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Principal Java Engineer - Distributed Systems, Serverless - Elasticsearch

Elastic· Platform - Elasticsearch
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Hybrid (Portugal)€67k - €106kfull-timePosted 4mo ago

About the role

Principal Software Engineer focused on Elasticsearch scale, performance, and resilience for the Serverless offering, tackling deep distributed systems challenges in node communication, indexing, allocation, and data management across a cluster.

Responsibilities

  • Design, build, and operate core pieces of the next-generation Serverless Elasticsearch offering.
  • Improve components that support concurrent and consistent indexing across multiple machines.
  • Maintain cluster coordination to keep performance high with node churn and data movement, preserving safety and liveness.
  • Push the limits on shards, nodes, and petabytes that Elasticsearch can handle today.
  • Investigate issues (performance, concurrency) and propose solutions.
  • Support engineers with hard problems.
  • Own operational investigations end-to-end until performance or stability issues are resolved.

Qualifications

  • Deep background in distributed systems and consensus algorithms.
  • Strong core Java skills and familiarity with standard data structures and concurrency constructs, plus newer language features.
  • Deep technical proficiency in algorithms.
  • Experience building large-scale distributed systems (not relying on off-the-shelf services).
  • Experience building and debugging complex features with broad impact across multiple machines.
  • Ability to own projects from design to delivery and collaborate across teams.
  • Experience managing projects involving multiple engineers.
  • Proven track record of using AI to accelerate development, debug complex systems, and optimize code while owning outcomes.
  • Ability to collaborate across functions and transition between projects, codebases, or teams based on priorities.
  • Ability to work autonomously, drive decisions, and communicate asynchronously in a distributed team.

Skills

Required:Distributed systemsJavaAlgorithmsProject ownership

Benefits

  • Competitive pay
  • Health coverage for you and your family in many locations
  • Flexible calendars, locations, and schedules for many roles
  • Generous vacation days
  • Company matches up to $2000 for financial donations and service
  • Up to 40 hours per year for volunteer projects
  • Minimum of 16 weeks parental leave
Last updated Jul 23, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.
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