Hybrid Software Architect, Java

at KAYAK

• Job title: Software Architect, Java
• Job type: Full Time
• Experience level: Senior, Lead
• Salary: Not specified
• Degree requirement: Bachelor's Degree
• Tech skills: Azure, Distributed Systems, Java, MySQL, Postgres, Redis, Spring
• Location requirements: Hybrid, Berlin, Germany

About the role

• Software Architect leading backend engineering initiatives at KAYAK, enhancing performance and scalability of travel search ecosystem. Collaborating with global teams and promoting engineering excellence.

Responsibilities

• Ensure the search and booking logic maintains optimal performance under the rigorous demands of global enterprise clientele.
• Lead the design of high-performance, fault-tolerant integration frameworks for third-party APIs (NDC, GDS, and proprietary provider protocols), prioritizing low-latency execution and high availability.
• Serve as a primary consultant for multiple engineering squads, providing clarity on complex architectural trade-offs and ensuring technical consistency across the K4B ecosystem.
• Spearhead initiatives to improve the engineering lifecycle, from establishing sophisticated observability patterns and CI/CD matures to refining internal standards for code quality and distributed system design.
• Translate high-level business objectives into robust technical specifications, effectively communicating architectural risks and opportunities to executive leadership.

Requirements

• A minimum of 9 years of professional software development experience, with a significant portion dedicated to the large-scale distributed systems.
• Expert-level mastery of the Java ecosystem and Spring Framework (Boot, Security).
• Expertise in designing for high-throughput data environments using PostgreSQL, MySQL, and Redis.
• Good command of the English language
• Understanding of airline distribution standards, specifically NDC (New Distribution Capability) and legacy GDS (Amadeus, Sabre) protocols.
• Knowledge of B2B integration patterns including SAML, OAuth2, OIDC, and SCIM for automated user lifecycle management via Okta, Workday, or Azure AD.
• Previous experience with AI/LLM would be a plus.

Benefits

• Work from (almost) anywhere for up to 20 days per year
• Focus on mental health and well-being:
• Company-paid therapy sessions through SpringHealth
• Company-paid subscription to HeadSpace
• Company-wide week off a year - the whole team fully recharges (and returns without a pile-up of work!)
• No meeting Fridays
• Paid parental leave
• Generous paid vacation + time off for your birthday
• Paid volunteer time
• Focus on your career growth:
• Development Dollars
• Leadership development
• Access to thousands of on-demand e-learnings
• Travel Discounts
• Employee Resource Groups
• 6 weeks paid vacation
• Free lunch 2 days per week
• Pension plan contributions
• Public transportation subsidies
• Bike leasing program
• Monthly social events, Thursday happy hours, sports teams
• An awesome office in Friedrichshain, Berlin