AmazonPosted 2d ago
Software Development Engineer II
Software Development Engineer II at Amazon scores 10 out of 100 on AI centrality, which makes it a Level 1 role on this board.
AI in this role
Design and build scalable distributed systems and data pipelines powering Amazon's enterprise-wide Data Lake.
As a Software Development Engineer II on our team, you will design and build scalable components and features that power data catalog, data discovery, and data transformation products. This is a hands-on role where you will work across the full software development lifecycle — from working backwards from customer needs through design, implementation, testing, deployment, and operations. You will collaborate closely with internal customers to understand their data challenges and deliver the right solutions, while mentoring fellow engineers and contributing to the technical direction of the team.
Key job responsibilities
- Design and implement scalable distributed systems for large-scale data processing, translating complex functional and technical requirements into clear architecture and well-structured code.
- Collaborate with internal customers, stakeholders, and peers to understand their data needs and deliver solutions that improve their ability to access and analyze data effectively.
- Contribute across the full software development lifecycle — including design, code review, testing, deployment, and operational support — while identifying and resolving root causes of operational issues.
- Mentor engineers on your team through code reviews, design discussions, and knowledge sharing, helping build a strong engineering culture.
- Evaluate emerging technologies and approaches in the data processing space, making recommendations for adoption that keep the team's tools and practices current.
A day in the life
You might start your morning reviewing a design document for a new data ingestion pipeline, then jump into a code review with a teammate before writing code for a feature that helps internal teams query data more efficiently. After lunch, you could pair with a colleague to troubleshoot an operational issue, identify its root cause, and implement a permanent fix. Throughout, you will balance new feature work with operational improvements, and regularly connect with the engineers and analysts who rely on the systems you build.
About the team
Our team is focused on building and evolving Amazon's enterprise Data Lake platform, making it easier for thousands of teams to produce, discover, and process analytical data at massive scale. We are developing next-generation data catalog, discovery, and transformation products that serve a broad range of technical users across the company.
We value collaboration, mentorship, and continuous learning. Whether you are reviewing a design with a senior engineer or onboarding a new team member, you will find an inclusive environment where knowledge sharing is part of the daily rhythm. If you are excited about solving hard data problems that impact Amazon at scale, we would love to hear from you.
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
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Los Angeles County applicants: Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal, state, and local laws and Company policies. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism, and safeguard business operations and the Company’s reputation. Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
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, CA, Sunnyvale - 165,200.00 - 223,600.00 USD annually
Prepare for this job
A free preview built only from this posting: what it asks for, what you could be asked in an interview, and how to adjust your resume.
Skills and AI tools this role asks for
Questions you could be asked
- Tell me about a project where distributed systems was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where data engineering was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where data pipelines was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where software engineering was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where scalability was part of your work. What did you do?
Adapt your resume
- List these exact terms on your resume: Distributed Systems, Data Engineering, Data Pipelines, Software Engineering, and Scalability. 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.
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