Principal Software Developer – Query Engine, Database Internals, Elasticsearch

Elastic

. Define, lead, and contribute to development of data-intensive enhancements for Elasticsearch .

Posted 11/3/2026full-timeRemote • CanadaLead💰 CA$154,000 - CA$243,600 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in Elasticsearch and data-intensive application development, with a strong focus on building technical roadmaps and mentoring engineering teams. Proficient in core Java and search analytics APIs, driving technical vision and collaboration across distributed teams.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Elasticsearch ExpertiseCore Java ProficiencySearch And Analytics APIs ExperienceTechnical Project LeadershipData Storage Technologies Knowledge

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Core JavaElasticsearchData StructuresAlgorithmsSearch APIsAnalytics APIsData Storage TechnologiesTechnical RoadmappingSoftware System EngineeringAI Development Optimization

Soft Skills

Excellent Communication SkillsMentoringCollaborationAutonomous WorkDecision-Making

Tools & Technologies

Splunk SPLDatadogDynatraceNew RelicPostgreSQLMongoDBCassandraContinuous IntegrationSource Control WorkflowsOpen Source Projects

Industry Keywords

Data ArchitectureTechnical InfrastructureUser ExperienceInformation Retrieval TheoryDistributed Engineering

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

CassandraElasticSearchJavaMongoDBOpen SourcePostgresSplunk

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Define, lead, and contribute to development of data-intensive enhancements for Elasticsearch
Research industry features, data structures, and algorithms to build capabilities for users
Work with partners and product teams to understand needs and develop a long-term strategic vision
Build and drive the ES|QL and compute engine roadmap
Provide technical vision and direction for customer/user interfaces, language syntax, and compute infrastructure
Serve as an authority on areas of Elasticsearch and improve those areas
Collaborate with user experience teams to craft a friendly interface
Collaborate with customer-facing teams building solutions on Search, Security, and Observability APIs
Write idiomatic modern Java in Elasticsearch’s predominantly Java codebase
Work cross-organization with distributed engineering teams

Requirements

What you’ll need

Experience leading technical projects in data and enterprise architecture
Proven knowledge building and running sophisticated technical infrastructures and engineering sound software systems
Experience mentoring expert engineers and providing technical and professional guidance
Experience defining long-term technical visions for data-intensive applications and building technical roadmaps across teams and organizations
Hands-on experience with search and analytics APIs, such as Splunk SPL, Elasticsearch, Datadog, Dynatrace, and New Relic
Strong skills in core Java, including standard-library data structures, concurrency constructs, and lambdas
Ability to optimize and use efficient data structures and algorithms
Ability to work autonomously and guide projects from beginning to end
Experience with data storage technologies such as Elasticsearch, Solr, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, or Cassandra, and understanding of their underlying operation
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Proven track record using AI to accelerate development, debug complex systems, and optimize code while owning final outcomes
Ability to collaborate across functions and teams and transition between projects, codebases, or teams
Ability to drive decisions and results in a distributed team through asynchronous, direct, and transparent communication
Bonus: Experience with Elasticsearch and search/information retrieval theory
Bonus: Experience with open source projects, source control workflows, and continuous integration

Benefits

Comp & perks

Elastic stock program eligibility
Company-matched Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) with dollar-for-dollar matching up to 6% of eligible earnings
Health coverage for you and your family in many locations
Flexible locations and schedules for many roles
Generous number of vacation days each year
Matching up to $2000 (or local currency equivalent) for financial donations and service
Up to 40 hours each year for volunteer projects
Minimum of 16 weeks of parental leave
Competitive pay based on the work you do here and not your previous salary
Accessible and inclusive experience, including accommodation support during application or recruiting