Are you ready to lead a team that builds and scales the automation, tooling, and infrastructure that keeps Amazon running? As a Systems Development Engineering Manager, you will own the strategy and execution for systems that power critical services, driving reliability and operational excellence at massive scale. You will define the vision for your team, set goals that work backwards from customer needs, and build the mechanisms that turn complex technical challenges into streamlined, automated solutions.
The Bespoke Solutions team is looking for a hands-on engineering leader to build and run the development, test, and tooling backbone for a family of high-assurance security devices built for government customers within AWS. You will manage a multidisciplinary software and infrastructure team responsible for the classified cloud development environment, the device test infrastructure, and the device management software and engineering tools that the entire program depends on.
This is not a role for someone who manages from a distance. You will own three tightly coupled charters: (1) building and operating a classified cloud development environment that lets cleared engineers develop, build, and integrate at speed under the most rigorous government security controls; (2) designing, building, and operating high-speed device test infrastructure spanning a hybrid of physical lab benches and cloud-based tooling; and (3) designing and building the critical device management software, engineering tools, and automation used to provision, configure, and operate the devices.
You will set the technical direction for development and test infrastructure as code, CI/CD, and automation - and then build and lead the team that delivers it. Your success is measured by how fast and how reliably the hardware, FPGA, firmware, and software teams can build, test, and ship certified production hardware on top of the environment and tools your team provides.
You will work across organizational boundaries - with hardware, FPGA, firmware, software, systems engineering, security/compliance, and program management - to understand what the program needs to move fast, and translate that into resilient development environments, automated test infrastructure, and engineering tools. When complex problems arise - across classified environment authorization (ATO), hybrid lab/cloud test automation, or high-speed device bring-up - you will have the technical depth to engage meaningfully and the judgment to drive the right trade-offs.
If Arlington, VA (Arlington HQ2):
This role will sit in our new headquarters in Northern Virginia, where Amazon will invest $2.5 billion dollars, occupy 4 million square feet of energy efficient office space, and create at least 25,000 new full-time jobs. Our employees and the neighboring community will also benefit from the associated investments from the Commonwealth including infrastructure updates, public transportation improvements, and new access to Reagan National Airport.
Key job responsibilities
Classified Cloud Development Environment (CDE)
- Build and operate the classified cloud development environment that cleared engineers use to develop, build, and integrate
- Drive the environment from authorization (IATT/ATO) through full operational development, partnering with security and compliance
- Establish infrastructure-as-code, CI/CD, and automation so the environment is reproducible, auditable, and fast
- Own availability, access control, and configuration management for the classified development environment
Device Test Infrastructure (Hybrid Lab + Cloud)
- Design, build, and operate high-speed device test infrastructure spanning physical lab benches and cloud-based tooling
- Build hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) test benches and automated test frameworks for high-speed devices
- Establish automated verification coverage and continuous test for hardware, FPGA, and firmware
- Own lab infrastructure, test instrumentation, and the cloud tooling that aggregates, analyzes, and reports test results
Device Management Software & Engineering Tools
- Design and build the critical device management software and tools used to provision, configure, monitor, and operate the devices
- Own the lifecycle of device management and engineering tooling from architecture through production deployment
- Build automation and internal tooling that accelerates the hardware, FPGA, firmware, and software teams
- Partner with firmware and systems teams to define device interfaces, telemetry, and operational workflows
- Lead model-based systems engineering tooling development
Team Leadership & Development
- Manage and grow a multidisciplinary team spanning CDE, test infrastructure, and device management software and tools
- Hire, develop, and retain top software and infrastructure engineering talent
- Create an environment where engineers with fundamentally different expertise collaborate effectively and challenge each other
- Set clear goals, remove obstacles, and hold the team to high standards on delivery, reliability, and security
- Mentor and develop senior technical contributors - help them think bigger and grow toward principal-level impact
- Establish engineering best practices, review cadences, and development lifecycle processes
Cross-Organization Collaboration
- Partner with hardware, FPGA, firmware, software, and systems engineering to deliver the environments, test infrastructure, and tools they depend on
- Work with security and compliance teams to navigate classified environment authorization and certification evidence
- Coordinate with program management to align infrastructure and tooling milestones with the delivery schedule
- Influence peer teams and senior leadership on technical direction, investment priorities, and trade-offs
- Represent your team's work and roadmap to Director-level and above
A day in the life
You will start your morning reviewing operational dashboards and system health metrics, then shift into working sessions with your engineers on architecture reviews or automation initiatives. You will spend time in one-on-ones coaching team members on their growth, unblocking technical challenges, and aligning on priorities. Expect to collaborate with partner teams to scope upcoming projects, write narratives that articulate your team's strategy, and dive into the details when troubleshooting complex system issues that require your expertise.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field
- 3+ years of managing system or software development teams experience
- 7+ years of design, implementation, or consulting in applications and infrastructures experience
- Experience in any of the following: Cloud Architecture, Systems Design, Software Development, Infrastructure Architecture, Data Engineering or DevOps
- Experience designing and building test infrastructure and automation (including hardware-in-the-loop)
- Experience delivering software tools used by other engineering teams (device management, tooling, or platforms)
- Current, active US Government Security Clearance of Top Secret with SCI eligibility or above
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or Electrical Engineering
- 10+ years of design, implementation, or consulting in applications and infrastructures experience
- Experience building classified or regulated development environments and driving them through ATO/authorization
- Experience with hybrid physical-lab + cloud test infrastructure for high-speed hardware
- Experience building device management / provisioning / telemetry software for embedded or hardware devices
- Experience building internal engineering tools and automation that accelerate cross-discipline teams
- Experience with government compliance frameworks or security evaluation processes
- Track record of developing senior technical talent (growing engineers to Staff/Principal level)
- Current, active US Government Security clearance of TS / SCI with Polygraph
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
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