Systems Development Engineer, Early Career – 2026 (US)

Amazon is hiring a Systems Development Engineer, Early Career – 2026 (US) in Seattle, United States. It pays $123k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on Level.

Level's read on this job

On Level's scale, this role is Little AI ●○○○: aI is not part of the work.
The posting mentions AWS, systems engineering and cloud services among its tools and skills.
Level classes it as a junior role.
Amazon has 22,000+ other open roles on Level.
This posting went up in the last few days.

AI in this role

Build and maintain scalable systems and cloud services as an early career Systems Development Engineer at Amazon.

aws

systems-engineeringcloud-servicessoftware-developmentscalability

Shape what comes next | Discover careers in Tech

At Amazon, our tech isn't just a tool, it's your playground. Our engineers work on scalable systems, cloud services, and customer-facing products that operate at global scale. This is an environment where you learn by building. Whether you're creating cloud-native solutions, optimizing machine learning models, or building products that drive experiences for millions of customers around the globe, your work reaches the world, fast. You'll take ownership early, collaborate across teams and disciplines, and grow your skills as you tackle new problems. There's no single path forward here, with a chance to explore different directions and shape your journey as you go. This is where ambition meets opportunity and, where the impact of what you build helps define what comes next, for customers and for you.

What's in it for you? A role at Amazon means real responsibility from day one. You'll build, test, and learn alongside people who want to see you succeed, while making an impact that reaches far beyond campus.

Role Details:
This role is open for Seattle, WA with a tentative start date of December 7th, 2026.

This position is for external hiring only.

Are you interested in building and developing unique technology solutions to solve business and customer problems? Do you want to be a part of a fast-paced organization and contribute to one of the most visited sites on the Internet?
If this describes you, Amazon is looking for a system development engineer to join one of our many lines of business. Amazonians have the opportunity to work alongside the industry’s brightest engineers who innovate every day on behalf of our customers. You will have the opportunity to impact the evolution of Amazon technology as well as lead mission-critical projects early in your career. Your work will contribute to solving some of the most complex technical challenges in the company.
This is a full-time position, meaning candidates should expect to work in office, Monday-Friday, up to 40 hours per week typically between 8am-5pm. Specific team norms around working hours will be communicated by your manager.

Key job responsibilities
As a system development engineer, you will/may:
• Create, improve, or invent tools and/or applications that are a part of a larger system.
• Write code that is secure, stable, testable, maintainable and has minimal defects.
• Understanding of a variety of technologies such as hardware, software, networking, and operating systems, and how they interact with one another.
• Participate in team design, scoping, and prioritization discussions.
• Build systems and processes that enable other builders through improved safety, agility, and automation
• Seek to learn the business context and technologies behind your team’s system implementations.

A day in the life
We’re on the lookout for the curious, those who think big and want to define the world of tomorrow.
At Amazon, you will grow into the high impact person you know you’re ready to be. Every day will be filled with exciting new challenges, developing new skills, and achieving personal growth.
How often can you say that your work changes the world? At Amazon, you’ll say it often. Join us and define tomorrow.

Basic qualifications

- Are 18 years of age or older
- Currently has, or is in the process of obtaining, a Bachelor's degree or above in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or other related discipline
- Experience coding, scripting, automating in at least one language (e.g., Python, C, C++, Java, Ruby, or PowerShell)
- Experience with open-source technologies (e.g. Linux, Spring, React)
- • Are enrolled in or have completed a Bachelor’s Degree program or above that is physically located in the United States

Preferred qualifications

- Experience with automating and simplifying team development, test, and operations processes
- Experience with distributed computing, programs and systems
- Experience with TCP/ICP networking fundamentals and application of IP protocols such as: DNS, DHCP, NTP, SMTP, and SNMP
- Experience that includes strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and effective communication abilities
- Experience in object-oriented design skills

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 starting pay for this position is listed below. Starting Day 1 of employment, Amazon offers EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, 401(k) matching. Learn more about our benefits at https://hiring.amazon.com/why-amazon/benefits.

Seattle, WA, USA - 122,700.00 USD Annually

How we rate this

Systems Development Engineer, Early Career – 2026 (US) at Amazon rates 10 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. Open the description and count.

Key facts

Systems Development Engineer, Early Career – 2026 (US) is an open job at Amazon.
Level rates this role AI Level 1 of 4: Little AI.
The listed salary is $123k a year.
The role is based in US, WA, Seattle.
The job was posted on October 17, 2026.
Seniority: junior.
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

Systems EngineeringCloud ServicesSoftware DevelopmentScalabilityAWS

Questions you could be asked

Tell me about a project where systems engineering was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where cloud services was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where software development 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?
Walk me through how you've used AWS in your day-to-day work.

Adapt your resume

List these exact terms on your resume: Systems Engineering, Cloud Services, Software Development, Scalability, and AWS. 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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