Senior Software Engineer – Search

Workiva

Senior Software Engineer designing and building Java backend services with OpenSearch at Workiva. Collaborating on AI-driven search solutions in a remote environment.

Posted 4/16/2026full-timeRemote • 🇺🇸 United StatesSenior💰 $111,000 - $178,000 per yearWebsite

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

AWSCloudElasticSearchJavaKafkaKotlinScala

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Design, build, and scale backend services in Java, integrated with OpenSearch
Develop indexing strategies, schema mappings, and optimized query patterns for large datasets
Support Workiva’s GenAI and RAG endpoints, enabling semantic and natural language search features
Leverage AWS cloud infrastructure and Kafka event streaming for scalable systems
Monitor, tune, and debug search infrastructure for performance, reliability, and accuracy
Partner with cross-functional teams to deliver search-driven features that meet customer needs
Provide mentorship through code reviews, technical guidance, and collaboration
Lead well-scoped projects, define milestones, and improve team processes

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering or a related technical field
2+ years of experience in software development or related field
Proficiency in Java or another JVM language (e.g., Scala, Kotlin)
Experience with search engines such as OpenSearch, Elasticsearch, or Solr
Strong understanding of indexing, query optimization, and distributed search performance
Hands-on experience designing and scaling backend services in a cloud environment (AWS preferred)
Kafka or other event streaming experience
Familiarity with semantic search, embeddings, or NLP techniques
Exposure to AI/ML concepts, particularly around ranking or search relevance
Strong collaboration and communication skills in a remote-first, video-driven culture

Benefits

Comp & perks

A discretionary bonus typically paid annually
Restricted Stock Units granted at time of hire
401(k) match and comprehensive employee benefits package

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

JavaOpenSearchElasticsearchSolrindexingquery optimizationAWSKafkaNLPAI/ML

Soft Skills

collaborationcommunicationmentorshiptechnical guidanceproject leadershipprocess improvement

Certifications

Bachelor's degree in Computer ScienceBachelor's degree in Engineering