Elastic, the Search AI Company, enables everyone to find the answers they need
in real time, using all their data, at scale — unleashing the potential of
businesses and people. 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 to enable everyone to accelerate the results that matter. By taking advantage
of all structured and unstructured data — securing and protecting private
information more effectively — Elastic’s complete, cloud-based solutions for
search, security, and observability help organizations deliver on the promise of
AI.
WHAT IS THE ROLE
We're looking for a Principal Software Developer II to join the Elasticsearch
team to focus on vector search. 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 is a
senior principal software engineering role that focuses on enhancing the vector
similarity search functionality within Elasticsearch, defining and implementing
a future-facing roadmap for vector search within Elasticsearch, covering the
design and implementation of new vector search features, enhancements to
existing vector search functionality, and resolving bugs.
Our company is distributed by intention. We hire the best engineers we can find
wherever they are, whoever they are. We collaborate across continents every day
over email, GitHub, Zoom, and Slack. At our best, we write fast, scalable, and
intuitive software. We believe that the best way to do that is to empower
individual engineers, code review every change, decide big things by consensus,
and strive for incremental improvements.
WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING
- Lead cross organizational initiatives to produce an industry-leading vector
database 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 how Elasticsearch implements vector similarity in support of
search relevance and everyone will turn to you when they have a question
about this area. You'll improve 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!
WHAT YOU BRING
- 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.
- You've made broad industry-wide contributions to search relevance or related
topics in information retrieval.
- Professional experience with vector similarity and vector databases, and you
used HNSW, IVF, or other relevant algorithms and libraries on search
platforms at scale.
- You have strong 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. This covers both technical design and
working with other engineers to develop needed components.
- You're comfortable developing collaboratively. Giving and receiving feedback
on code and approaches and APIs is hard! Bonus points if you've collaborated
over the internet because that's harder. Double bonus points for asynchronous
collaboration over the internet. That's even harder, but we do it anyway
because it's the best way we know how to build software.
- 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 excellent verbal and written communication skills. Like we said,
collaborating on the internet is hard. We try to be respectful, empathetic,
and trusting in all of our interactions. And we'd expect that from you too.
BONUS POINTS:
- 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
Compensation for this role is in the form of base salary. This role does not
have a variable compensation component.
The typical starting salary range for new hires in this role is listed below.
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 as
specified below.
These ranges represent the lowest to highest salary we reasonably and in good
faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. We may
ultimately pay more or less than the posted range, and the ranges may be
modified in the future.
An employee's position within the salary range will be based on several factors
including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications,
certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, performance, and
business or organizational needs.
Elastic believes that employees should have the opportunity to share in the
value that we create together for our shareholders. Therefore, in addition to
cash compensation, this role is currently eligible to participate in Elastic's
stock program. Our 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.
The typical starting salary range for this role is:
$199,700—$315,900 USD
The typical starting salary range for this role in the select locations listed
above is:
$239,800—$379,300 USD
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION - WE TAKE CARE OF OUR PEOPLE
As a distributed company, diversity drives our identity. Whether you’re looking
to launch a new career or grow an existing one, Elastic is the type of company
where you can balance great work with great life. Your age is only a number. It
doesn’t matter if you’re just out of college or your children are; we need you
for what you can do.
We strive to have parity of benefits across regions and while regulations differ
from place to place, we believe taking care of our people is the right thing to
do.
- 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
- Increase your impact - 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
Different people approach problems differently. We need that. Elastic is an
equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating an inclusive culture
that celebrates different perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds. Qualified
applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race,
ethnicity, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender
perception or identity, national origin, age, marital status, protected veteran
status, disability status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or
local law, ordinance or regulation.
We welcome individuals with disabilities and strive to create an accessible and
inclusive experience for all individuals. To request an accommodation during the
application or the recruiting process, please email
candidate_accessibility@elastic.co [candidate_accessibility@elastic.co]. We will
reply to your request within 24 business hours of submission.
Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws, view posters linked below:
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
[https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/WHD/legacy/files/fmlaen.pdf] Poster; Pay
Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision
[https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ofccp/pdf/pay-transp_%20English_formattedESQA508c.pdf]
Poster; Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA)
[https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/WHD/legacy/files/eppabw.pdf] Poster and
Know Your Rights
[https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/OFCCP/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights.pdf]
(Poster)
Elasticsearch develops and distributes encryption software and technology that
is subject to U.S. export controls and licensing requirements for individuals
who are located in or are nationals of the following sanctioned countries and
regions: Belarus, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria, the Crimea Region of
Ukraine, the Donetsk People’s Republic (“DNR”), and the Luhansk People’s
Republic (“LNR”). If you are located in or are a national of one of the listed
countries or regions, an export license may be required as a condition of your
employment in this role. Please note that national origin and/or nationality do
not affect eligibility for employment with Elastic.
Please see here [https://www.elastic.co/legal/applicant-privacy-statement] for
our Privacy Statement.
