Staff Software Engineer - Search & Discovery at Quizlet

San Francisco, California, United States

Apply Now

Not SpecifiedCompensation

Senior (5 to 8 years), Expert & Leadership (9+ years)Experience Level

Full TimeJob Type

UnknownVisa

EdTech, TechnologyIndustries

Requirements

8+ years of experience in software engineering, with a track record of delivering reliable and scalable systems
Deep expertise in distributed systems and data-intensive architectures, with strong fundamentals in system design, performance optimization, and debugging at scale
Proficiency in modern backend languages (e.g., Go, PHP, Python) and experience building robust APIs and server-side logic
Strong knowledge of relational databases (MySQL, PostgreSQL) and experience with schema design, indexing, and query performance tuning
Interest and experience in search infrastructure, excited to design, scale, and operate systems that power search and discovery for millions of users
Expertise (or eager to build) in technologies such as Elasticsearch, Solr/OpenSearch, and understanding of concepts like indexing strategies and query optimization

Responsibilities

Drive the evolution of systems by identifying areas for improvement, setting technical direction, and leading architectural decisions to align with business objectives
Work closely with engineering, product, and infrastructure teams to build robust, scalable applications
Act as a technical mentor by guiding engineers in system design, best practices, and career growth, while fostering a culture of collaboration and learning
Lead by example in writing clean, efficient, and well-documented code
Shape the strategy for search infrastructure, driving innovations in indexing, query performance, and scalability to support business needs
Facilitate knowledge-sharing sessions, tech talks, and code reviews to elevate engineering excellence

Skills

Key technologies and capabilities for this role

Software EngineeringReliability EngineeringPerformance OptimizationScalabilityAIMachine LearningSearch SystemsRecommendationsDistributed Systems

Questions & Answers

Common questions about this position

What is the work arrangement or location policy for this role?

Quizlet follows a colocation work model that supports both remote and onsite work each week. Employees are required to be in the office on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and as needed by their manager or the company.

What salary or compensation is offered for this position?

This information is not specified in the job description.

What key skills and expertise are required for this Staff Software Engineer role?

The role requires expertise in reliability, performance, scalability, and software engineering best practices. Experience in system design, architectural decisions, writing clean code, and shaping search infrastructure including indexing and query performance is essential.

What is the team like that I'd be joining at Quizlet?

You'll join a fast-moving and rapidly growing team dedicated to reimagining student interactions with Quizlet products, collaborating with a cutting-edge engineering team using the latest AI for search and recommendations. The team is dynamic, agile, adapts quickly to user feedback, and is committed to delivering transformative learning experiences.

What makes a strong candidate for this Staff Software Engineer position?

Strong candidates bring deep expertise to solve hard problems in reliability, performance, and scalability, lead architectural decisions, mentor engineers, and drive innovations in search infrastructure while modeling best practices.

Quizlet

Develops educational tools for students and teachers

About Quizlet

Quizlet develops educational tools designed to inspire and empower students and teachers. It serves over 60 million active users each month and is recognized as one of the top education apps available on iOS and Android. Quizlet's products include various learning tools that help users study and retain information effectively. The platform offers both free and premium subscription services, allowing users to access additional features and resources. Unlike many competitors, Quizlet has a large user base and a strong presence in the education technology market, which enhances its community and resource sharing. The company's goal is to create a significant global impact in education by providing accessible and effective learning solutions.

San Francisco, CaliforniaHeadquarters

2005Year Founded

$60.3MTotal Funding

SERIES_CCompany Stage

Consumer Software, EducationIndustries

501-1,000Employees

Benefits

Shared financial success: Competitive salaries, stock options and a 401k that makes saving for retirement easy.

Competitive healthcare: Comprehensive health, dental, vision and disability plans for you and your family.

PTO and family benefits: Everyone gets four weeks of PTO. Our generous family leave plan has you covered when you welcome a new, little learner into your family.

Professional development: Learning never stops. Get reimbursed each year for professional development, and learn from the best with regular tech talks.

A welcoming workplace: Enjoy free lunch and dinner with great company. Benefit from adjustable desks and employee lounges while taking in amazing views of the Bay.

Commuter benefits: We don’t have a school bus, but we'll help cover your public transportation and parking. If you decide to work late, your ride home is on us as well.

Risks

Increased competition from AI-driven platforms like Khan Academy and Duolingo.

Recent U.S. outage may decrease user trust and retention.

New CEO's strategic shifts could disrupt operations or alienate existing users.

Differentiation

Quizlet offers AI-powered features like Magic Notes and Memory Score for personalized learning.

The platform's gamification strategy includes features like Quizlet Challenge and Quizlet Learn.

Quizlet's Q-Chat beta feature aligns with the trend of conversational AI in education.

Upsides

Quizlet's new CEO, Beidler, may drive fresh strategic direction and innovation.

Intentional slowing of AI adoption focuses on quality, ensuring sustainable long-term growth.

AI-powered features enhance user engagement, potentially increasing retention and user base.

Land your dream remote job 3x faster with AI

Try Jobo Free