We are seeking a Senior Sensor & Compute System Engineer to join the Matrix team at Amazon Robotics. This is a cross-disciplinary Subject Matter Expert (SME) role that serves as the technical bridge between customers, product strategy, architecture, and engineering execution - spanning both sensing and edge compute domains. The ideal candidate operates with high discretion in ambiguous environments, drives system-level selections across sensor and compute modules, and influences product direction through deep technical expertise and customer insight. You will own the end-to-end system definition - from customer discovery through sensor-compute architecture trade-offs to strategic advantage positioning - shaping how our next-generation robotic platforms perceive, process, and act on the world around them.
Key job responsibilities
Customer Engagement & Strategic Requirements Definition: Own the customer relationship as the senior technical point of contact. Steer discovery engagements, identify unmet needs, and translate complex customer problems into system-level requirements spanning sensing and compute that drive multi-generational product strategy. Influence customer roadmaps and establish trusted advisor relationships.
Product Strategy & Roadmap Ownership: Collaborate with and influence product management to define the sensor and compute product roadmap. Drive prioritization selections based on synthesized inputs from customer feedback, competitive intelligence, technology readiness, and business impact. Proactively identify gaps and opportunities across sensing and edge processing capabilities.
Sensor & Compute System Architecture Leadership: Own system architecture selections across optical, electrical, mechanical, firmware, and edge compute domains. Define how sensor data is captured, processed, and delivered at the edge - driving trade-offs between compute performance, power, latency, thermal constraints, and cost. Define interface specifications and ensure designs meet scalability and manufacturability requirements across sensor-compute module boundaries.
Edge Computing & Data Processing Strategy: Drive the architecture for on-device and near-sensor compute modules that enable real-time perception, sensor fusion, and data processing at the edge. Evaluate compute platforms, SoCs, and processing pipelines to ensure sensor data is transformed into actionable intelligence within system latency and power budgets.
Technology Benchmarking & Market Intelligence: Oversee market analysis and technology scouting efforts across sensing and edge compute. Establish benchmarking frameworks, evaluate emerging sensor technologies and compute architectures (e.g., vision processors, neural accelerators, low-power SoCs), and deliver strategic recommendations to stakeholders on build-vs-buy and technology investment selections.
Technical Risk Identification & Mitigation: Proactively identify systemic technical problems that impact customer enablement across sensing and compute programs. Develop mitigation strategies, drive cross-functional alignment on risk trade-offs, and communicate technical constraints and opportunities to senior stakeholders with clarity and conviction.
Cross-Functional Influence & Mentorship: Operate as a multiplier across hardware, firmware, optical, mechanical, electrical, software, test, and manufacturing teams. Influence without authority to align stakeholders on sensor-compute integration requirements and priorities. Mentor junior engineers, raise the technical bar through design reviews, and contribute to hiring and team development.
A day in the life
Mornings begin steering cross-functional syncs with optical, electrical, and mechanical teams - aligning priorities, unblocking technical choices, and driving architecture trade-offs. Mid-morning shifts to customer engagements - guiding requirements workshops, presenting system-level proposals, and translating customer pain points into engineering action. Afternoons involve strategic work: benchmarking competitive technologies, authoring architecture documents, updating product requirement specifications, and advising product managers on roadmap priorities. Time is also spent mentoring junior engineers, reviewing designs, and presenting technical recommendations to stakeholders. The role demands seamless context-switching between deep technical ownership and strategic influence across the organization.
Amazon offers a full range of benefits to support you and eligible family members, including domestic partners and children. Benefits can vary by location, the number of regularly scheduled hours you work, length of employment, and job status such as seasonal or temporary employment. The benefits that generally apply to regular, full-time employees include:
1. Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
2. Maternity and Parental Leave Options
3. Paid Time Off (PTO)
4. 401(k) Plan
If you are not sure that every qualification on the list above describes you exactly, we'd still love to hear from you! At Amazon, we value people with unique backgrounds, experiences, and skillsets. If you're passionate about this role and want to make an impact on a global scale, please apply!
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer science, mathematics or physics
- Experience leading the architecture and design (architecture, design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and current systems, or experience leading and influencing your team or organization
- Experience working with technical and product stakeholders to define requirements, prioritize features, and influence product roadmaps
- 8+ years of experience in systems engineering, sensor development, edge computing, or related technical roles
- Proven track record of leading customer-facing technical engagements and translating ambiguous needs into actionable engineering requirements
- Deep understanding of sensor technologies (imaging, depth sensing, LiDAR, ToF, or similar) combined with knowledge of edge compute architectures, embedded processing, and real-time data pipelines
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Master's degree or above in engineering, physics, or equivalent
- Experience in product or program management, product marketing, business development or technology
- Experience mentoring or training the engineering community on complex technical issues
- Experience working in a fast-paced and ambiguous environment, or experience in finance role where you owned financial reporting for a business area
- Experience in mobile robotics sensing applications (navigation, manipulation, perception)
- Track record of delivering strategic recommendations to senior stakeholders that influenced investment selections
- Experience establishing benchmarking methodologies and technology evaluation frameworks
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, MA, North Reading - 151,200.00 - 204,600.00 USD annually
USA, MA, Westboro - 151,200.00 - 204,600.00 USD annually
