Sr. Physical Security Engineer, Data Center Design Engineering

Amazon is hiring a Sr. Physical Security Engineer, Data Center Design Engineering in Seattle, United States. It pays $137k-$185k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on Amazon.

Level's read on this job

Level rates this cybersecurity role Little AI ●○○○: aI is not part of the work.
The posting mentions physical security, access control and video surveillance among its tools and skills.
Level classes it as a senior role.
Amazon has 20,000+ other open roles on Level.

AI in this role

Lead physical security design and standards across Amazon data centers globally.

physical-securityaccess-controlvideo-surveillanceinfrastructure-design

About AWS Infrastructure Services
AWS Infrastructure Services owns the design, planning, delivery, and operation of all AWS global infrastructure — in short, we're the people who keep the cloud running. We support every data center, server, storage device, network switch, power system, and cooling unit that ensures our customers maintain continual access to the innovation they depend on.

We solve the most complex problems in the industry, navigating thousands of variables across a global supply chain — and we're looking for talented people ready to tackle them with us.

You'll join a diverse, multidisciplinary team of software and hardware engineers, network architects, supply chain specialists, security experts, and operations leaders. You'll collaborate across AWS to deliver the highest standards of safety and security while enabling seemingly infinite capacity at the lowest possible cost. And you'll be part of an inclusive culture that welcomes bold ideas and empowers you to own them through to completion.

As a Senior Physical Security Engineer, you will serve as a technical leader for security design across Amazon Data Centers in the Americas Region and beyond. You will own complex, cross-team security design programs, drive regional and global standards, and directly shape the security architecture of AWS data center infrastructure at scale.

You'll operate within a highly creative and efficient design team of Architects, Engineers, and Designers — and you'll be expected to lead, not simply contribute, when solving the most challenging physical security problems.

You will work with limited guidance on ambiguous, high-impact problems. Your solutions must be extensible, cost-optimized, and designed to scale across multiple builds and geographies. As both a subject matter expert and a working leader, you'll mentor junior engineers, drive engineering best practices, and serve as the primary technical authority for complex projects spanning multiple partner teams and stakeholders.

Key job responsibilities
• Own the end-to-end security design process including construction drawings, specifications, and standards for physical security systems (access control, video surveillance, intrusion detection, perimeter fencing, gates, and more) across multiple simultaneous data center projects in the Americas Region.
• Drive development and continuous improvement of AWS physical security design standards, Basis of Design (BOD) documents, and template specifications ensuring they reflect current best practices, emerging technologies, and lessons learned from the field.
• Lead cross-functional design reviews and page turns, coordinating with Civil, Architectural, Electrical, and ICT disciplines to deliver integrated, compliant security designs.
• Identify, assess, and resolve complex design risks and architectural deficiencies proactively including those that span multiple teams or regions.
• Evaluate emerging technologies, construction methods, and security measures for applicability to AWS infrastructure, and champion adoption where ROI and scalability justify it.
• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for physical security design consultants directing their work, reviewing deliverables, and holding them accountable to AWS standards and SLAs.
• Collaborate with AWS Security, and other security stakeholders to ensure design outputs align with operational and compliance requirements.
• Develop security design scopes of work for RFPs and provide technical input during vendor selection and bid evaluation.
• Mentor and develop junior Physical Security Engineers strengthening their technical acumen, design judgment, and capacity to deliver independently.
• Conduct site assessments, construction reviews, and design coordination meetings. Anticipated travel ≤ 25%.

About the team
Why AWS?
Amazon Web Services is the world's most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform. We pioneered cloud computing and have never stopped innovating — which is why organizations from the fastest-growing startups to Global 500 enterprises trust our products and services to power their businesses.

Diverse Experiences
Amazon values diverse experiences. If you don't meet every preferred qualification listed below, we still encourage you to apply. Whether your career is just starting, followed a non-traditional path, or includes alternative experiences — we want to hear from you.

Work/Life Balance
We value work-life harmony. Success at work should never come at the expense of what matters at home. We strive for flexibility as a core part of our working culture — because when we feel supported both at work and in life, there's nothing we can't achieve.

Inclusive Team Culture
At AWS, curiosity is in our DNA. Our employee-led affinity groups foster a culture of inclusion that empowers us to celebrate our differences. Events like Conversations on Race and Ethnicity (CORE) and AmazeCon inspire us to never stop embracing our uniqueness.
Mentorship & Career Growth We're continuously raising our performance bar as we strive to become Earth's Best Employer. You'll find endless knowledge-sharing, mentorship, and career-advancing resources here to help you grow into a more well-rounded professional.

Basic qualifications

- 6+ years of industrial or commercial engineering in mission critical facilities including but not limited to: data centers, power generation or oil and gas facilities experience
- 5+ years of experience leading physical security design programs including construction drawings and specifications for access control, video surveillance, intrusion detection, perimeter security, and related systems
- 5+ years of experience developing and reviewing design documentation (plans, specifications, submittals) for construction and/or permitting
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Security Engineering, related discipline, or equivalent work experience
- Demonstrated track record of driving design standards or engineering best practices across multiple projects or teams
- Experience directing external design consultants and holding them accountable to technical and schedule requirements
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel)

Preferred qualifications

- Professional Engineering or Architectural License
- ASIS Physical Security Professional (PSP) or Certified Protection Professional (CPP) certification
- CSI Construction Documents Technologist (CDT) certification
- Experience applying Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles
- Familiarity with defense in depth security standards frameworks
- Experience with Perimeter Intrusion Detection Systems (PIDS), Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM), and integrated security system design
- Working knowledge of building codes, AHJ requirements, and permitting processes across multiple jurisdictions
- Experience carrying design concepts from exploration through deployment at scale across multiple sites or regions
- Experience contributing to or authoring Basis of Design (BOD) documents or equivalent owner's requirements
- Experience collaborating with compliance, risk, and operations teams to validate security designs against standards
- Experience in physical security system commissioning and testing
- Experience researching new designs, technologies, and construction methods of data center equipment and facilities
- Proficiency with AutoCAD, Revit, Bluebeam, and Ai workflows

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, GA, Atlanta - 136,600.00 - 184,800.00 USD annually
USA, OH, COLUMBUS - 136,600.00 - 184,800.00 USD annually
USA, TX, Austin - 136,600.00 - 184,800.00 USD annually
USA, VA, Herndon - 136,600.00 - 184,800.00 USD annually
USA, WA, Seattle - 136,600.00 - 184,800.00 USD annually

How we rate this

Sr. Physical Security Engineer, Data Center Design Engineering at Amazon rates 0 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.

Classification

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.

Key facts

Sr. Physical Security Engineer, Data Center Design Engineering is an open job at Amazon.
Level rates this role AI Level 1 of 4: Little AI.
The listed salary is $137k-$185k a year.
The role is based in US, WA, Seattle.
The job was posted on June 16, 2026.
Seniority: senior.
Applications are handled by Amazon. Apply on Amazon

Prepare for this job

Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.

Skills and AI tools this role asks for

Physical SecurityAccess ControlVideo SurveillanceInfrastructure Design

Also common in cybersecurity jobs at this level

Python Azure Google Cloud Kubernetes Terraform Java

Pay

This job starts at: $137k
Typical cybersecurity job: $160k

This posting starts 15% below the typical cybersecurity job. See cybersecurity jobs

Questions you could be asked

Tell me about a project where physical security was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where access control was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where video surveillance was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where infrastructure design was part of your work. What did you do?

Adapt your resume

List these exact terms on your resume: Physical Security, Access Control, Video Surveillance, and Infrastructure Design. 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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