Software Development Engineer II, Search

Mapbox; Washington (District of Columbia); Remote; USD 157,675 - 213,325; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work hours

Supportive healthcare

Parental leave

Learning opportunities

Job summary

A leading mapping solutions provider is seeking an Algorithm/Search Engineer for its Search Geocoding team. The role involves designing and implementing efficient search retrieval algorithms, collaborating across teams, and optimizing existing solutions to enhance user experience. Ideal candidates will have strong problem-solving and analytical skills, along with a solid understanding of search techniques and modern programming languages. This position offers competitive compensation ranging from $157,675 to $213,325, depending on qualifications and work location.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of search techniques.
• Practical experience in performance optimization of algorithms.
• Ability to write sophisticated and reliable solutions.

Responsibilities

• Designing and implementing search retrieval algorithms.
• Owning efficiency and accuracy of algorithms.
• Collaborating with other engineers and teams.

Skills

Search techniques

Data structures

Analytical skills

Problem-solving skills

Cloud services (AWS)

Modern programming languages (Javascript, Python, Rust, Typescript)

Job description

Mapbox is the leading real-time location platform for a new generation of location-aware businesses. Mapbox is the only platform that equips organizations with the full set of tools to power the navigation of people, packages, and vehicles everywhere. More than 4 million registered developers have chosen Mapbox because of the platform’s flexibility, security and privacy compliance. Organizations use Mapbox applications, data, SDKs and APIs to create customized and immersive experiences that delight their customers.

What We Do

The Search Geocoding team is responsible for building the best location-based search engine that empowers customers that require an intelligent Maps search solutions to find places and points of interest as quickly and with fewer keystrokes as possible. We do this by developing groundbreaking algorithms and features, applying the latest cutting edge technologies, and creating cost efficient, scalable solutions that can keep up with the ever changing dynamics of the world in near real-time fashion.

As AI becomes embedded in modern engineering workflows, we value engineers who can thoughtfully integrate AI into design, development, and decision-making. Our interview process will include discussion of how you use AI in your engineering workflow.

What You'll Do

The Search Geocoding team has direct ownership of Mapbox’s geocoding search engine including Conflation, Query Understanding, document retrieval, and overall ranking. We work very closely with our partners, Search Data, Search Evaluation and Search API teams among others, to ensure that we provide the best solution for our customers at all times through cross-team collaboration and open communication.

We have a modern development process - analyzing our initial algorithms, implementing and experimenting as we go, adjusting and optimizing our solutions to ultimately provide the best user experience. We support a production system and, therefore, support outside of standard business hours may occasionally be required to assist with various team and system needs such as pager support for periodic on-call duties, video calls, or other project requirements.

Whatever the use case may be, our customers rely on us to provide the most relevant, location aware suggestions for any given query. As an algorithm/search engineer on the Search Geocoding team, your responsibilities may include (but are not limited to):

• Designing and implementing search retrieval algorithms across multiple search engines
• Making existing algorithms more efficient and/or highly performant
• Writing technical design documents and participating in design and code reviews
• Owning the efficiency and accuracy of your designs, as well as being responsible for overseeing your own work through the development and implementation lifecycle, ultimately delivering excellent end results
• Collaborating with other engineers, PMs and teams internationally and cross functionally to deliver a high quality experience to our customers
• Promoting a culture of operational excellence by meticulously testing and monitoring our systems and codes, and being available/on-call to support the health of our services

What We Believe are Important Traits for This Role

• Strong understanding of search techniques (such as information retrieval) and data structures
• Practical experience in making an algorithms perform efficiently upon implementation
• Ability to write sophisticated, highly performant, and reliable solutions
• Excellent problem solving skills and analytical skills, valuing a scientific approach by using experimentation and critical thinking to drive and validate high quality solutions
• Experience with modern programming languages (Javascript, Python, Rust, Typescript)
• Proficiency with cloud services (preferably AWS) in implementing monitoring instrumentation, operational diagnostics, resolving customer issues, and continuous product improvement

Nice To Have Traits For This Role

• Experience with maps, routing, navigation
• Experience with NLP/ML/Generative AI
• Experience with search engines such as ElasticSearch, Solr, Lucene
• Experience with solving challenging search problems
• Experience with big data and scale, data mining and science

What We Value

In addition to our core values, which are not unique to this position and are necessary for Mapbox leaders:

• We value high-performing creative individuals who dig into problems and opportunities.
• We believe in individuals being their whole selves at work. We commit to this through supportive health care, parental leave, flexibility for the things that come up in life, and innovating on how we think about supporting our people.
• We emphasize an environment of teaching and learning to equip employees with the tools needed to be successful in their function and the company.
• We strongly believe in the value of growing a diverse team and encourage people of all backgrounds, genders, ethnicities, abilities, and sexual orientations to apply.

Our annual base compensation for this role ranges from $157,675 - $213,325 for most US locations and 5% to 10% higher for US locations with a higher cost of labor. Job level and actual compensation will be decided based on factors including, but not limited to, individual qualifications objectively assessed during the interview process (including skills and prior relevant experience, potential impact, and scope of role), market demands, and specific work location. Please discuss your specific work location with your recruiter for more information.

By applying for this position, you acknowledge that you agree to the Mapbox Privacy Policy which is linked here. Mapbox participates in E-Verify to confirm employee work authorization. Please refer to the Notice of E-Verify Participation and Right to Work posters for more information.

We are committed to a fair and equitable hiring process. We do not discriminate against any protected class.

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