Relx Group

Principal Software Engineer Search Systems

Relx Group$115K — $192K *
US-Anywhere
+ 6 other locationsRemote
Information Technology
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Expertise with Lucene, Elasticsearch, Solr, or similar search engines, along with experience in Semantic Search.
  • Proven experience building search systems at scale.
  • Strong knowledge of batch processing technologies like Spark, Spark Streaming, and Airflow.
  • Proficiency in at least one of the following programming languages: Java, Python, or Scala.
  • In-depth understanding of distributed system design and data modeling with performance tuning capabilities.
  • Experience with CI/CD and test-driven development practices.
  • Ability to drive technical outcomes independently from problem definition to deployment.

Responsibilities

  • Lead architectural design to ensure technical coherence across the search platform.
  • Enhance search relevance using vector and lexical search techniques.
  • Create advanced search systems to improve user experience.
  • Automate workflows to support other engineering teams.
  • Collaborate to optimize engineering processes and systems.
  • Engage with engineering teams to address and resolve pain points.
  • Develop scalable data processing workflows and microservices using tools like Spark and Airflow.
  • Write clean, modular, and testable code following best practices.
  • Lead implementation efforts of components across several services and modules.
  • Address and troubleshoot complex issues in distributed environments.
  • Facilitate discussions on design and code reviews to maintain software quality.
  • Maintain data models supporting various analytical and operational objectives.

Benefits

  • Variety of country-specific benefits available based on location.
  • Access to resources for maintaining well-being and work-life balance.
Full Job Description
Do you possess current expertise with Lucene, Elasticsearch, Solr, or similar search engines and are looking to drive search-based technology solutions for us?

The Role

We are looking for a Principal Software Engineer with extensive search experience that can design and implement complex search and retrieval systems, mentor team members, and help evolve our central search engineering architecture by collaborating closely with product, platform, and other engineering teams to deliver technical solutions, and high-throughput services with meaningful real-world impact.

Responsibilities

  • Leading architectural design and ensure technical consistency.
  • Helping lead our shared search platform - expanding content search, improving relevance via vector and lexical search techniques.
  • Building world-class search systems to enhance users' search experience.
  • Automating processes to assist other teams.
  • Collaborating on new ideas to optimize systems and engineering workflows.
  • Building relationships with other engineering teams to identify and solve their pain points.
  • Working across the stack, from development to infrastructure.
  • Designing and developing scalable data processing workflows and microservices using Spark, Spark Streaming, and Airflow.
  • Writing clean, modular, and testable code in Python, Java, or Scala, aligned with coding standards and architecture guidelines.
  • Lead implementation of system components that span multiple services and modules.
  • Diagnose and resolve complex technical issues across distributed systems and data workflows.
  • Leading design discussions, code reviews, and architecture sessions to ensure software quality and maintainability.
  • Developing and maintain data models to support analytical and operational use cases.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to translate product requirements into reliable engineering solutions.


What We're Looking For
  • Current expertise with Lucene, Elasticsearch, Solr, or any other search engine, and have industry experience with Semantic Search.
  • Proven track record building search systems at scale.
  • Proficiency in batch processing technologies, including Spark, Spark Streaming, Airflow.
  • Expertise in at least one of Java, Python, Scala.
  • Deep understanding of distributed system design, data modeling, and performance tuning.
  • Experience with test-driven development and CI/CD practices.
  • Ability to independently drive technical outcomes from problem definition to deployment.
  • Familiarity with Agile, Kanban, or other iterative development methodologies.
  • Familiarity with vector/embedding-based search, KNN algorithms.
  • Exposure to graph-based data models or knowledge graph architecture.
  • Experience building internal platforms or developer-facing data tooling.
  • Knowledge of observability best practices for data systems (e.g., metrics, logs, alerts).


U.S. National Base Pay Range: $115,400 - $192,300. Geographic differentials may apply in some locations to better reflect local market rates.If performed in Maryland, the base pay range is $121,200 - $201,900.If performed in New York, the base pay range is $126,900 - $211,500.If performed in New York City, the base pay range is $138,400 - $230,700.If performed in Rochester, NY, the base pay range is $115,400 - $192,300.If performed in New Jersey, the base pay range is $136,213 - $217,587.This job is eligible for an annual incentive bonus.
We know your well-being and happiness are key to a long and successful career. We are delighted to offer country specific benefits. Click here to access benefits specific to your location.

About Relx Group

RELX Group is a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. The company operates in four market segments: scientific, technical and medical; risk and business analytics; legal; and exhibitions. RELX's products and services include electronic databases, online information services, workflow tools, and print and digital books. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in London, England.
Learn more about Relx Group
Size
33,500 employees
Market Cap
$53.1 billion
Industry
Net Income
$1.2 billion
Founded
2018
5 Year Trend
+1%
Revenue
$7.1 billion
NASDAQ

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Relx Group

More Information Technology Jobs

Find similar Principal Software Engineer Search Systems jobs: