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Search Engineer Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

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ELK / ESS Engineer

Mclean, VA · On-site

ELK / ESS Engineer Job Location: McLean, VA (100% Onsite) Job Type: Contract - * Key feature ... Designing, implementing, and managing search and analytics solutions using Elasticsearch.

Amivero

AI Engineer

Reston, VA · On-site

$75K - $190K/yr

Engineer and optimize prompt orchestration, agentic workflows, and inference pipelines for ... Implement and optimize vector search solutions using vector databases and similarity search ...

Amivero

AI Engineer

Reston, VA · On-site

$75K - $190K/yr

Engineer and optimize prompt orchestration, agentic workflows, and inference pipelines for ... Implement and optimize vector search solutions using vector databases and similarity search ...

Amivero

AI Engineer

Reston, VA · On-site

Engineer and optimize prompt orchestration, agentic workflows, and inference pipelines for ... Implement and optimize vector search solutions using vector databases and similarity search ...

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Search Engineer information

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$56

$70

$92

How much do search engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 16, 2026, the average hourly pay for search engineer in Virginia is $70.38, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $60.77 and $81.01 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the search engineer role?

A search engineer designs, develops, and maintains search engine systems and algorithms to improve search accuracy and performance. They often work with data structures, indexing, and information retrieval techniques, and may use tools like Elasticsearch or Solr. Strong programming skills and understanding of machine learning are typically required.

How does a Search Engineer typically collaborate with other teams to improve search functionality?

Search Engineers often work closely with product managers, data scientists, and UX designers to understand user needs and analyze search performance. They collaborate with data engineering teams to ensure high-quality and well-structured data feeds, and frequently participate in cross-functional meetings to align on feature priorities and technical requirements. Effective communication skills are essential, as Search Engineers must translate complex technical concepts into actionable insights for non-technical stakeholders, ensuring that improvements enhance both search accuracy and overall user experience.

What is the difference between Search Engineer vs Data Scientist?

AspectSearch EngineerData Scientist
Required CredentialsBachelor's in CS, EE, or related; experience in search algorithmsBachelor's or higher in CS, Statistics, or related; strong analytical skills
Work EnvironmentTech companies, search engine teams, e-commerce platformsResearch labs, tech firms, finance, healthcare
Employer & Industry UsagePrimarily in search technology, e-commerce, and online servicesAcross industries like tech, finance, healthcare, and research

Search Engineers focus on developing and optimizing search algorithms and systems, while Data Scientists analyze data to extract insights and inform decisions. Both roles require strong technical skills, but Search Engineers are more specialized in search technology development, whereas Data Scientists work broadly with data analysis and modeling.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Search Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Search Engineer, you need a solid background in computer science, expertise in information retrieval, and strong programming skills, often supported by a relevant degree. Familiarity with search platforms like Elasticsearch or Solr, experience with large-scale distributed systems, and knowledge of ranking algorithms are typically required. Analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication distinguish top performers in this role. These skills are crucial for building efficient, relevant search experiences that meet both user and business needs.

What job makes $10,000 a month without a degree?

A Search Engineer can potentially earn $10,000 or more per month through specialized skills in search algorithms, data analysis, and programming, often in tech companies or startups. Success typically requires strong technical expertise, experience, and sometimes certifications, but a formal degree is not always mandatory if skills are demonstrated effectively.

What are Search Engineers?

Search Engineers are specialized software engineers who design, build, and improve search systems that help users find relevant information quickly and efficiently. Their work often involves developing algorithms for indexing, querying, and ranking large volumes of data, as well as optimizing search accuracy and speed. Search Engineers may also work with natural language processing, machine learning, and relevance tuning to enhance the user search experience on websites, apps, or internal databases.

What engineers make $300,000 a year?

Senior software engineers, especially those with expertise in areas like machine learning, cloud computing, or cybersecurity, can earn $300,000 or more annually, often including bonuses and stock options. High-level roles in tech companies, such as staff or principal engineers, typically require extensive experience, advanced skills, and sometimes certifications or specialized knowledge. Compensation varies based on location, company size, and individual performance.

What engineers make $500,000?

Senior software engineers, especially those working in high-demand fields like machine learning, cloud computing, or at major tech companies, can earn $500,000 or more annually. Achieving this level often requires extensive experience, advanced skills, and sometimes stock options or bonuses as part of compensation packages.

What Does a Search Engineer Do?

A search engineer has two primary responsibilities: to develop and program search engines and to optimize web content to achieve the best possible rankings in search results. As a search engineer, your job duties depend on your employer. If you work for a search engine company, like Google or Bing, then your job is to create the web application and algorithms that index websites and web pages to aggregate and rank search results. If you work for an e-commerce website or another business reliant on products or services, then your focus is on website analysis, keyword research, and content marketing.

More about Search Engineer jobs
What are popular job titles related to Search Engineer jobs in Virginia? For Search Engineer jobs in Virginia, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Search Engineer jobs in Virginia look for? The top searched job categories for Search Engineer jobs in Virginia are:
What are popular job titles related to Search Engineer jobs in VA? For Search Engineer jobs in VA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Search Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Search Engineer job openings in Virginia as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 92% Full Time, 2% Part Time, and 6% Contract. Highlights an 92% In-person, 4% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $146,400 per year, or $70.4 per hour.
Senior Software Engineer (Administrative Services)

Senior Software Engineer (Administrative Services)

Parsons Corporation

Reston, VA • On-site

$127K - $168K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 29 days ago

Parsons rating

7.9

Company rating: 7.9 out of 10

Based on 44 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

155th of 352 rated engineering

Job description

In a world of possibilities, pursue one with endless opportunities. Imagine Next!
At Parsons, you can imagine a career where you thrive, work with exceptional people, and be yourself. Guided by our leadership vision of valuing people, embracing agility, and fostering growth, we cultivate an innovative culture that empowers you to achieve your full potential. Unleash your talent and redefine what's possible.
Job Description:
Parsons is looking for an amazingly talented Senior Software Engineer to join our team focused on Administrative Services!
In this role you will own the design, delivery, performance, and operational evolution of the administrative services domain for a large-scale, globally distributed mission platform.
You will take direct ownership of the control plane, administrative interfaces, user and role management, and peripheral/device management services, enabling the broader platform to be deployed and operated consistently in the field.
This role will also lead technical engagement with peripheral vendors, device middleware providers, and SDK suppliers to certify components into the platform and maintain compatibility over time.
This is a critical role for someone who can combine software/service ownership, platform administration design, integration discipline, and delivery leadership across a complex distributed environment.
What You'll Be Doing:
  • Own the administrative services portfolio for a globally distributed software platform, including:
    • control plane services
    • administrative interfaces and management views
    • user and role administration
    • authentication and authorization services
    • install, upgrade, and lifecycle management services
    • peripheral and middleware management services
  • Define and maintain the architecture and delivery roadmap for administrative capabilities across multiple environments and deployment types
  • Lead development and sustainment of administrative user experiences for different classes of users, including:
    • system administrators
    • operations personnel
    • support and field teams
    • site or regional managers
    • role-specific business users requiring limited administrative visibility
  • Own platform-level user management patterns, including:
    • user provisioning and lifecycle management
    • role-based access control
    • permissions models
    • delegated administration patterns
    • secure administrative workflows
  • Oversee the integration and lifecycle management of peripherals and device middleware, including:
    • drivers
    • SDKs
    • vendor APIs
    • middleware services
    • version compatibility and upgrade planning
  • Serve as the primary technical lead for vendor engagement related to device and middleware certification into the platform
  • Define and manage the process for introducing new peripherals or middleware providers into the system, including:
    • technical evaluation
    • certification criteria
    • compatibility testing
    • documentation and supportability requirements
  • Ensure the administrative services domain supports reliable installation, upgrade, rollback, and support operations across globally distributed sites
  • Partner with Software Architecture, Platform Engineering, Security, Field Engineering, Operations, and QA to ensure the admin/control-plane stack is robust and supportable
  • Reduce load on the overall Software Architect by independently managing this service domain and driving delivery outcomes for it
  • Participate in technical triage and root-cause analysis for issues involving administration, auth, user access, device integration, and platform management workflows

What Required Skills You'll Bring:
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Engineering, Information Systems, or related technical field. 4 Additional years of experience can substitute for a degree.
  • 10+ years of software engineering, data platform engineering, search engineering, or analytics platform experience, including 4+ years leading a major technical service area or team.
  • Strong experience designing and delivering administrative/control-plane services for complex distributed systems
  • Experience with one or more of the following domains:
    • user and role management
    • authentication and authorization services
    • administrative UI/UX for operational systems
    • install/upgrade/lifecycle orchestration
    • device/peripheral management platforms
  • Experience leading cross-functional delivery across software, operations, QA, and field/support teams
  • Ability to engage external vendors and hold them to technical integration, documentation, and certification standards
  • Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to manage both roadmap work and operational support issues
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, including technical design documentation and executive-level summaries
  • Proven experience integrating third-party vendor components into production systems, including:
    • hardware peripherals
    • SDKs
    • middleware
    • drivers and versioned dependencies
  • Strong understanding of compatibility management across software, firmware, drivers, and vendor releases
  • Experience managing service delivery in environments with multiple user personas and differing levels of administrative access
  • Ability to define service boundaries, ownership models, and roadmaps for a complex service portfolio
  • TS/SCI minimum clearance required.
  • Domestic and/or international project travel may be required.

What Desired Skills You'll Bring:
  • Master's degree in Data Engineering, Computer Science, Analytics, or related field
  • Experience in Linux-based distributed environments
  • Experience with Java-based backend services and modern web administrative interfaces
  • Experience with role-based access control, identity federation, and secure admin workflows
  • Experience with remote management of fielded systems across geographically distributed sites
  • Experience designing software certification/onboarding processes for third-party peripherals and vendors
  • Familiarity with release engineering and compatibility testing for drivers, SDKs, and middleware components
  • Experience with highly available or mission-critical operational platforms
  • Experience creating technical documentation and knowledge artifacts for admin workflows, upgrade procedures, and supported device matrices
  • Experience with modern frontend administrative frameworks (e.g., Vue.js or similar)
  • Experience with service platforms using technologies such as Consul, Nomad, Vault, or equivalent orchestration/service-discovery stacks
  • Experience with observability and operational tooling for control-plane services
  • Familiarity with image capture, scanning, reader devices, kiosk/eGate-style systems, or other edge peripherals
  • Experience with multilingual administrative interfaces or globally deployed platforms
  • Experience supporting formal certification/testing programs for external hardware or middleware providers

Security Clearance Requirement:
An active Top Secret SCI security clearance is required for this position.
This position is part of our Federal Solutions team.
The Federal Solutions segment delivers resources to our US government customers that ensure the success of missions around the globe. Our intelligent employees drive the state of the art as they provide services and solutions in the areas of defense, security, intelligence, infrastructure, and environmental. We promote a culture of excellence and close-knit teams that take pride in delivering, protecting, and sustaining our nation's most critical assets, from Earth to cyberspace. Throughout the company, our people are anticipating what's next to deliver the solutions our customers need now.
Salary Range: $148,300.00 - $266,900.00
We value our employees and want our employees to take care of their overall wellbeing, which is why we offer best-in-class benefits such as medical, dental, vision, paid time off, Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), 401(k), life insurance, flexible work schedules, and holidays to fit your busy lifestyle!
Parsons is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other protected status.
We truly invest and care about our employee's wellbeing and provide endless growth opportunities as the sky is the limit, so aim for the stars! Imagine next and join the Parsons quest-APPLY TODAY!
Parsons is aware of fraudulent recruitment practices. To learn more about recruitment fraud and how to report it, please refer to https://www.parsons.com/fraudulent-recruitment/.

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