Amazon

Software Development Engineer, AWS Quick Desktop

Amazon$143K — $194K *
Information Technology
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 3+ years of professional software development experience
  • 2+ years of design or architecture experience for new and existing systems
  • Proficiency in at least one programming language
  • Experience with the full software development lifecycle
  • Bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent preferred

Responsibilities

  • Design and implement core systems for the desktop application's agentic runtime
  • Build and evolve a local knowledge graph to enable contextual assistance
  • Develop secure integrations with external services (email, messaging, calendar)
  • Own the memory and context management layer for long-running sessions
  • Contribute to cross-platform desktop experience across macOS and Windows
  • Write production code in Python and TypeScript/JavaScript with clean abstractions
  • Participate in architecture discussions and operational reviews

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health insurance (medical, dental, vision)
  • 401(k) matching
  • Paid time off
  • Parental leave
  • Adoption and surrogacy reimbursement coverage
Full Job Description
We're building an AI-powered desktop application that fundamentally changes how knowledge workers manage their digital workload. Think of it as an intelligent companion that sits alongside you on your laptop - connected to your messages, calendar, and files - understanding your work context and helping you stay on top of everything without the cognitive overhead.

As an SDE-2 on this team, you'll work at the intersection of AI/ML systems and desktop application development. You'll build the infrastructure that lets AI agents operate safely and reliably on a user's machine - from real-time event processing and multi-agent orchestration to local knowledge graphs that evolve as users interact with the system. The problems you'll solve aren't typical CRUD - they involve designing novel architectures for long-running agentic sessions, managing context windows across complex task hierarchies, and building trust through transparent, permission-scoped automation.

This is a 0-to-1 product. You'll ship features end-to-end, influence architecture decisions, and see your work in the hands of users quickly. If you've ever wanted to build software that feels like it genuinely understands and helps people - not just another chatbot, but a proactive partner - this is that opportunity.

Key job responsibilities

* Design and implement core systems for the desktop application's agentic runtime - including task scheduling, agent lifecycle management, and inter-process communication between parallel AI agents

* Build and evolve a local knowledge graph that captures relationships between people, projects, and topics from the user's work environment, enabling contextual and personalized assistance

* Develop integrations with external services (email, messaging, calendar, file storage) using standardized protocols, with a focus on security, permissions, and graceful failure handling

* Own the memory and context management layer - solving hard problems around what information to retain, how to retrieve it efficiently, and how to keep long-running sessions coherent within token constraints

* Contribute to the cross-platform desktop experience (macOS and Windows), ensuring performance and reliability across environments

* Write production code in Python and TypeScript/JavaScript, with an emphasis on clean abstractions that other engineers can build upon

* Participate in on-call rotations, operational reviews, and architecture discussions that shape the product's direction

About the team

We're a small, high-ownership team building an AI-native desktop product from the ground up. Our philosophy is simple: we use what we build. Every day, the team relies on our own product to manage tasks, triage notifications, draft documents, and stay organized - if something doesn't work for us, we fix it before it ships to anyone else.

The team spans applied science and engineering, and we operate more like a startup than a large org. You'll work closely with scientists on memory systems and retrieval, with frontend engineers on the desktop experience, and directly with customers who use the product daily. We value end-to-end ownership, strong opinions loosely held, and shipping delightful experiences over shipping features.

We believe trust is earned through safety - our architecture is designed with least-privilege principles from the ground up, giving users full transparency and control over what the AI can see and do. If you care about building AI systems that are genuinely useful and responsible, you'll fit right in.

Diverse Experiences

AWS values diverse experiences. Even if you do not meet all of the preferred qualifications and skills listed in the job description, we encourage candidates to apply. If your career is just starting, hasn't followed a traditional path, or includes alternative experiences, don't let it stop you from applying.

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

- 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

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

About Amazon

Audible is a provider of spoken audio information and entertainment , on the Internet. They provide premium spoken audio content, such as audio versions of books and newspapers and radio programs, that is delivered over the Internet and played back on personal computers and hand-held electronic devices. The Audible service allows consumers to purchase and download their content from their Website, store it in digital files and play it back on personal computers and electronic devices. More than 15,000 hours of audio content are available on their Web site, including audio versions of books, periodicals and radio programs. Several manufacturers have agreed to support and promote the playback of their content on their hand-held audio-enabled electronic devices.

Amazon Careers

Joining Amazon presents an unparalleled opportunity to become part of a vibrant team pushing the boundaries of innovation and growth in the global marketplace. As a leader in e-commerce, technology, and logistics, Amazon offers a variety of job opportunities that cater to a range of skills and professional interests. Work You’ll Do At Amazon, every day is an opportunity to collaborate with the brightest minds in technology and business to redefine what’s possible. Whether you’re interested in software development, marketing, human resources, or customer service, Amazon has a position waiting for you. Transform the way the world shops and innovates with our diverse and inclusive team. Amazon is not just a company; it’s a community where you can drive real change and contribute to projects impacting millions globally. Lead with Innovation and Leadership Amazon is the perfect place to enhance your leadership and innovation skills. Our culture encourages pushing the envelope and imagining the unimaginable. Here, you will lead projects that challenge the status quo and define new industry standards. Work with a team that values diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment. Our leadership is focused on harnessing the collective power of unique perspectives to foster growth and innovation. Explore Amazon’s Employment Benefits Amazon’s commitment to its employees extends beyond just career growth. We offer competitive benefits, including health care, parental leave, and diversity training, ensuring that our team not only excels professionally but also enjoys well-being and security. Internship and Networking Opportunities Start your career with an Amazon internship and gain hands-on experience that matters. Our internships provide a gateway to full-time employment and an opportunity to network with professionals across various sectors of the company. Future-Proof Your Career With Amazon, your career path is filled with numerous opportunities for advancement. Our learning and development programs are designed to nurture your professional growth and keep you at the forefront of industry trends. Stay Connected Join Our Team Discover the job opportunities at Amazon that match your skills and interests. We are constantly on the lookout for passionate, curious, and innovative team players ready to make a difference. Keep Up to Date Stay ahead with career tips, insider perspectives, and industry-leading insights you can put to use today—all from the people who work here. Job Alert Emails Customize your subscription to receive job alerts, the latest news, and insider tips tailored to your preferences. Explore the exciting and rewarding career opportunities that await at Amazon. Amazon is more than just a company—it’s a platform for building a promising future. Whether you’re starting or looking to advance your career, Amazon offers the resources, support, and network you need to succeed. Join us, and be a part of our continuing mission to be Earth's most customer-centric company.
Learn more about Amazon
Size
1,608 employees
Market Cap
$832.6 billion
Industry
Net Income
$21.3 billion
Founded
1994
5 Year Trend
+28.1%
Revenue
$386 billion
NASDAQ

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