We are building a high-performing search experience and need a Lead Search Engineer to own Solr-based relevance, ranking, and scalable retrieval in the cloud. You will design and operate indexing and query pipelines on AWS, covering both keyword search and semantic (vector) search, while partnering with teams on discovery features. Apply to help raise search quality through metrics, experimentation, and production excellence.
Responsibilities
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Design, implement, and maintain scalable search platforms
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Optimize relevance, ranking, and query performance for search experiences
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Develop and operate indexing pipelines for large datasets
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Deploy and run search services in an AWS cloud environment
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Collaborate with cross-functional teams on search and recommendation features
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Explore and apply ML-driven enhancements to improve search outcomes
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Enable and support both keyword-based and semantic (vector-based) search capabilities
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Measure relevance and drive improvements using evaluation metrics and experimentation
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Implement ranking optimization approaches, including learning-to-rank (LTR)
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Support and advance the existing Solr-based production search system (SolrCloud), including scaling, sharding, and replication
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Establish monitoring, SLOs, and runbooks, and participate in incident response and root cause analysis
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Contribute to CI/CD pipelines, deployment automation, and operational best practices for search services
Requirements
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Hands-on experience of 5+ years with search technologies (Solr preferred, Elasticsearch, OpenSearch or similar) and a strong grasp of core search concepts and architectures
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Deep expertise in Search Engines, Search Engine Optimization and Solr
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Proficiency in Java for building and extending search services
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Solid background in AWS cloud services and modern deployment practices
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Practical skills with Kubernetes, containerized platforms, and CI/CD tooling
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Capability to work effectively in cloud-native, containerized environments, including Kubernetes-based deployments and operations
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English proficiency at B2 (Upper-Intermediate) level or higher
Nice to have
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Familiarity with Elasticsearch and OpenSearch
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Knowledge of Machine Learning concepts and applications
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Experience with Monitoring tools
We offer
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International projects with top brands
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Work with global teams of highly skilled, diverse peers
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Healthcare benefits
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Employee financial programs
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Paid time off and sick leave
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Upskilling, reskilling and certification courses
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Unlimited access to the LinkedIn Learning library and 22,000+ courses
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Global career opportunities
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Volunteer and community involvement opportunities
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EPAM Employee Groups
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Award-winning culture recognized by Glassdoor, Newsweek and LinkedIn
