Senior Software Engineer – Vector Search – Elasticsearch

About the role

We are looking for a Senior Software Engineer to join the Elasticsearch Search Relevance team. The role focuses on delivering a robust, feature‑rich search experience and shaping the technical direction of our vector search capabilities.

Key responsibilities

• Lead initiatives within Elasticsearch to deliver industry‑leading speed and relevance.
• Design and implement new search features, fix complex bugs, and occasionally invent new algorithms or data structures.
• Collaborate with a globally distributed team on vector search capabilities.
• Act as an expert on search relevance, driving improvements based on insights.
• Engage with community members on issues, pull requests, and triage.
• Write idiomatic modern Java, which powers 99.8% of Elasticsearch.

Required profile

• Proven experience implementing novel vector similarity techniques on a large‑scale search platform.
• Professional background with search or vector databases using algorithms such as HNSW or IVF.
• Strong core Java skills, including concurrency constructs and lambdas.
• Ability to work autonomously from design through delivery.
• Comfortable collaborating asynchronously across time zones.
• Familiarity with data storage technologies such as Elasticsearch, Solr, PostgreSQL, MongoDB or Cassandra.

Required skills

• Java
• Elasticsearch
• Vector similarity algorithms (HNSW, IVF)
• Search relevance
• Solr
• PostgreSQL
• MongoDB
• Cassandra

What we offer

• Competitive base salary within a transparent range.
• Health coverage for you and your family.
• Flexible location and schedule options.
• Generous vacation allowance.
• Company‑matched charitable donations up to $2,000.
• Paid volunteer time (up to 40 hours per year).
• Minimum 16 weeks of parental leave.