Overview
Senior Search Data Engineer - Software – Leading SaaS Business
Full-time · Permanent · Remote/Hybrid (Glasgow-based office)
A leading SaaS business at the forefront of digital transformation is seeking an experienced Senior Search Data Engineer - Software to join its growing data team. As the company scales its next-generation platform, data is central to delivering fast, accurate, and intelligent user experiences. This is a fantastic opportunity to play a key role in shaping a modern data and search infrastructure using cutting-edge technologies.
About the Role
You’ll be part of an agile, cross-functional team building a powerful data platform and intelligent search engine. The company is focused on improving search and categorisation functionality, and the ideal candidate will have a data engineering background, with hands-on experience in developing search tools and working with vector databases.
You’ll work with technologies like Apache Lucene, Solr, and Elasticsearch, contributing to the design and development of scalable systems. Strong experience in developing and optimising indexing solutions within Elasticsearch is particularly important, as this is a key focus area for the team. While platform-level optimisation is useful, the role demands deeper expertise in building and tuning indexing strategies to support advanced search capabilities.
There will also be opportunities to explore machine learning, AI-driven categorisation models, and vector search—all key components of this year’s roadmap. A background in data science within a production environment would be highly valuable, especially if paired with experience in Java or Python.
What You’ll Be Doing
* Design and build high-performance data pipelines and search capabilities
* Develop solutions using Apache Lucene, Solr, or Elasticsearch
* Optimise Elasticsearch indexing strategies for performance and relevance
* Implement scalable, test-driven code in Java and Python
* Work collaboratively with Business Analysts, Data Engineers, and UI Developers
* Contribute across the stack – from React/TypeScript front end to Java-based backend services
* Leverage cloud infrastructure including Azure Data Factory, Batch Services, and Azure SQL
* Participate in code reviews, DevOps practices, and system performance tuning
Your Profile
* Strong experience in data engineering, with a focus on search tools and vector databases
* Proven expertise in Elasticsearch indexing and search optimisation
* Experience in large-scale data processing and building search functionality
* Skilled with SQL and NoSQL databases
* Comfortable working in Agile environments and following DevOps and CI/CD practices
* Experience in Java development, with some exposure to Python
* Committed to writing maintainable, well-tested code
* Excellent attention to detail and problem-solving skills
* Strong verbal and written communication, including the ability to write technical documentation
* Ability to mentor junior engineers and contribute to a collaborative team environment
Why This Role?
* Be part of a forward-thinking, technically strong team
* Work on impactful projects using modern data, search, and ML/AI technologies
* Join a culture that promotes innovation, learning, and cross-functional collaboration
* Competitive salary and benefits package
* Opportunity to work with cutting-edge tools in a fast-paced SaaS environment
* Contribute to a platform trusted by leading organisations in the life sciences sector
Location & Flexibility
This role can be based remotely or hybrid.
* Remote: Must be willing to travel to the Glasgow office at least once per quarter
* Hybrid: Minimum one day per week in the Glasgow office
If you\'re passionate about scalable data engineering, intelligent search technologies, and making a real impact—we’d love to hear from you.
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