Senior Software Engineer I

Elsevier; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 87,000 - 144,000; Full time

Job summary

Elsevier seeks a Senior Software Engineer I for its Search and AI Platform to design scalable generative AI services and reusable components. You will mentor engineers, set engineering standards, and collaborate across product, platform, and research teams to productionize AI prototypes within a Kubernetes-based environment.

Strong Python and Java expertise, plus cloud-native architecture experience, are essential to delivering reliable AI features across Elsevier’s products.

Qualifications

• 4-6 years of software engineering experience.
• Proven experience contributing to technical architecture for large-scale platforms or services.
• Deep expertise in Python and Java.
• Proficiency with Kubernetes and cloud-native architectures.

Responsibilities

• Lead architectural design and ensure technical consistency.
• Design, develop, and maintain generative AI services and reusable components using Python and Java.
• Define and promote best practices in scalability, observability, testing, and CI/CD.
• Contribute to system designs spanning multiple services and modules, aligned with architecture best practices.
• Collaborate with product, platform, and research teams to translate AI prototypes into production-ready capabilities.
• Work within a Kubernetes (EKS) environment to deploy scalable, containerized applications.
• Mentor less-senior developers on engineering principles, GenAI patterns, and platform development.
• Participate in code reviews, architecture sessions, and cross-team initiatives to ensure quality and maintainability.
• Stay informed of developments in generative AI and advocate for responsible integration into product ecosystems.

Skills

Python

Java

Backend development

CI/CD

Agile/Kanban

Tools

LangChain

LangGraph

EKS

APIs

Job description

Senior Software Engineer I – Search and AI Platform

About the Team

Our team is dedicated to unlocking the rich knowledge embedded within Elsevier’s content through our rich data platform; this empowers researchers, clinicians, and innovators worldwide to gain new insights, make informed decisions, and accelerate progress across research, healthcare, and life sciences.

As part of this mission, the AI Platform team is focused on building reusable generative AI capabilities that can be embedded across products and platforms. We create scalable, secure, and production-ready AI services — enabling downstream teams to integrate cutting-edge GenAI features with confidence.

The Role

We are seeking a Senior Software Engineer I with a passion for generative AI and platform architecture. In this role, you will drive architectural decision and set engineering standard and implement robust systems to deliver reusable AI services and components, collaborating closely with cross-functional stakeholders to solve meaningful challenges. You will also contribute to mentor other engineers and help evolve our engineering practices.

Responsibilities

• Leading architectural design and ensure technical consistency.
• Designing, developing, and maintain generative AI services and reusable components using mostly Python and a little bit Java.
• Defining and promote best practices in engineering, including scalability, observability, testing, and CI/CD.
• Contributing to system designs spanning multiple services and modules, aligning with architectural best practices.
• Collaborating with product, platform, and research teams to translate AI prototypes into production-ready capabilities.
• Working within a Kubernetes (EKS) environment to deploy scalable, containerized applications.
• Leading the resolution of complex technical challenges across distributed systems.
• Mentoring less-senior developers on engineering principles, GenAI patterns, and platform development.
• Participating in code reviews, architecture sessions, and cross-team initiatives to ensure quality and maintainability.
• Staying informed of the latest developments in generative AI and advocate for responsible integration into product ecosystems.

What We’re Looking For

• 4-6 years of software engineering experience.
• Proven experience contributing to technical architecture for large-scale platforms or services.
• Solid understanding of software development methodologies and data modeling principles.
• Deep expertise in Python and Java.
• Proficiency in backend development and familiarity with modern AI/LLM tools and frameworks (e.g., LangChain, LangGraph).
• Experience with Kubernetes (EKS) and cloud-native architectures.
• Proven track record building scalable backend systems and APIs.
• Experience mentoring engineers and contributing to architectural decisions.
• Ability to work collaboratively across functions in an Agile or Kanban environment.

Nice to Have

• Experience operationalizing LLMs or building internal AI platforms.
• Familiarity with observability practices (metrics, logging, alerts).
• Exposure to knowledge graphs or semantic search systems.

U.S. National Base Pay Range: $86,600 - $144,400. Geographic differentials may apply in some locations to better reflect local market rates.

If performed in Maryland, the base pay range is $90,900 - $151,700. If performed in New Jersey, the base pay range is $102,333 - $163,467.

This job is eligible for an annual incentive bonus.

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

We are committed to providing a fair and accessible hiring process. If you have a disability or other need that requires accommodation or adjustment, please let us know by completing our Applicant Request Support Form or please contact 1-855-833-5120.

We are an equal opportunity employer: qualified applicants are considered for and treated during employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship status, disability status, protected veteran status, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.