Staff Java Software Engineer
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 1, 2026. First seen by Alion on Sep 30, 2026. KAYAK scores A on the Alion truth index.
KAYAK, part of Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG), is a leading travel search engine. With billions of queries across our platforms, we help people find their perfect flight, stay, rental car and vacation package. We’re also transforming business travel with a new corporate travel solution, KAYAK for Business.
As an employee of KAYAK, you will be part of a travel company that operates a portfolio of global metasearch brands including momondo, Cheapflights and HotelsCombined, among others. From start-up to industry leader, innovation is in our DNA and every employee has an opportunity to make their mark. Our focus is on building the best travel search engine to make it easier for everyone to experience the world.
KAYAK for Business (K4B) is building the future of corporate travel - making it simpler, smarter, and more enjoyable for companies and their travelers worldwide. Our global K4B Engineering team is growing quickly and looking for a Staff Software Engineer to help shape the technical direction of our backend systems!
In this role, you'll collaborate with engineers, product managers, and cross-functional partners to design scalable solutions that power everything from AI-driven booking experiences to enterprise client integrations. If you enjoy solving complex problems, mentoring others, and seeing your architectural decisions come to life in a product used by major global organizations, we'd love to hear from you.
This role is required to work from our Vilnius office at least 3 days per week.
In this role, you will:
Ensure the search and booking logic maintains performance under the requirements of global enterprise clientele.
Lead the design of high-performance integration frameworks for third-party APIs, prioritizing low-latency execution and high availability.
Serve as a technical leader 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 leadership.
Please apply if you have:
7+ years of experience with 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
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.
Compensation:
Software Engineer salary consists of three elements:
Base pay: from 4500 EUR up to 7900 EUR gross monthly.
In addition:
Significant yearly bonuses, approx 10 percent of annual salary.
Booking Holdings RSU (Restricted Stock Units) package, worth 20000 USD gross, with possibility to receive yearly refreshes.
Benefits and Perks:
Work from (almost) anywhere for up to 20 days per year
Funds for your career growth
Access to thousands of on-demand e-learnings
Generous additional Health Insurance
Flexible sick time off
Additional financial support for your sick leave
Additional day off on your birthday
Company-wide vacation week once a year (winter holidays)
Additional financial support during parental leave
Free lunch twice a week and daily snacks at the office
Free yoga twice a week
Paid volunteering time
No meeting Fridays
Office and team events such as summer camp, KAYAK birthday, winter party and more!
Company-paid therapy sessions through SpringHealth
Company-paid subscription to HeadSpace
Internal Communities
Inclusion
At KAYAK, we want everyone to have the space to grow, share ideas and do great work. That’s why we’re focused on hiring the best talent from all walks of life and experiences, supporting them well and making sure no one feels like they have to fit a mold to belong here.
Need any adjustments for the interview, application or on the job? No problem - just give us a heads-up. We’ve got you.