Software Engineer IV - Search Platform
Lead-level software engineer (Software Engineer IV) on Grainger's Search Platform, owning search relevance for the product catalog — building lexical (BM25/TF-IDF) and semantic/vector retrieval, hybrid ranking and learning-to-rank, and measuring quality via offline metrics and online experiments. Core tech: Java, Python, distributed search systems, embeddings/ANN vector search.
- Compensation
- $134.1K–$223.5K / yr
- Location
- Not listed
- Work setup
- Not specified
- Seniority
- Not specified
- Employment
- Full time
- Experience
- 5+ years
- Category
- Software engineering
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience in computer science or similar, or equivalent experience
- 5+ years experience as a Software Engineer designing, developing, testing and deploying scalable software applications
- Expert programming skills, including Java and Python
- Knowledge of distributed system design and integration patterns, including sharding, replication, indexing, query routing, and caching in distributed search platforms
- Familiarity with Agile/Scrum methodologies, DevOps practices, and AI-assisted development tools
- Experience analyzing, interpreting and communicating complex problems and practices
- Hands-on experience with embeddings and vector search, including ANN indexing and tradeoffs between relevance, latency, and cost
- Experience tuning search and AI-based customer experiences using user behavior and measured outcomes
- Design, build, and improve search systems using lexical (BM25/TF-IDF) and semantic/vector-based retrieval
- Develop and optimize ranking strategies including hybrid retrieval, reranking, and learning-to-rank
- Evaluate search quality using offline metrics (NDCG, MRR, Precision/Recall) and online experiments; build repeatable relevance experiment tooling
- Mentor developers, conduct code reviews, participate in pair programming, and lead knowledge sharing sessions
Full description
Work Location Type: Hybrid
Req Number 334762
About Grainger
W.W. Grainger, Inc. is a leading broad line distributor with operations primarily in North America and Japan. At Grainger, We Keep the World Working® by serving more than 4.6 million customers worldwide with maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products and value-added solutions delivered through innovative technology and deep customer expertise. Known for its commitment to service and purpose-driven culture, the Company reported 2025 revenue of $17.9 billion. For more information, visit
Compensation
The anticipated base pay compensation range for this position is $134,100.00 – $223,500.00. This role is eligible for an incentive target of up to 15% or $, based on the achievement of individual and company performance objectives in accordance with the current terms of the incentive program which are subject to change.
Rewards and Benefits
With benefits starting on day one, our programs provide choice and flexibility to meet team members' individual needs, including:
- Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans with coverage starting on day one of employment and 6 free sessions each year with a licensed therapist to support your emotional wellbeing.
- 23 paid time off (PTO) days annually for full-time employees (accrual prorated based on employment start date) and 6 company holidays per year.
- 6% company contribution to a 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan each pay period, no employee contribution required.
- Employee discounts, tuition reimbursement, student loan refinancing and free access to financial counseling, education, and tools.
- Maternity support programs, nursing benefits, and up to 14 weeks paid leave for birth parents and up to 4 weeks paid leave for non-birth parents.
For additional information and details regarding Grainger’s benefits, please click on the link below:
Grainger Benefits
The pay range provided above is not a guarantee of compensation. The range reflects the potential base pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual base pay compensation will depend, in part, on factors such as geographic work location and relevant experience and skills.
The anticipated compensation range described above is subject to change and the compensation ultimately paid may be higher or lower than the range described above.
Grainger reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion at any time, consistent with applicable law.