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Principal Software Engineer - Security - Elasticsearch

Elastic· Platform - Elasticsearch
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Remote$159.8k - $252.8kfull-timePosted 2mo ago

About the role

Principal Software Engineer to lead architecture and design of Elasticsearch's security features (authentication, authorization, tenant isolation) and ensure high-performance security at scale in a distributed data store.

Responsibilities

  • Owning core security initiatives from architecture to production, focusing on the delivery of new critical features. Leading the technical design, plan, and execution for major security components inside the Elasticsearch core engine.
  • Developing the foundational security models for intricate features.
  • Optimizing security performance at scale in distributed systems environments.
  • Applying cryptographic solutions to address genuine customer use cases.
  • Ensuring robust data isolation within shared infrastructure supporting disparate customers.
  • Monitoring and applying the latest advancements and best practices in security. This includes authentication, identity management, cryptography, and data access management.
  • Collaborating with peers across the company to embed security into new customer features from the outset.
  • Drive vulnerability management efforts by collaborating closely with the InfoSec team to proactively identify, assess, and remediate security risks.
  • Leverage AI-driven tools to automate vulnerability triage, prioritization, and preliminary investigation, streamlining security workflows and reducing manual intervention.
  • Mentoring and coaching other engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence and security-first development.

Qualifications

  • Deep knowledge of Java internals and JVM memory management. Understanding of concurrency models. Ability to write high-performance, thread-safe, and lock-free code.
  • Proven experience in designing and building systems for authorization that can scale, including RBAC/ABAC models and token validation pipelines, permission compilation and distributed cache invalidation strategies.
  • Solid comprehension of distributed systems security, including node-to-node mutual trust, zero-trust transport, partition tolerance, and cluster state propagation.
  • Deep knowledge of edge identity protocols (OAuth 2.0, SAML).
  • Proven track record of using AI to accelerate development, debugging complex systems, and optimizing code while owning final outcomes.
  • Ability to collaborate across functions and teams and switch between projects, codebases, or teams based on priorities.
  • Ability to work autonomously, drive decisions, and lead a distributed team through asynchronous, direct, and transparent communication.

Skills

Required:Java internals and JVM memory managementAuthorization system designDistributed systems securityOAuth 2.0 and SAML
Nice to have:AI-assisted development

Benefits

  • Stock program eligibility
  • Company-matched 401k with dollar-for-dollar matching up to 6%
  • Holistic benefits package
  • Flexible locations and schedules
  • Competitive pay based on work
  • Health coverage for you and your family in many locations
  • Generous vacation days
  • Volunteer donation matching up to $2000
  • Up to 40 hours annually for volunteer projects
  • Parental leave minimum 16 weeks
Last updated Sep 3, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.
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