KAYAK
KAYAK
KAYAK is a travel search and comparison platform that helps people plan trips by comparing flights, hotels, and rental cars across hundreds of travel sites. Its website and mobile app let travelers refine results using practical preferences, monitor prices with alerts, and organize plans through KAYAK Trips. With mobile rates and travel notifications, KAYAK supports more informed booking decisions while keeping travel research in one place.

Senior Software Engineer – AI Search & Trip Planning at KAYAK, Kaunas Hybrid

Join KAYAK as a Senior Software Engineer building Java-based AI search and trip-planning services. Help deliver reliable, accessible travel experiences for millions of users.

Description

  • Design, deliver and maintain dependable production software for KAYAK’s travel-search and trip-planning products.
  • Develop and enhance APIs and services for AI-assisted search, conversational planning, itineraries and related experiences.
  • Analyze technical challenges, weigh trade-offs and implement practical improvements to reliability, performance and maintainability.
  • Create automated tests and strengthen unit, integration and end-to-end test coverage.
  • Take part in code reviews and engineering design conversations.
  • Partner with engineers, product managers and designers to define requirements and build accessible, useful experiences.
  • Contribute to ASK AI, smart filters, AI-generated hotel review summaries, Explore and other search initiatives.
  • Improve the dependability, transparency and usefulness of AI-powered travel features.
  • Build familiarity with unfamiliar systems and share expertise through documentation, pairing and technical discussions.
  • Use debugging, observability and root-cause analysis to monitor and improve production systems.
  • Support development tooling, engineering processes and software delivery practices.

Requirements

  • Background building and supporting software in production environments.
  • Strong Java skills or proficiency in another relevant programming language.
  • Understanding of APIs, data structures and software design principles.
  • Experience testing software and diagnosing defects or production incidents.
  • Clear written and verbal communication of technical decisions.
  • Ability to own assigned work while seeking guidance or collaboration when appropriate.
  • Experience carrying projects through design, implementation, release and ongoing maintenance.
  • Practical equivalent experience is accepted instead of a specific degree or educational route.
  • Good command of English.
  • Experience with distributed systems, search, personalization or other high-volume consumer products.
  • Exposure to artificial intelligence, machine learning or large language model applications.
  • Experience using relational databases or other structured data stores.
  • Background developing web, mobile or travel-related products.
  • Experience improving accessibility, reliability or usability.
  • Professional experience with Java and Spring.
  • Familiarity with cloud services, CI/CD pipelines and automated testing frameworks.
  • Ability to commute to the Kaunas office three days per week.
  • Submit your CV in English.

Benefits

  • Yearly bonuses of approximately 10% of annual salary.
  • Booking Holdings RSUs valued at USD 20,000 gross, with potential annual refresh grants.
  • Work from almost anywhere for up to 20 days annually.
  • Dedicated funding for professional development.
  • Access to thousands of on-demand learning courses.
  • Additional health insurance coverage.
  • Flexible sick leave.
  • Extra financial support during sick leave.
  • An additional day off for your birthday.
  • A company-wide vacation week during the winter holidays.
  • Additional financial support during parental leave.
  • Complimentary lunch twice weekly and daily office snacks.
  • Free yoga sessions twice weekly.
  • Paid time for volunteering.
  • Meeting-free Fridays.
  • Office and team gatherings, including summer camp, KAYAK’s birthday and the winter party.
  • Company-funded therapy sessions through SpringHealth.
  • Company-funded Headspace subscription.
  • Internal employee communities.

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