Job Title: Solr Search Architect
Location: Chicago, IL (100% Onsite)
Employment Type: Contract / C2C
Position Overview
We are seeking an
experienced Solr Search Architect to design, architect, and implement
enterprise-grade search platforms for large-scale applications. The ideal
candidate will have extensive experience with Apache Solr, distributed
search architectures, search indexing, RESTful API development, and enterprise
search technologies.
This role requires deep
expertise in building scalable search solutions, implementing indexing
pipelines, developing connectors, and integrating search platforms with
enterprise applications. Experience with Elasticsearch, Lucidworks, Coveo,
Sinequa, or Attivio is highly desirable.
Key Responsibilities
Search Solution
Architecture
- Design and architect
enterprise-scale search solutions using Apache Solr.
- Build highly available, scalable,
and distributed search platforms.
- Define search architecture,
indexing strategies, and search optimization techniques.
- Evaluate and recommend enterprise
search technologies based on business requirements.
Search Platform
Development
- Design and develop scalable
search applications using Apache Solr.
- Build and maintain search indexes
for structured and unstructured data.
- Implement advanced search
capabilities including filtering, faceting, ranking, and relevance tuning.
- Optimize indexing and query
performance for high-volume search environments.
REST API Development
- Design and develop RESTful APIs
using Java and/or Python.
- Build search services for
enterprise applications.
- Integrate search APIs with
internal and external systems.
- Ensure APIs are scalable, secure,
and high-performing.
Connector Development
- Design and implement custom
connectors for Solr indexing.
- Develop ingestion pipelines for
multiple enterprise data sources.
- Configure incremental and
real-time indexing.
- Support content synchronization
across enterprise repositories.
Distributed Search
- Implement distributed search
architectures using:
- SolrCloud
- Elasticsearch Cross-Cluster
Replication (CCR)
- Configure clustering,
replication, sharding, and failover mechanisms.
- Optimize distributed search
performance and availability.
Search Optimization
- Tune search relevance and ranking
algorithms.
- Optimize query execution and
indexing performance.
- Improve search response times and
scalability.
- Monitor and troubleshoot search
platform performance.
Data Integration
- Integrate enterprise data sources
with search platforms.
- Work with structured and
unstructured datasets.
- Support large-scale data
ingestion pipelines.
- Collaborate with data engineering
teams on search indexing strategies.
Technical Leadership
- Provide architectural guidance
and technical leadership.
- Mentor developers on search
platform best practices.
- Conduct architecture and code
reviews.
- Participate in solution design
workshops with business stakeholders.
Documentation & Best
Practices
- Develop architecture documents
and technical specifications.
- Establish enterprise search
standards and governance.
- Document indexing processes,
APIs, and deployment procedures.
- Promote reusable search
components and best practices.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Computer
Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field.
- 10–12+ years of software
development and enterprise search experience.
- Successfully delivered 2 or
more enterprise search implementation projects.
- Strong analytical,
problem-solving, and communication skills.
- Experience working directly with
business stakeholders and technical teams.
Required Technical Skills
Enterprise Search
Platforms
- Apache Solr
- SolrCloud
- Elasticsearch
- Lucidworks
- Coveo
- Sinequa
- Attivio
Programming
API Development
- RESTful APIs
- JSON
- Microservices
Search Technologies
- Search Indexing
- Search Optimization
- Search Relevance
- Faceted Search
- Full-Text Search
- Query Optimization
Distributed Search
- SolrCloud
- Elasticsearch CCR
- Clustering
- Replication
- Sharding
Data Engineering
- Connector Development
- Data Ingestion
- Indexing Pipelines
- ETL Concepts
Databases
- NoSQL Databases
- SQL Databases
Big Data & AI
(Preferred)
- NLP (Natural Language Processing)
- Big Data Technologies
- Machine Learning for Search
Development Tools
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with multiple
enterprise search platforms (Solr, Elasticsearch, Lucidworks, Coveo,
Sinequa, or Attivio).
- Experience with distributed
search environments.
- Exposure to NLP, AI-powered
search, or semantic search technologies.
- Experience with NoSQL databases.
- Consulting or client-facing
experience.
- Experience working on enterprise
digital transformation projects.
Feel free to let me know
if you have any questions.