Principal Software Engineer - Search Infra - Elasticsearch

Elastic, the Search AI Company, powers real‑time answers across structured and unstructured data for more than half of the Fortune 500. Its cloud‑based platform combines search precision with AI intelligence, delivering secure, scalable solutions for search, security and observability. The Principal Software Engineer will join the globally distributed Elasticsearch, Search Infra team, a group of seasoned engineers tasked with shaping the next generation of core search capabilities within Elasticsearch. In this full‑time role you will define, lead and contribute to the evolution of Elasticsearch's indexing, retrieval and relevance layers. Daily work involves researching advances in search infrastructure, data structures and retrieval algorithms, then turning those insights into efficient, high‑performance code. You will partner closely with product groups and other engineering teams to capture requirements, set long‑term technical direction and deliver robust components that improve the overall search experience, including contributions to Lucene. The position requires proven experience leading technical projects in search infrastructure and distributed systems, as well as a track record of building and operating sophisticated, high‑performance search platforms. You must have mentored senior engineers, defined long‑term visions for core search or retrieval systems, and worked hands‑on with technologies such as Elasticsearch, Lucene or Solr. Deep expertise in core Java, including advanced data structures, concurrency constructs and modern language features like lambdas, is essential, together with the ability to work autonomously from concept through design to delivery. Experience with large‑scale data or search systems, excellent written and verbal communication, and a collaborative, supportive attitude across distributed teams are also mandatory. Nice‑to‑have attributes include prior experience building solutions directly with Elasticsearch, a solid understanding of information‑retrieval theory, and a history of contributing to open‑source projects. Familiarity with diverse source‑control workflows and continuous‑integration pipelines is also valued. The role is fully remote, allowing you to craft your own calendar and work from any location, while benefiting from Elastic's inclusive culture, competitive compensation, comprehensive health coverage, generous vacation, parental leave and a matching donation program. What the role asks for: - Lead technical projects in search infrastructure and distributed systems - Build and operate sophisticated search platforms and high‑performance software - Mentor expert engineers, providing technical and professional guidance - Define long‑term technical vision for core search or retrieval systems - Hands‑on experience with Elasticsearch, Lucene or Solr - Strong core Java skills, advanced data structures and concurrency - Proficient with Java lambdas and newer language features - Work autonomously from concept through technical design to delivery - Experience with large‑scale data or search systems and their internals - Excellent verbal and written communication abilities - Collaborative, supportive and empathetic approach in distributed teams - Nice‑to‑have: Built solutions with Elasticsearch previously - Nice‑to‑have: Knowledge of search and information‑retrieval theory - Nice‑to‑have: Experience contributing to open‑source projects - Nice‑to‑have: Familiarity with varied source‑control workflows and CI