Senior Software Engineer I – Search and AI Platform

Elsevier; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive Pension Plan

Generous vacation entitlement

Family leave

Job summary

Elsevier in London is seeking a Senior Software Engineer II to join the Shared Graph Team, building scalable graph-based search services and AI-powered discovery.

You will design backend systems with Java, Spring Boot, GraphQL, and AWS/Kubernetes, mentoring engineers and delivering reliable, data-driven platforms used across Scopus, ScienceDirect, and other products.

Qualifications

• 4+ years in distributed systems or search platforms.
• Proven track record building scalable backend systems and APIs.
• Strong Java and Spring Boot expertise.
• Experience with GraphQL API design and REST.
• Cloud-native architectures with AWS and Kubernetes.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement graph-based search services.
• Develop applications using Java, Spring Boot, GraphQL.
• Integrate with AWS services and databases to support pipelines.
• Champion clean code and SOLID principles; mentor engineers.
• Collaborate with product managers to deliver advanced search features.
• Ensure robust monitoring with New Relic and Coralogix.

Skills

Java

Spring Boot

GraphQL

Distributed systems

APIs

SOLID

CI/CD

Agile

Tools

Neo4j

DynamoDB

AWS

Kubernetes

GraphQL

Job description

Are you passionate about building scalable, high-performance data-driven applications?

Do you enjoy turning complex datasets into robust, reliable systems that deliver real business impact?

About The Team

The Search and AI Platform is Elsevier’s agentic data platform, which powers products such as LeapSpace, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Clinical Key, Reaxys, and our next-generation AIpowered search systems. The platform uses agentic services to interrogate our rich knowledge graphs, search and recommendation systems, and our unparalleled collection of research data to deliver insights to the scientific community so they can collaborate more effectively, work smarter, and deliver quality research more quickly.

We are looking for an innovative, passionate Senior Software Engineer II to work as part of the teams building and enhancing our platform to deliver intelligent, scalable solutions that create real value for our clients.

About The Role

The Shared Graph Team is a core part of Elsevier’sSearch and AI Platform. This team builds structured queries based on relationships and entity metadata hydration, enabling advanced traversal, discovery, and recommendation systems. As aSenior Software Engineer II, you will work with a passionate team that delivers scalable, reliable, and innovative solutions that accelerate scientific discovery.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement graph-based search services.
• Develop applications using Java, Spring Boot, Spring, GraphQL, and GraphQL Federation.
• Integrate with databases, web services, or AWS services (Neo4j, DynamoDB, RDS, S3, Parameter Store, SQS, SNS, Kinesis) to support ingestion, storage, and messaging pipelines.
• Champion clean code, SOLID principles, and engineering best practices, setting standards and mentoring engineers.
• Collaborate with product managers and engineering teams to deliver advanced search and recommendation features.
• Ensure robust monitoring and logging with New Relic and Coralogix, driving reliability and performance.

Requirements

• 4+ years of professional software engineering experience in distributed systems or search platforms.
• Proven track record building scalable backend systems and APIs.
• Strong expertise in Java and the Spring Boot ecosystem.
• Hands-on experience with GraphQL API/REST APIs design.
• Solid background in cloud-native architectures with AWS and Kubernetes (EKS).
• An advocate of best practices for rapid development of quality software, including SOLID principles, clean code, architectural design patterns, CI/CD
• Familiarity with Agile, Kanban, or other iterative development methodologies.
• Comfortable learning new technologies, languages, and tools on the job, to ensure that the product is not left behind in a rapidly evolving ecosystem
• An inclusive, positive, collaborative mindset and a desire to deliver real business value to our customers

Nice To Have

• Experience with Apollo Router or advanced GraphQL federation strategies.
• Background in data modelling for graph-based systems.
• Familiarity with search platforms or AI-driven discovery systems.
• Experience working in high-throughput, distributed systems

Why join us?

Join our team and contribute to a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence.

Work in a way that works for you

We promote a healthy work/life balance across the organization. We offer an appealing working prospect for our people. With numerous wellbeing initiatives and shared parental leave, we will help you meet your immediate responsibilities and your long-term goals.

• Working flexible hours - flexing the times when you work in the day to help you fit everything in and work when you are the most productive.

Working for you

Benefits

• Comprehensive Pension Plan
• Generous vacation entitlement and option for sabbatical leave
• Maternity, Paternity, Adoption and Family Care leave
• Flexible working hours
• Personal Choice budget
• Internal communities and networks
• Various employee discounts
• Recruitment introduction reward
• Employee Assistance Program (global)

About The Business

A global leader in information and analytics, we help researchers and healthcare professionals advance science and improve health outcomes for the benefit of society. Building on our publishing heritage, we combine quality information and vast data sets with analytics to support visionary science and research, health education, and interactive learning, as well as exceptional healthcare and clinical practice. At Elsevier, your work contributes to the world’s grand challenges and a more sustainable future. We harness innovative technologies to support science and healthcare to partner for a better world.

If performed in NLD Amsterdam (Radarweg), the base pay range is €86,900 - €144,600. This job may be subject to a collective labor agreement in the Netherlands. Please consult with the hiring team for further details.

We know your well-being and happiness are key to a long and successful career. We are delighted to offer country specific benefits.