Company Summary
Zoro.com is a leading eCommerce platform offering nearly 12 million tools, parts and supplies for our business customers. Launched in 2011, we brought a B2C-like experience to the B2B industry, and continue to be at the forefront of digital innovation at the intersection of technology and distribution. We have rapidly grown to over $1 billion in annual revenue and we’re just getting started!
Job Summary:
We are looking for a backend focused Software Engineer to join our Infrastructure and API pod within Zoro’s Search team. The Search team is responsible for the frontend user experience, the microservices that power that experience, pipelines that make our products searchable, and the accuracy of our search results.
In this role, you will contribute to the design and implementation of scalable, secure, and reliable cloud-based solutions to support Search functionality. You will work closely with cross-functional teams, and contribute to technical improvements that enhance both customer-facing features and core platform capabilities.
Responsibilities
As a Software Engineer II, you will:
- Embrace an AI-first mindset and integrate AI-driven workflows into everyday development practices.
- Engage in the design, development, testing, and maintenance of ETL pipelines and cloud infrastructure with a focus on high performance, scalability, security, and reliability.
- Be comfortable with ambiguity - We are always striving to make progress even with the unknowns in our space.
- Deploy new infrastructure using infrastructure as code, specifically with Terraform
- Develop iteratively during AGILE sprints.
- Actively contribute to team ceremonies, advocate for best practices, and maintain high standards with a strong focus on quality.
- Assist in improving technical documentation while ensuring accuracy, consistency, and accessibility.
- Take ownership and resolve high-priority technical issues, ensuring a swift and efficient resolution while identifying opportunities for improvement.
- Test all the code you develop.
- Deliver products end-to-end: from ideation through planning and scoping to implementation and experimental A/B testing.
- Communicate clearly and effectively with team members, product managers and other engineering teams.
- Participate in code and design reviews with peers and partners.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, a related technical or scientific field, or equivalent experience.
- 3+ years experience as a software engineer.
- Experience with GCP cloud technologies such as Dataflow, CloudSQL, Cloud Deploy and Big Query.
- Proficiency in multiple programming languages .
- Understanding of multiple programming paradigms.
- Good grasp of design patterns and anti-patterns.
- Familiarity with continuous integration and build tools.
- Experience leveraging AI tools to accelerate design, implementation, testing, and documentation while maintaining high engineering standards.
- Familiarity with foundational AI concepts including large language models, prompt engineering, and applying AI tools in development workflows.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with Elasticsearch
- Experience with an IaC framework such as Terraform
- Familiarity with foundational frameworks such as Flask or FastAPI
- Proficiency with Python
Total Rewards
Zoro’s total compensation plan includes our Zoro Incentive Plan (ZIP) that is designed to foster and reward our team members for strong performance. Total compensation will be highly competitive.
In addition to competitive compensation, Zoro offers comprehensive benefits and perks including:
- Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans with coverage starting on day one of employment
- Maternity support programs, nursing benefits, and up to 14 weeks paid leave for birth parents and up to 4 weeks paid leave for non-birth parents. We also support growing your family through access to adoption assistance program
- 6 free sessions each year with a licensed therapist and Wellhub portal membership to support your mental and emotional wellbeing
- At least 18 paid time off days annually for full-time employees and 6 company holidays per year
- 6% company contribution to a 401K Retirement Savings Plan each pay period, no employee contribution required
- Tuition reimbursement, student loan refinancing and access to financial counseling, education, and tools
- Charitable Gift Program - match gift to an eligible educational, cultural, community health, and human service organizations
- Employee discounts and admission to various civic and cultural institutions around Chicago
- Zoro office perks including coffee bar, beer on tap, unlimited snacks, access to the onsite gym, and incredible city skyline views
For additional information and details regarding our benefits and our parent company, W. W. Grainger, please click on the link here.
The pay range provided is not a guarantee of compensation. The range listed reflects the expected base pay for this position at the time of posting, based on the role's job grade. Actual compensation may vary depending on factors such as location, relevant experience and individual qualifications.
Our Culture
Zoro was founded in 2011 with a simple idea: make it easy for businesses to get the tools, parts, and supplies they need to keep things running. We've grown by staying curious, moving quickly, and solving everyday challenges in smart, practical ways. Backed by W.W. Grainger and inspired by our endless assortment business model, we’re on a clear path toward our next big milestone: $2 billion in revenue—and beyond.
At Zoro, we don’t just follow a playbook—we help build it. You’ll get to work on real problems with a supportive team that shares ideas freely, learns from each other, and celebrates wins together. Our culture is grounded in values that guide how we show up every day: Winning & Learning Together, Being Customer Obsessed, Being Transparent, and Taking Ownership. We don’t have all the answers, but we’re always asking good questions.
Zoro’s culture has been recognized by Fortune, Best Places to Work, and Built In Chicago—but the recognition we care about most comes from our team members, who make this place what it is.
We also know that flexibility matters. Our hybrid work model gives you space to focus and the flexibility to live your life — asking team members to be onsite at least two days a week. Our Chicago HQ (right above Ogilvie Transportation Center in the Accenture Tower) is always open and ready for connection, collaboration, or just a good cup of coffee.
At Zoro, we’re growing fast toward big aspirations — and we’re continuously excited about the new challenges we get to solve together.
We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We are also committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible work environment that includes both providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the application and hiring process as well as throughout the course of one’s employment. Should you need a reasonable accommodation during the application and selection process, including, but not limited to use of our website, any part of the application, interview, or hiring process, please advise us so that we can provide appropriate assistance.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field, or equivalent experience
- 3+ years experience as a software engineer
- Experience with GCP technologies such as Dataflow, Cloud SQL, Cloud Deploy, BigQuery
- Proficiency in multiple programming languages
- Understanding of multiple programming paradigms
- Good grasp of design patterns and anti-patterns
- Familiarity with continuous integration and build tools
- Experience leveraging AI tools to accelerate design, implementation, testing, and documentation
- Familiarity with foundational AI concepts including large language models and prompt engineering
- Experience with Elasticsearch
- Experience with an IaC framework such as Terraform
- Familiarity with Flask or FastAPI
- Proficiency with Python
What the Team is Saying
Zoro Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Retirement Support — Employer 401(k) contributions are described as 6% guaranteed whether or not employees contribute; another source outlines 3.5% automatic bi‑weekly plus a 3.5% target tied to annual company performance.
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Healthcare Strength — Medical, dental, and vision coverage begin on the first day, alongside disability and supplemental life insurance options.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave and adoption assistance are explicitly offered, with additional family‑oriented benefits such as fertility support and transgender healthcare noted.
Zoro Insights
What We Do
Our e-commerce website has everything businesses and consumers need to make their business go, at prices that make sense. We have over 14 million products on our website (and counting) to help your business run that are shipped fast and often free. Throw in our award-winning workplace culture and you’ll find Zoro an amazing place to work and grow!
Why Work With Us
We've worked hard to foster a unique company culture built on transparency, collaboration, and innovation. We've also won a number of awards for our company culture along the way. Of course, it's not the awards that matter—it's the people. We pride ourselves on building a culture that allows our team members to bring their authentic selves to work!
Gallery
Zoro Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
At Zoro, we believe in balance—so we’ve made hybrid work a win-win! Team members are asked to work on-site in our office 2 days a week.
