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Senior Information Retrieval/Search Engineer

San Francisco, CA (Remote)

you.com is an AI-powered search and productivity platform designed to empower users with personalized, efficient, and trustworthy search experiences. As a cutting-edge technology company, we combine advanced AI models with user-first principles to deliver tools that enhance discovery, creativity, and productivity. At you.com, we are on a mission to create the most helpful search engine in the world—one that prioritizes transparency, privacy, and user control.

We’re building a team of innovators, problem-solvers, and visionaries who are passionate about shaping the future of AI and technology. At you.com, you’ll have the opportunity to work on impactful projects, collaborate with some of the brightest minds in the industry, and grow your career in an environment that values creativity, diversity, and curiosity. If you’re ready to make a difference and help us revolutionize the way people search and work, we’d love to have you join us!

 

About the Role

you.com is seeking a Senior Information Retrieval/Search Engineer to play a pivotal role in shaping and enhancing our core search and information retrieval infrastructure. This role focuses on building scalable, high-performance systems that power our search engine, delivering accurate and relevant results to millions of users. The position requires expertise in all aspects of the search stack, from crawling and indexing to ranking and retrieval, as well as a passion for innovation in the field of search and information retrieval. The Senior Information Retrieval/Search Engineer will work in a fast-paced environment, iterating quickly to improve user experiences while contributing to the development of cutting-edge search technologies.

Responsibilities

  • Develop and maintain the core you.com information retrieval and search infrastructure, along with related backend systems.
  • Lead the development of new projects from ideation to deployment, focusing on large-scale infrastructure, crawling, indexing, ranking, retrieval, and evaluation of search systems.
  • Continuously refine and optimize search systems to balance cost, latency, and quality tradeoffs.
  • Quickly iterate on products and systems based on user feedback in a dynamic and fast-changing environment.
  • Stay informed about and apply the latest trends and advancements in search and information retrieval technologies.

Qualifications

  • Programming Expertise: Demonstrated excellence in programming and a deep understanding of complex systems.
  • Search/Information Retrieval Experience: Minimum of 4 years of experience working on search or information retrieval projects, with a proven track record of building, maintaining, and scaling production search systems.
  • Technical Knowledge: Familiarity with both lexical and semantic retrieval methods, as well as a comprehensive understanding of the search stack, including indexing, ranking, and retrieval.
  • Passion for Search: Strong enthusiasm for search and information retrieval, with a commitment to staying current on industry trends and advancements.
  • Product Scalability: Significant experience shipping and scaling search experiences to large user bases.
  • Problem-Solving Skills: Ability to tackle both search-specific challenges and broader core engineering or AI-related problems.
  • Independent and High Standards: Self-motivated, driven, and consistently holding oneself to high standards of work and performance.
  • Educational Background: Advanced degree (MS/PhD) in Machine Learning, Computer Science, or a related field.

Our salary bands are structured based on a combination of geographic tiers and internal leveling. Compensation is determined by multiple factors assessed during the interview process, with the final offer reflecting these considerations.

Salary Band

$200,000 - $270,000 USD

Company Perks:

  • Hubs in San Francisco and New York City offering regular in-person gatherings and co-working sessions

  • Flexible PTO with 11 U.S. holidays observed and a week shutdown in December to rest and recharge*

  • A competitive health insurance plan covers 100% of the policyholder and 75% for dependents*

  • 12 weeks of paid parental leave in the US*

  • 401k program, 3% match - vested immediately!*

  • $500 work-from-home stipend to be used up to a year of your start date*

  • $1,200 per year Health & Wellness Allowance to support your personal goals*

  • Chance to collaborate with a team at the forefront of AI research

*Certain perks and benefits are limited to full-time employees only

 

you.com is an E-Verify employer. We are also an inclusive, equitable, and accessible workplace. Please let us know if you require accommodation for any portion of the recruitment and hiring process.

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