AmazonPrincipal Tech Business Development, Academic Research Initiatives (ARI)
Amazon is hiring a Principal Tech Business Development, Academic Research Initiatives (ARI) in Seattle, United States. It pays $176k-$238k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on Amazon.
Level's read on this job
- On Level's scale, this sales role is Little AI ●○○○: aI is not part of the work.
- Pay on this posting starts 26% higher than the typical sales posting on Level.
- The posting mentions business development, academic partnerships and strategy among its tools and skills.
- Level classes it as a lead role.
- Amazon has 20,000+ other open roles on Level.
AI in this role
Drive strategic academic research partnerships and science investments across computing and physical sciences for Amazon.
You'll scout the global research landscape, see around corners on emerging science, and architect the connections between external innovators and Amazon's technology teams. You'll engage across nearly all of Amazon's technology organizations, influence SVP-level leaders without authority, and shape how Amazon invests in academic research to accelerate long-term innovation.
Key job responsibilities
Discovery: Find What's Next
• Scout and identify world-class academic institutions, scientists, startups, consortiums, government organizations, and non-profits that Amazon should partner with in key scientific areas
• See around corners, tracking emerging technology trends in academia and industry before they become mainstream; bring forward-looking insights to Amazon leadership
• Maintain a living map of the external research ecosystem and internal technology areas relevant to Amazon's Horizons:
• Physical Sciences: robotics, hardware/semiconductors, and related domains
• Computing Sciences: AI, computing foundations, and related domains
• Identify key technology blockers across 90%+ of Amazon's tech teams through structured engagement with Scholars, Research Liaisons, and engineering leaders
• Separate signal from noise across a vast landscape of potential partners and research opportunities
Development: Build the Connections
• Develop and execute research investment strategies for all businesses investing $1M+ in academic partnerships
• Formalize partnerships with world-class researchers and academic startups aligned to Amazon's near-, mid-, and long-term innovation requirements
• Structure engagements (Centers, Hubs, ARA, sponsored research) that maximize business impact
• Translate business problems into research proposals; coordinate across orgs to avoid duplication and amplify shared interests
• Serve as a single-threaded leader aligned to specific Amazon Horizons, minimizing silos within partnership communities
Measuring Impact: Prove It Works
• Track Amazon-wide consumption of research outputs
• Measure projected and realized business value for all academic research investments
• Deliver reporting that drives future investment decisions and establishes guardrails against waste
About the team
About ARI | ARI's mission: make Amazon the place where every transformative academic idea is efficiently discovered, evaluated, and disseminated to accelerate innovation for customers. We source proposals from top global universities, match ideas with Amazon funders, manage research portfolios, diffuse learnings to maximize impact, and disrupt when technology trends emerge. We provide guardrails against waste and connect leaders with shared research interests to amplify their work.
Basic qualifications
- Bachelor's degree
- Experience developing strategies that influence leadership decisions at the organizational level
- - 7+ years in technical business development, technology strategy, or applied research
- - Experience translating ambiguous business needs into structured strategies
Preferred qualifications
- Experience as a founder or executive focused on related segments, or as a practice leader or business unit owner
- Research portfolio management or technology scouting experience
- MBA or advanced technical degree (MS/PhD)
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
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, Boston - 176,100.00 - 238,200.00 USD annually
USA, WA, Seattle - 176,100.00 - 238,200.00 USD annually
How we rate this
Principal Tech Business Development, Academic Research Initiatives (ARI) at Amazon rates 20 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Little AI (AI Level 1 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.
Little AI. AI is not part of the work.
- ●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
- ●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
- ●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
- ●○○○ Little AI0 to 39
Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.
Prepare for this job
Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.
Skills and AI tools this role asks for
Also common in sales jobs at this level
Pay
- This job starts at
- $176k
- Typical sales job
- $140k
This posting starts 26% above the typical sales job. See sales jobs
Questions you could be asked
- Tell me about a project where business development was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where academic partnerships was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where strategy was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where research scouting was part of your work. What did you do?
Adapt your resume
- List these exact terms on your resume: Business Development, Academic Partnerships, Strategy, and Research Scouting. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
- Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.
Get your CV reviewed before you apply
Send your CV and the role you want next. Your review arrives by email within 3 days.
Get new sales jobs by email
One email a week, each job rated for how much AI is in the work. No recruiter spam, unsubscribe in one click.
Free.
Similar roles
Sales roles that involve little AI, at other companies.
What kind of AI work fits you?
Answer 12 practical questions in about three minutes. Get a simple profile, the work it points to, and live roles to explore next.
Find my next step