Senior Backend Engineer - Search & Discovery at Airbnb

About the role

We are looking for a highly motivated and experienced Senior Backend Engineer to join our Search and Discovery team. You will play a critical role in building and maintaining the backend services that power the core search and recommendation functionalities of our platform. If you are passionate about solving complex, large-scale technical challenges and improving the experience of millions of users, we want to hear from you.

This role requires a deep understanding of distributed systems, API design, and building highly reliable, scalable services.

What you will do

• Design, build, and scale robust and efficient backend services for our Search and Discovery engine.
• Implement complex data processing pipelines to enhance relevance and discovery across our platforms.
• Collaborate closely with frontend engineers, product managers, and data scientists to translate requirements into technical solutions.
• Optimize database queries and system performance under heavy load.
• Participate in on-call rotation to maintain service reliability.

What we are looking for

Minimum qualifications

• 3+ years of professional backend software development experience.
• Strong proficiency in at least one modern backend language such as Python, Java, or Go.
• Experience designing and implementing RESTful APIs.
• Familiarity with distributed systems concepts, caching strategies, and eventual consistency.
• Experience working with large-scale, distributed databases like PostgreSQL or Cassandra.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience with machine learning models deployment or working alongside Data Science teams.
• Familiarity with cloud infrastructure, specifically AWS services.
• Proven track record of shipping features in a fast paced, high growth environment.

Why join us

At Airbnb, you are part of a global community dedicated to creating meaningful travel experiences. We value impact, autonomy, and continuous learning. We offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your well-being, including Health Insurance, Unlimited PTO, and Equity/Stock Options. Join us and help shape the future of travel.