Overview
As a Principal Software Engineer on the Elasticsearch - Search team, you drive the vector search capabilities that power fast, relevance-driven results. You will design and implement new vector features, improve existing functionality, and resolve complex bugs within a globally distributed team. You'll work closely with engineers, contribute to performance and scalability, and influence the direction of vector search in Elasticsearch. This is a high-impact role that combines algorithmic innovation with practical systems work.
Compensaciones / Incentivos competitive pay
health coverage
flexible locations and schedules
generous vacation days
donation matching
volunteer hours
Responsabilidades Lead initiatives to deliver a leading vector database experience with fast, relevant search
Contribute to Elasticsearch features and bug fixes, designing new algorithms or data structures when needed
Collaborate with a globally distributed team focused on vector search capabilities
Serve as a subject-matter expert on vector similarity in Elasticsearch and support the wider team




Triage and handle community issues and pull requests, sometimes independently
Write idiomatic Java focused on performance and maintainability
Requisitos principales Experience with vector similarity and vector databases; hands-on use of HNSW, IVF, or similar algorithms at scale
Strong Java skills and familiarity with standard data structures, concurrency, and modern features like lambdas
Ability to own projects end-to-end, from technical design to collaboration with engineers
Experience with distributed collaboration and asynchronous communication
Experience with data storage technologies such as Elasticsearch, Solr, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, or Cassandra
Excellent verbal and written communication; collaborative and respectful working style
Proven track record of using AI to accelerate development and optimize code, while owning outcomes
Ability to navigate multiple projects and teams based on prioriti

📌 Principal Software Engineer (Vitoria-Gasteiz)
🏢 Elastic
📍 Vitoria-Gasteiz