> Markdown version of [/jobs/ext/1745102-principal-software-engineer-search-infra-elasticsearch](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/jobs/ext/1745102-principal-software-engineer-search-infra-elasticsearch). Every page supports `.md` or `Accept: text/markdown`. Links point to the HTML versions so they work for humans too. Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Principal Software Engineer - Search Infra - Elasticsearch - - **Company:** Elastic - **Location:** Mountain View, CA, United States - **Salary:** $159,800.0 - $252,800.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Java (Programming Language), Big Data, Apache Lucene, Continuous Integration, Data Structures, Distributed Data Store, Distributed Systems, Elasticsearch, Information Retrieval, Software Engineering, Apache Solr, Indexer, Free and Open-Source Software, Software Version Control - **Published:** July 15, 2026 - **Apply:** https://diversityjobs.com/main/sendform/8/8/28176/1/17595002?backUrl=%2Fcareer%2F17595002%2FPrincipal-Software-Engineer-Search-Infra-Elasticsearch-California-Mountain-View ## About the Role As a full-time Elasticsearch contributor, you will define, lead, and contribute to the evolution of core search and indexing capabilities. You'll research advances in search infrastructure, data structures, and retrieval algorithms to ensure we're building the most efficient and powerful foundations for our users. You'll work closely with our partners and product teams to understand their needs and help shape the long-term technical vision for search at Elastic. You'll bring your past experience with large-scale search systems to drive an innovative roadmap for Elasticsearch's indexing, query execution, and relevance layers. As an authority in several areas of Elasticsearch, you'll be the go-to expert for those domains, continuously improving them through your insights and instincts. What You Bring: * Experience leading technical projects in the search infrastructure and distributed systems space. You bring proven knowledge in building and operating sophisticated search platforms and engineering robust, high-performance software systems. * Experience mentoring expert engineers, providing both technical and professional guidance. * Experience defining a long-term technical vision for a core search or retrieval system, working across teams and organizations to collaboratively shape the technical roadmap. * Hands-on experience with search and indexing technologies such as Elasticsearch, Lucene, or Solr. * Strong skills in core Java and familiarity with advanced data structures and concurrency constructs, as well as newer language features like lambdas. You have a strong desire to optimize and leverage the most efficient algorithms and search data structures. * Able to work with a high level of autonomy, tackling projects and guiding them from concept to completion, including both technical design and collaboration with other engineers to develop the necessary components. * Experience with large-scale data or search systems such as Elasticsearch, Lucene, Solr, or distributed storage engines, and an understanding of how they work and why they work that way. * Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Collaborating across distributed teams is challenging, we value being supportive, empathetic, and trusting in all interactions, and we expect the same from everyone on the team. Bonus Points: * You've built things with Elasticsearch before, and you have experience in the search and information retrieval space and understand the constructs and theory behind it. * Experience working with open source projects and familiar with different styles of source control workflow and continuous integration. ## Description We're looking for a Principal Software Engineer to join the Elasticsearch - Search Infra team. This globally-distributed team of experienced engineers focuses on delivering a robust and feature-rich search experience, including contributing to improving the search experience in Lucene. This is a principal software engineering role that entails using your vast knowledge in this space in order to define, direct, and build the next generation of Elasticsearch capabilities. This role provides technical vision and direction for Elasticsearch's core search infrastructure, including indexing, retrieval, and relevance, and requires deep expertise in search internals and cross-team collaboration. ## Related Videos - [Optimizing Discovery: PostgreSQL's Role in Transforming GetYourGuide's Search](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1647-optimizing-discovery-postgresql-s-role-in-transforming-getyourguide-s-search) - [Alibaba Big Data and Machine Learning Technology](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/37-alibaba-big-data-and-machine-learning-technology) - [Add Location-based Searching to Site with ElasticSearch](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/77-add-location-based-searching-to-site-with-elasticsearch) - [Writing a full-text search engine in TypeScript](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/504-writing-a-full-text-search-engine-in-typescript) - [Make Your Data FABulous](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/430-make-your-data-fabulous) - [PySpark - Combining Machine Learning & Big Data](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/44-pyspark-combining-machine-learning-big-data) ## Related Articles - [Where To Find Software Engineering Jobs](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/396-where-to-find-software-engineering-jobs) - [SEO in an AI world - Google vs. ChatGPT and survival tips for content creators](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/534-seo-in-an-ai-world-google-vs-chatgpt-and-survival-tips-for-content-creators) - [How to Answer the Interview Question: “Why Do You Want to Be a Software Engineer?”](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/392-how-to-answer-the-interview-question-why-do-you-want-to-be-a-software-engineer) - [What is Software Engineering?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/289-what-is-software-engineering) - [Fully Remote Software Engineer Jobs](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/447-fully-remote-software-engineer-jobs) - [Dev Digest 121 - AI goes offline](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/456-dev-digest-121-ai-goes-offline)