Senior Software Engineer - Security - Elasticsearch

Role Description

We are seeking a Senior Software Engineer to join the Elasticsearch Security team. In this role, you will contribute to the architecture and design of Elasticsearch's main features, including:

• Authentication
• Authorization
• Tenant isolation

Your goal is to participate in providing high-performance security at all levels, ensuring that our distributed data store has top-quality security at scale.

What You Will Be Doing

• Contributing to core security initiatives from architecture to production, focusing on the delivery of new critical features.
• Participating in the technical design, planning, and execution for major security components inside the Elasticsearch core engine.
• Developing the foundational security models for features.
• Optimizing security performance at scale in distributed systems environments.
• Applying cryptographic solutions to address genuine customer use cases.
• Ensuring robust data isolation within shared infrastructure supporting disparate customers.
• Monitoring and applying the latest advancements and best practices in security, including authentication, identity management, cryptography, and data access management.
• Collaborating with peers across the company to embed security into new customer features from the outset.
• Driving vulnerability management efforts by collaborating closely with the InfoSec team to proactively identify, assess, and remediate security risks.
• Leveraging AI-driven tools to automate vulnerability triage, prioritization, and preliminary investigation, streamlining security workflows and reducing manual intervention.

Qualifications

• Deep knowledge of Java internals and JVM memory management.
• Understanding of concurrency models.
• Ability to write high-performance, thread-safe, and lock-free code.
• Experience with large open-source and enterprise codebases.
• Experience building scalable and performant authorization systems under high concurrency and large permission sets.
• Solid comprehension of distributed systems security, including node-to-node mutual trust and zero-trust transport.
• Deep knowledge of edge identity protocols (OAuth 2.0, SAML).
• Proven track record of using AI to accelerate development and optimize code.
• Ability to collaborate across functions and teams.
• Capability to work autonomously in a distributed team.

Bonus Points

• Knowledge of cipher suites, TLS handshakes, and PKI/certificate lifecycle management.
• Cryptographic methods considering memory usage and delays.
• Familiarity with Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) and readiness to support migration to quantum-resistant algorithms.
• Hands-on experience mapping engine-level technical controls to FedRAMP, FIPS 140, and SOC 2 requirements.
• Experience working on the internals of a data store or search engine.

Compensation

Compensation for this role is in the form of base salary. The typical starting salary range for new hires in this role is:

• $133,100 — $210,600 USD

In select locations (including Seattle WA, Los Angeles CA, the San Francisco Bay Area CA, and the New York City Metro Area), an alternate range may apply:

• $159,900 — $252,900 USD

Elastic believes that employees should have the opportunity to share in the value created for shareholders. This role is currently eligible to participate in Elastic's stock program. Our total rewards package includes:

• Company-matched 401k with dollar-for-dollar matching up to 6% of eligible earnings.
• A range of other benefits with a holistic emphasis on employee well-being.

Additional Information - We Take Care of Our People

• Competitive pay based on the work you do here and not your previous salary.
• Health coverage for you and your family in many locations.
• Ability to craft your calendar with flexible locations and schedules for many roles.
• Generous number of vacation days each year.
• Matching up to $2000 for financial donations and service.
• Up to 40 hours each year to use toward volunteer projects.
• Minimum of 16 weeks of parental leave.

Elastic is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating an inclusive culture that celebrates different perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds.

We welcome individuals with disabilities and strive to create an accessible and inclusive experience for all individuals.