Senior Software Developer - Storage Engine - Elasticsearch

ABOUT THE ROLE Elastic is building the world’s most powerful Search AI Platform, powering more than half of the Fortune 500 with real‑time insights from structured and unstructured data. As a Senior Software Developer on the Elasticsearch Storage Engine team, you will shape the core storage and query infrastructure that underpins observability workloads. Your work will directly influence how millions of logs and metrics are indexed, stored, and retrieved at scale, enabling customers to unlock the full value of their data in seconds. This role sits at the intersection of distributed systems, database internals, and AI‑driven search, and it offers the chance to drive architectural evolution for a product that is used by enterprises worldwide. WHAT YOU'LL DO You will lead the design and implementation of high‑performance storage components, continuously identifying and eliminating performance bottlenecks in indexing layouts, serialization formats, and resource utilization. You will collaborate with cross‑functional teams to deliver industry‑leading observability features, translating business priorities into scalable, maintainable code. You will champion clean coding standards, conduct rigorous code reviews, and mentor teammates to elevate the overall quality of the platform. You will act as a subject‑matter expert, providing technical guidance on storage, indexing, and query execution across the organization. You will engage with the global Elastic community to triage issues, review pull requests, and share best practices. You will write idiomatic, high‑quality Java, leveraging concurrency primitives to build efficient data structures and algorithms. WHAT YOU'LL NEED You have a proven track record building high‑performance, distributed databases or search engines, with deep expertise in storage, indexing, and query execution. You possess strong core Java skills, including a deep understanding of concurrency, memory management, and low‑level optimization. You have designed and implemented efficient time‑series or log storage solutions, and you are comfortable working with large data sets and complex data models. You can navigate and improve the architecture of a mature codebase, identifying and resolving subtle performance regressions. You thrive in a distributed environment, communicating asynchronously through GitHub, Slack, and email, and you are adept at making decisions with minimal supervision. You bring excellent verbal and written communication skills, and you collaborate respectfully across cultures and time zones. WHY REMOTE Elastic’s distributed culture is intentional: we hire the best talent wherever they are and empower engineers to work autonomously while remaining tightly connected through asynchronous collaboration tools. Your day will be shaped by your own rhythm, with flexible hours that accommodate global teammates and personal commitments. The remote model eliminates commuting, reduces overhead, and allows you to focus on delivering high‑impact software. We provide the infrastructure and support you need to thrive from anywhere, including a generous remote stipend, high‑speed internet reimbursement, and a fully equipped home office allowance. BENEFITS Health, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents. Generous paid time off and paid parental leave. A competitive base salary with a transparent pay band. A remote stipend and home‑office allowance. A dedicated learning budget for courses, conferences, and certifications. Access to Elastic’s internal knowledge base, mentorship programs, and career development resources. A culture that values work‑life balance, continuous learning, and technical excellence.