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Principal Software Developer - Storage Engine - Elasticsearch

Elastic· Platform - Elasticsearch
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RemoteCA$154k - CA$243.6kfull-timePosted 3mo ago

About the role

Principal Software Developer to lead the architectural evolution of Elasticsearch's core storage and query engine, focused on storage efficiency, query processing, and data layouts for object storage. Remote, globally distributed team. Hybrid/remote collaboration across continents.

Responsibilities

  • Lead the architectural evolution of core storage engine components, continuously identifying and resolving performance bottlenecks in indexing layouts, serialization formats, and resource utilization.
  • Lead cross organizational initiatives to drive and build industry-leading observability solutions.
  • Work with a globally distributed team of experienced engineers focused on the logs and metrics capabilities of Elasticsearch.
  • Drive continuous operational and system improvements by introducing best practices for clean coding standards, demystifying complex system behaviors, untangling complexity to bring architectural clarity across the platform.
  • Serve as a subject matter expert (SME) across key areas of Elasticsearch, acting as a trusted technical advisor and mentor to the wider engineering organization.
  • Work with a global community to triage, resolve, and review issues and pull requests, collaborating with domain experts as needed.
  • Write idiomatic modern Java -- Elasticsearch is 99.8% Java!

Qualifications

  • Ability to collaborate across functions and teams and seamlessly transition between different projects, codebases, or teams based on business priorities
  • Autonomous worker who can drive decisions and results in a distributed team via asynchronous, direct, and transparent communication
  • Proven track record of using AI to accelerate development, debug complex systems, and optimize code, while owning the final outcomes
  • Prompt-engineering mindset to leverage AI agents effectively with sound engineering judgment
  • Experience implementing novel techniques to efficiently index, store, and query time-series or logs data
  • Experience with one or more data storage technologies like Elasticsearch, Solr, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, or Prometheus and understanding of their workings
  • Strong core Java skills with deep understanding of concurrency primitives and ability to design/optimize data structures and algorithms
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills; collaborative, respectful, and professional in a distributed team

Skills

Required:JavaSystem design / architectureAI-assisted developmentDistributed teamwork / collaborationPerformance optimization

Benefits

  • Stock program participation
  • Company-matched Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) with dollar-for-dollar matching up to 6% of eligible earnings
  • Competitive pay
  • Health coverage for you and your family in many locations
  • Flexible locations and schedules for many roles
  • Generous vacation days
  • Donation matching up to $2000 (or local currency equivalent)
  • Up to 40 hours annually for volunteer projects
  • Parental leave minimum of 16 weeks
Last updated Jul 23, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.
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