Senior Full Stack Engineer - Search

Blue Light Card; Leicester; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Free parking

Bonus scheme

Blue Light Card

Onsite gym

Learning & development

Pension

Job summary

Blue Light Card is seeking a skilled frontend/backend engineer to own the search and discovery experience for its members. You will work with Product and Engineering to enhance search relevance, autocomplete, and personalised journeys, and to build scalable data pipelines powering search.

The role focuses on modern technologies including React, Node.js and TypeScript, and requires hands-on experience with Algolia/Elasticsearch/OpenSearch and AWS serverless tools.

Qualifications

• Experience building search functionality in production apps.
• Strong understanding of information retrieval and ranking.
• Experience with React, Node.js and TypeScript.
• Experience with AWS serverless architectures.

Responsibilities

• Own and evolve the search and discovery experience for members, from indexing through to ranking.
• Design and optimise search relevance with synonyms, boosting, faceting and ranking.
• Run experiments and measure success through CTR, engagement and zero-result rates.
• Collaborate with Product to deliver autocomplete and personalised search journeys.
• Build and maintain data pipelines powering search and ensure indexes stay fresh and scalable.
• Lead solution design and delivery of mid-sized engineering initiatives in search.

Skills

React

Node.js

TypeScript

Communication

Mentoring

Tools

Algolia

Elasticsearch

OpenSearch

AWS Lambda

API Gateway

SQS

DynamoDB

Cognito

AppSync

S3

Job description

Blue Light Card. Individually great, together unstoppable

The Role and the Team

At Blue Light Card, we're on a mission to support millions of members with meaningful digital experiences. Following a major platform transformation, we've created strong foundations for exciting greenfield initiatives and continued innovation across the member experience.

As part of a collaborative agile squad, you'll work closely with Product and Engineering teams to enhance search and discovery capabilities, helping members find what they need quickly and intuitively. The team focuses on delivering outcomes across personalisation, engagement, member growth, share of wallet and platform evolution, with search playing a critical role in that journey.

What You'll Do

• Own and evolve the search and discovery experience for members, from indexing through to ranking, relevance and overall search performance

• Design and optimise search relevance, including query understanding, synonyms, boosting, faceting and ranking, using tools such as Algolia, Elasticsearch or similar platforms

• Run experiments on search and relevance changes, measuring success through key metrics such as click-through rates, engagement and zero-result rates

• Partner with Product to define and deliver exceptional member experiences, including autocomplete, typo tolerance and personalised search journeys

• Build and maintain the data pipelines that power search, ensuring indexes remain accurate, fresh and scalable

• Take ownership of the search domain, leading solution design and delivery of mid-sized engineering initiatives while driving continuous improvement

• Contribute to a collaborative engineering culture by sharing expertise, challenging assumptions and supporting innovation

• Mentor junior engineers and help maintain robust continuous delivery practices that enable efficient and reliable software releases

What You'll Bring

• Strong commercial experience with modern technologies including React, Node.js and TypeScript

• Proven experience building and integrating search functionality within production applications using Algolia, Elasticsearch, OpenSearch or similar technologies

• Solid understanding of information retrieval principles, including relevance scoring, indexing strategies, query optimisation and ranking methodologies

• Experience leveraging search analytics, experimentation and performance metrics to identify opportunities and drive continuous improvements

• Hands-on experience with AWS services including Cognito, DynamoDB, Lambda, S3, EventBridge, AppSync, API Gateway and SQS

• Experience building and deploying cloud-native applications using serverless architectures within AWS environments

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively across technical and non-technical stakeholders

• Strong mentoring, problem-solving and adaptability skills, with the ability to thrive in ambiguity and an interest in emerging search technologies such as semantic and vector search

Our Culture

Our mission is simple: make heroes happy. Our members are the real-life heroes who keep us all safe, cared for and thriving. It's what drives us to create exceptional experiences, deliver unrivalled discounts, innovative products and world-class service.

We don't follow the usual path. We look for smarter, bolder ways to create impact, take ownership, move quickly and work together to build something special.

We're committed to building a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone feels they belong. Different perspectives help us innovate, grow and better serve our communities.

We promote hybrid working and value in-person collaboration, with offices in Leicestershire and London (Holborn). While flexibility is important, fully remote working is not available.

What We Offer

• Hybrid working and flexible hours

• Free parking and EV charging onsite at HQ

• 25 days annual leave, birthday leave and holiday buy/sell scheme

• Company bonus scheme

• Blue Light Card membership with access to thousands of discounts

• Regular social events, team activities and company celebrations

• Company-wide recognition programmes, including Light's Up and Shine awards

• Relaxed dress code and modern office facilities with complimentary snacks and drinks

• Onsite gym facilities at HQ, including free fitness classes

• Strong learning and development culture

• Group pension scheme

• Enhanced parental and absence leave

• Company-funded private medical insurance

• Healthcare cashback plan

• Employee assistance programme, mental health support and mental health first aiders

#LI-Hybrid