambdas.
• You work with a high level of autonomy and are able to take on projects and guide them from beginning to end.
• You're comfortable developing collaboratively. Giving and receiving feedback on code and approaches and APIs is hard!
• You've used several data storage technologies like Elasticsearch, Solr, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, or Cassandra and have some idea how they work and why they work that way.
• You have a proven track record of using AI to accelerate development, debug complex systems, and optimize code, while still owning the final outcomes.
• You possess the ability to collaborate across functions and teams and seamlessly transition between different projects, codebases, or teams based on business priorities.
• You work autonomously and can drive decisions and results in a distributed team by leveraging asynchronous, direct, and transparent communication.

• You've built things with Elasticsearch before.
• You've worked with open source projects and are familiar with different styles of source control workflow and continuous integration.
• Experience with data storage technology.
• You have experience designing, leading, and owning cross-functional initiatives.

The typical starting salary range for this role is $133,100—$210,600 USD. In select locations (including Seattle WA, Los Angeles CA, the San Francisco Bay Area CA, and the New York City Metro Area), an alternate range may apply: $159,900—$252,900 USD. This role does not have a variable compensation component. In addition to cash compensation, this role is currently eligible to participate in Elastic's stock program. The total rewards package also includes a company-matched 401k with dollar-for-dollar matching up to 6% of eligible earnings, along with a range of other benefits offered with a holistic emphasis on employee well-being.

As a distributed company, diversity drives our identity. We strive to have parity of benefits across regions. Competitive pay based on the work you do here and not your previous salary. Health coverage for you and your family in many locations. Ability to craft your calendar with flexible locations and schedules for many roles. Generous number of vacation days each year. We match up to $2000 (or local currency equivalent) for financial donations and service. Up to 40 hours each year to use toward volunteer projects you love. Embracing parenthood with minimum of 16 weeks of parental leave. Elastic is an equal opportunity employer.