Software Architect (GDS/TMC Integration)

KAYAK, part of Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG), is the world’s 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 is looking for a Software Architect with deep Java expertise and extensive experience designing large-scale distributed systems. The ideal candidate brings strong knowledge of travel industry integrations - including GDS, NDC, multi-supplier content in a TMC context and experience architecting high-reliability backend services that power mission-critical travel operations.

In this role you will:

• Design and build highly scalable backend services in Java supporting multi-GDS integrations (Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport), NDC APIs, LCC APIs, hotel/rail suppliers, and other travel content sources.

• Architect and deliver end-to-end booking, ticketing, and order flows, ensuring accuracy, fault tolerance, and consistency across distributed systems.

• Own backend features across their full lifecycle - design, implementation, testing, deployment, observability, and production troubleshooting.

• Raise system reliability and operational readiness and, mentor teammates through design reviews and architecture guidance.

• Become a product expert in your area. Work with product and commercial stakeholders to understand problems and propose solutions based on current and future system needs.

Please apply if you have:

• 10+ years of backend engineering experience in Java/.NET or similar (platform is in Java)

• Deep understanding of distributed transactions, retries/backoff, accurate booking flows, and the saga patterns.

• 6+ years of experience with databases (SQL, NoSQL, caching layers) and designing data models for high-volume transactional workloads.

• 6+ years experience with web application development, proven understanding of foundational web technologies.

• Direct integration experience with at least one major GDS (Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport): PNR creation, ticketing, queues, pricing, ATPCO, or shopping APIs.

• Practical knowledge of NDC offer/order flows, ancillary handling, and hybrid architectures bridging PNR and Order models.

• Familiarity with travel accounting concepts such as ARC/BSP settlement, e-ticket/EMD lifecycle, and fare/tax computation.

• Experience with:

  • Integrating multi-source travel content (LCCs, rail, hotel wholesalers) and normalizing heterogeneous data.

  • Building or integrating TMC systems, approvals, duty-of-care, traveler profiles, policy engines, or back-office/ERP reconciliation.

  • Containerization and orchestration (Kubernetes or similar) and hybrid cloud environments.

  • Spring/Spring Boot and modern JVM performance practices is a plus.

  • Corporate travel is a plus (travel policies, mid-office QC flows, duty-of-care, traveler profiles, and back-office settlement needs (ARC/BSP, ERP)).

If you're a clear, collaborative communicator who simplifies complex systems into clean architectures, thrives in fast-paced environments, and builds detail‑oriented, resilient systems — we'd love to hear from you!

Benefits and Perks

• Work from (almost) anywhere for up to 20 days per year

• Flexible hours and ability to work from home 1 or 2 days per week

• Generous retirement plans

• Awesome health, dental and vision insurance plans with flexible spending accounts

• 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

• Universal 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

• Competitive retirement and health plans

• Free lunch 2 days per week

• Fun quarterly events such as boat trips, arcades, ski trips, Thursday happy hours, and more

There are a variety of factors that go into determining a salary range, including but not limited to external market benchmark data, geographic location, and years of experience sought/required. The range for this Massachusetts based role is $160,000 - 215,000.00.

We offer a competitive base salary and benefits including: health benefits; flexible spending account; retirement benefits; life insurance; paid time off (including PTO, paid sick leave, medical leave, bereavement leave, floating holidays and paid holidays); and parental leave benefits. This role is eligible to be considered for an annual bonus and equity grant.

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.

If you need accommodations during the application or interview process, or on the job, we’re here to support you. Please reach out to your recruiter to request any accommodations.