Principal Software Engineer - Search Infra - Elasticsearch

Elastic is the Search AI Company that 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, which builds the core indexing, retrieval and relevance capabilities that underpin the Elastic stack. In this full‑time role you will shape and implement the next generation of Elasticsearch's search infrastructure. Your work will involve researching new data structures and retrieval algorithms, defining the technical roadmap, and delivering high‑performance indexing and query‑execution features. You will collaborate closely with product partners to translate their needs into robust, scalable designs, and act as the go‑to authority for core search domains, guiding implementation across multiple engineering groups. The position requires deep expertise in search platforms and distributed systems. You must have led technical projects that delivered sophisticated, high‑throughput search services, and you should be comfortable mentoring senior engineers while providing both technical and professional guidance. A proven ability to craft a long‑term vision for core search or retrieval components, and to work autonomously from concept through delivery, is essential. Hands‑on experience with Elasticsearch, Lucene or Solr, strong core Java skills, including advanced data structures, concurrency and lambda features, and a solid track record with large‑scale data or search systems are mandatory. Excellent written and verbal communication is also required to succeed in a distributed, cross‑functional environment. Experience building directly on Elasticsearch, familiarity with information‑retrieval theory, and a history of contributing to open‑source projects with varied source‑control and CI workflows are considered valuable additions. Elastic's distributed‑by‑intention culture means you can work from any location, with flexible schedules and generous vacation time. The company offers competitive pay, comprehensive health coverage, parental leave of at least 16 weeks, a matching donation program, and up to 40 hours per year for volunteer projects. Security and privacy responsibilities are embedded in the role, requiring adherence to Elastic's Secure Software Development Framework. What the role asks for: - Lead technical projects in search infrastructure and distributed systems - Build and operate sophisticated search platforms, high‑performance software - Mentor expert engineers, provide technical and professional guidance - Define long‑term technical vision for core search/retrieval systems - Hands‑on experience with Elasticsearch, Lucene or Solr - Strong core Java skills, advanced data structures, concurrency, lambdas - Work autonomously from concept through delivery, including design - Experience with large‑scale data or search systems and their internals - Excellent verbal and written communication skills - Nice‑to‑have: Built solutions with Elasticsearch and IR theory knowledge - Nice‑to‑have: Open‑source project experience, varied source‑control and CI workflows