Staff Software Engineer, Search Infrastructure

Details

Airbnb was born in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 5 million hosts who have welcomed over 2 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.

Role overview

Search is at the core of the Airbnb marketplace that connects our guests and hosts. It helps guests find the best homes and experiences to fit their needs and wants. The Search Infrastructure team collaborates with cross-functional partners to revolutionize Airbnb's search experience and advance Airbnb's mission.

Responsibilities

• Tech-lead a high-performing team of software engineers to elevate the OpenSearch ecosystem at Airbnb, driving innovation and setting technical direction.
• Architect and build robust systems to enhance the reliability, performance, and cost-effectiveness of the OpenSearch platform.
• Develop and maintain advanced tooling that streamlines the developer experience for all OpenSearch users across Airbnb.
• Actively contribute to the OpenSearch open source community, sharing insights and improvements.
• Mentor and guide team members, fostering their professional growth and technical excellence.
• Participate in design workshops focused on the vision and architecture of Airbnb’s next-generation OpenSearch platform.
• Design and implement core OpenSearch components, leveraging large language models as collaborative tools.
• Hold regular 1:1 sessions with team members and engage in in-person gatherings with engineers and cross-functional partners to drive alignment and collaboration.

Requirements

• BS, MS, or PhD in Computer Science, a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 9+ years of industry experience with a bachelor’s or master’s degree, or 6+ years with a PhD degree.
• Proven expertise with ElasticSearch or OpenSearch in production environments.
• Demonstrated history of technical leadership, guiding engineering teams to deliver high-quality solutions.
• Exceptional communication skills and ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.

Compensation & Location

• The base pay range shown below is monthly and may be modified in the future. This role may also be eligible for bonus, equity, benefits, and Employee Travel Credits.
• Brazil Pay Range: R$448.000—R$560.000 BRL (monthly as stated in the listing).
• Offices: Brazil

Inclusion & Process

Airbnb is committed to inclusion and belonging and encourages all qualified individuals to apply. They provide a disability inclusive application and interview process — reasonable accommodation requests can be sent to [email protected] with your full name, the role, and the accommodation needed.

Notes

• The role emphasizes OpenSearch/ElasticSearch production experience, system architecture, developer tooling, technical leadership, and mentor/coaching responsibilities. Large language models are mentioned as collaborative tools for design and implementation.