Principal Software Developer - Vector Search - Elasticsearch

ABOUT THE ROLE Elastic is a global leader in Search AI, powering more than half of the Fortune 500 with a cloud‑native platform that unifies search, security, and observability. The Principal Software Developer – Vector Search will join the Elasticsearch Search team and shape the next generation of vector similarity capabilities. You will own the design, implementation, and performance of vector search features that enable real‑time, AI‑enhanced discovery across massive, heterogeneous data sets. This role is a strategic technical leadership position that drives innovation, mentors peers, and ensures that Elasticsearch remains the industry standard for high‑velocity, high‑relevance search. WHAT YOU'LL DO Lead the architecture and delivery of new vector search features, from concept through production, ensuring they meet Elastic’s standards for speed, scalability, and reliability. Design and implement advanced vector similarity algorithms such as HNSW, IVF, or custom data structures, and integrate them tightly with the Lucene core. Own the debugging and resolution of complex vector search bugs, collaborating with cross‑functional teams and the open‑source community to triage and close issues. Write clean, idiomatic Java code and conduct rigorous code reviews, fostering a culture of high quality and maintainability. Mentor and coach other engineers on vector search concepts, performance tuning, and best practices, while driving consensus on technical direction. Engage with global community contributors, reviewing pull requests, providing guidance, and ensuring that external contributions align with Elastic’s roadmap. WHAT YOU'LL NEED Extensive experience building vector similarity solutions at scale, with a proven record of deploying HNSW, IVF, or comparable algorithms in production environments. Deep expertise in core Java, including concurrent programming, lambda expressions, and the Java Collections framework, coupled with a strong grasp of low‑level performance considerations. A track record of leading end‑to‑end projects, from technical design to delivery, while maintaining ownership of quality and timelines. Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, enabling clear articulation of complex ideas to engineers, product managers, and community members. Demonstrated ability to collaborate asynchronously across time zones, providing constructive feedback and driving progress without in‑person meetings. Experience with AI‑driven development tools, debugging complex systems, and leveraging machine learning to optimize code paths. Familiarity with multiple data storage technologies such as Elasticsearch, Solr, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, or Cassandra, and an understanding of their trade‑offs in a search context. A passion for open‑source, a willingness to contribute to community discussions, and the humility to learn from peers. WHY REMOTE Elastic’s distributed culture is intentional: we hire the best engineers worldwide and empower them to work wherever they thrive. Daily collaboration occurs through email, GitHub, Zoom, and Slack, with a strong emphasis on asynchronous communication that respects individual schedules. The remote model eliminates commute time, increases work‑life balance, and allows teams to focus on high‑impact work rather than logistics. Flexible hours mean you can align your peak productivity with your personal rhythm while still meeting project milestones and team expectations. BENEFITS Competitive health, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents. Generous paid time off, including parental leave and flexible sick days. A remote work stipend to support home office setup and broadband. Annual learning budget for courses, conferences, and certifications. Access to Elastic’s internal knowledge base, mentorship programs, and cross‑team learning sessions. Equity participation and performance‑based bonuses aligned with company success.