As an SDE-II, you'll own systems end-to-end: from requirements and design through implementation, deployment, and production support. You'll dig deep into systems internals, reasoning about memory layouts, cache behavior, lock-free data structures, and network protocol design. The service is built primarily in Java with Rust used for the most performance-critical components, high-consistency disk and networking IO where every microsecond counts. You'll troubleshoot complex production issues spanning multiple distributed components where the root cause is rarely obvious. You'll work alongside multiple Senior and Principal Engineers on a tight-knit team that values pairing, co-ownership, and direct collaboration. You'll also mentor junior engineers and help raise the team's technical bar through design reviews and engineering best practices.
This role demands strong computer science fundamentals. You should be comfortable reasoning about algorithmic complexity, concurrency primitives, and the trade-offs inherent in distributed systems. If you have a sharp eye for detail, a passion for getting to the root cause, and want to go deep on distributed systems and database internals, not just use them, but build the ones that AWS depends on, this is the role.
Key job responsibilities
- Design and build highly available, low-latency distributed log and database systems that process millions of writes per second for AWS's most critical services.
- Own end-to-end delivery of software projects from requirements through design, implementation, deployment, and production support.
- Troubleshoot and resolve complex issues in production distributed systems using systematic debugging, performance profiling, and deep analysis of system behavior under failure conditions.
- Design and implement efficient data structures and algorithms optimized for throughput, latency, and memory efficiency in performance-critical paths.
- Identify and execute opportunities to reduce system latency and optimize cost efficiency across the platform.
- Drive improvements to security, reliability, durability, and performance across multiple foundational services.
- Lead and contribute to multi-year, cross-team migration and integration efforts with high-profile partner teams.
- Mentor junior engineers through code reviews, design discussions, and pairing sessions.
- Establish and evolve engineering best practices and operational processes for the team.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 3+ years of non-internship professional software development experience
- 2+ years of non-internship design or architecture (design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and existing systems experience
- 1+ years of software development engineer or related occupational experience
- 1+ years of designing and developing large-scale, multi-tiered, multi-threaded, embedded or distributed software applications, tools, systems, and services using: C#, C++, Java, or Perl experience
- 1+ years of Object Oriented Design experience
- Bachelor's degree or foreign equivalent in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field
- Experience programming with at least one software programming language
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 3+ years of full software development life cycle, including coding standards, code reviews, source control management, build processes, testing, and operations experience
- Bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent
- Knowledge of professional software engineering & best practices for full software development life cycle, including coding standards, software architectures, code reviews, source control management, continuous deployments, testing, and operational excellence
- Experience with Java or Rust in performance-sensitive environments
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.
USA, WA, Seattle - 143,700.00 - 194,400.00 USD annually
