Software Engineer II - Ranking Platform

Role Description:

At Booking.com, data drives our decisions. Technology is at our core. And innovation is everywhere. But our company is more than datasets, lines of code or A/B tests. We’re the thrill of the first night in a new place. The excitement of the next morning. The friends you make. The journeys you take. The sights you see. And the food you sample. Through our products, partners and people, we make it easier for everyone to experience the world.

The software engineer plays a central role in managing, coaching, and fostering the growth of an engineering team. Their primary focus is to ensure that the development of both individual team members and the team as a whole aligns seamlessly with organizational objectives and direction. The Engineering Manager in Ranking Platform will be responsible to define, own and implement the roadmap of the team. He bears responsibility for the repercussions of the team's technical decisions and trade-offs, aiming to establish standard methodologies and maintain high quality and optimize throughput.

About the team

The mission of the Ranking Platform team is to drive long-term booking growth through ranking by balancing between customers, partners, and marketplace objectives and to provide standard ranking capabilities across Booking.com, utilizing cutting-edge AI/ML. Our primary goal is to help customers find the best place to stay and build a highly personalized travel experience, all while accommodating the unique challenges which makes Booking.com the industry leader it is today.

Ranking Platform is the highest-scale AI/ML-based platform in Booking.com, serving up to hundreds of thousands of requests per second within strict latency requirements. With such high traffic, every small change can lead to a significant impact on customers. As a Software Engineer working on the platform, you have the opportunity to be responsible for the development, performance, and scaling of Booking.com’s search ranking system. You will work within a cross-functional team of senior engineers, data scientists and ML engineers.

Key Job Responsibilities and Duties

Implement innovative ML models, algorithms, and engineering approaches with the potential to impact our core business.

Service ownership - ensure operational excellence in a fast-paced and complex environment, troubleshoot performance issues and own technical incident management.

Collaborate with various teams to integrate ranking innovations into the search results funnel.

Build readable and reusable code, applying in depth knowledge of business area tools and product needs.

Role Qualifications and Requirements

At least 5 years of hands-on experience in software development.

Relevant experience working on high-scale distributed systems that impact a large customer base.

Experience with Java, Scala or Kotlin as a server side programming language.

Demonstrated experience with technologies such as Kubernetes, Docker, MySQL and Redis.

BSc or MSc or equivalent experience in Computer Science, Engineering or a related field, or equal industry experience.

Experience working in cross-functional teams and development of AI/ML products. Advantage.

Benefits & Perks: Global Impact, Personal Relevance

Booking.com’s Total Rewards Philosophy is not only about compensation but also about benefits. Our Total Rewards strive to make it easier for you to experience all that life has to offer on your terms so that you can focus on what really matters. We offer competitive compensation as well as thoughtful, valuable, and even fun benefits which include:

Headquarters located in one of the most dynamic and cosmopolitan cities in Europe: Amsterdam.

Contribute to a high scale, sophisticated, world-class product and see the real time impact of your work on millions of travelers worldwide.

Be part of a truly international fast paced environment and performance driven culture.

Performance-based company that offers career advancement, and lucrative compensation, including bonuses and stock potential.

Discount on Booking.com accommodations with the “Booking Deal” including other perks and benefits.

Company-sponsored family and social activities to help our employees become integrated with each other and the company's culture.

Diverse and creative colleagues from every corner of the world.

Health, life, and disability insurance*

Annual paid time off and generous paid leave scheme including: parent, grandparent, bereavement, and care leave.

Hybrid working including flexible working arrangements, and up to 20 days per year working from abroad (home country).

Industry leading product discounts for yourself, friends, and family, including automatic Genius Level 3 status and quarterly Booking.com wallet credit.

Free access to online learning platforms, development and mentorship programs, and a complimentary Headspace membership

#ThinkInclusion: Wellbeing & Inclusion at Booking.com:

Inclusion, Diversity, Belonging, Wellbeing and Volunteering (IDBWV) have been a core part of our company culture since day one. This ongoing journey starts with our very own employees, who represent over 140 nationalities and a wide range of ethnic and social backgrounds, genders and sexual orientations.

Take it from our Chief People Officer, Paulo Pisano: “At Booking.com, the diversity of our people doesn’t just create a unique workplace, it also creates a better and more inclusive travel experience for everyone. Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. It’s a place where you can make your mark and have a real impact in travel and tech.”

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable adjustment to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.