Senior Search Engineer; Enterprise Search

Position: Senior Search Engineer (Enterprise Search)
Location: Laurel

Description

Are you passionate about building high-quality search experiences that help users quickly find the information they need?

Do you enjoy working hands-on with search technologies while also shaping architecture and guiding technical direction?

If so, we're looking for someone like you to join our team at APL.

We are seeking a  Senior Search Engineer  to help lead the design and evolution of our enterprise search capabilities. In this role, you will operate as a hands-on technical expert—designing, building, and improving search solutions across SharePoint, legacy systems, and modern platforms—while helping guide architecture, standards, and best practices.

As a Senior Search Engineer, you will...

Design, implement, and enhance enterprise search solutions across multiple platforms
Lead the technical design of search architecture, balancing long-term direction with practical implementation
Configure, administer, and tune enterprise search platforms, including SharePoint search
Improve search relevance, ranking, and overall user experience through iterative tuning and analysis
Define and implement metadata models, taxonomies, and managed properties

Qualifications

You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you...
Possess a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field (or equivalent experience)
Have 6+ years of experience in software engineering or application development
Have strong experience working across the full software development lifecycle
Have hands-on experience with enterprise search platforms (e.g., SharePoint search or similar)
Demonstrate strong understanding of search fundamentals (indexing, ranking, relevance, metadata)
Have experience with web technologies (e.g., JavaScript, REST APIs, .NET or similar frameworks)
Have experience supporting and troubleshooting production systems
Are comfortable working both independently and collaboratively with engineering teams
Demonstrate strong problem-solving and communication skills
Are able to obtain Secret level security clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.
You'll go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you...
Have experience with Microsoft Search, or hybrid search architectures
Have exposure to modern search platforms (e.g., Elasticsearch, Solr, or similar)
Have experience improving search relevance and tuning ranking models in production systems
Have worked with metadata strategy, taxonomy design, and information architecture
Have experience modernizing or stabilizing legacy platforms
Have worked in environments with strong governance, security, or compliance requirements
Have exposure to emerging search approaches (e.g., semantic or vector-based search)

About Us

Why Work at APL?

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to our nation’s most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. While we are dedicated to solving complex challenges and pioneering new technologies, what makes us truly outstanding is our culture. We offer a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere where you can bring your authentic self to work, continue to grow, and build strong connections with inspiring teammates.

At APL, we celebrate our differences of perspectives and encourage creativity and bold, new ideas. Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance. APL’s campus is located in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Learn more about our career opportunities at  http://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). .

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. APL is committed…