Job Description
We are seeking a Backend Engineer to join one of our leading retail and pharmacy customers on their Retail Catalog Search team to help build the next generation of search experiences for millions of customers. In this role, you will develop and deliver features that improve search relevance, personalization, AI-powered facet recommendations, and overall product discovery across the platform. You will work closely with product managers, engineers, and data science teams to create intuitive, high-performing search solutions that drive customer engagement and business outcomes.
As a key contributor, you will design and build scalable backend services using Java 21, Spring Boot 3, and WebFlux (Project Reactor), while supporting the full stack as needed. You will develop APIs, integrate search and personalization capabilities, and contribute to front-end experiences using technologies such as React and GraphQL. The ideal candidate is comfortable working across multiple layers of the application stack and can deliver production-ready solutions from concept through deployment.
A significant portion of this role focuses on Elasticsearch 8 and search relevance engineering. You will develop and optimize search queries using Query DSL, function_score, and advanced relevance tuning techniques to ensure customers receive the most accurate and meaningful search results. You will collaborate with product and business stakeholders to improve ranking strategies, search quality, and user experience through experimentation and data-driven decision making.
The successful candidate will have experience building cloud-native, reactive applications and working with technologies such as Redis and MongoDB using reactive drivers. You will be responsible for designing reliable, performant services that support high-volume e-commerce traffic while maintaining excellent user experiences. Strong testing practices are essential, including experience with JUnit 5, Mockito, and StepVerifier to ensure the quality and reliability of distributed systems.
This role requires a strong sense of ownership and operational excellence. You will be expected to proactively monitor application performance, troubleshoot production issues, and lead incident resolution efforts from detection through root cause analysis and remediation. The ideal candidate is comfortable working in fast-paced environments and has a proven track record of supporting critical customer-facing applications in production.
The range in pay for this position is anywhere from $11 USD-$15 USD.
We are a company committed to creating diverse and inclusive environments where people can bring their full, authentic selves to work every day. We are an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer that believes everyone matters. Qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment regardless of their race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, national origin, ancestry, genetic factors, age, disability, protected veteran status, military or uniformed service member status, or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to HR@insightglobal.com.To learn more about how we collect, keep, and process your private information, please review Insight Global's Workforce Privacy Policy: https://insightglobal.com/workforce-privacy-policy/.
Required Skills & Experience
• 5 years of experience with Java 21, Spring Boot 3, and WebFlux (Project Reactor)
• Elasticsearch 8, including Query DSL, function_score, and relevance tuning
• Redis and MongoDB (reactive drivers)
• Strong testing practices using JUnit 5, StepVerifier, and Mockito
• Ability to own and resolve production incidents end-to-end
Nice to Have Skills & Experience
• Front-end development with React and GraphQL clients
• Data Science / Machine Learning, including embeddings, ranking models, and A/B evaluation
• LLM and AI integrations using Vertex, Anthropic, or OpenAI
• Kafka, GKE, Istio, and ArgoCD
• Performance tuning using JFR, async-profiler, and GC analysis
• Retail or e-commerce search experience with platforms such as Bloomreach, Coveo, or Algolia
Benefit packages for this role will start on the 1st day of employment and include medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as HSA, FSA, and DCFSA account options, and 401k retirement account access with employer matching. Employees in this role are also entitled to paid sick leave and/or other paid time off as provided by applicable law.