Software Development Engineer, Amazon Optics

Amazon Optics Software Development

Join the Amazon Optics team and help build innovative services that secure the foundation of the business from security threats. The team develops and manages critical services used by Corporate and AWS data center employees to protect physical sites and preserve the trust AWS users place in us. You will work with passionate software engineers to build systems essential to keeping Corporate and AWS sites secure worldwide.

In this role, you will design, develop, and optimize solutions where “can’t be done” isn’t considered an answer. You will tackle complex architecture challenges with extensible, scalable solutions while continually seeking ways to simplify. As a significant contributor across the software development lifecycle, you will build services deployed to every AWS region using AWS services in a fully Infrastructure as Code (IaC) environment, owning everything end to end.

Key Job Responsibilities

• Design and implement secure services that protect AWS physical locations, contributing across the software development lifecycle from scoping and design through testing, deployment, and maintenance.
• Own operational excellence by identifying root causes of issues and implementing permanent fixes while continually improving team operations.
• Work with stakeholders to understand business and customer value, delivering solutions that balance customer requirements with team objectives.
• Actively participate in code reviews by providing meaningful feedback and contribute to documentation that explains how systems are constructed, tested, and operated.
• Automate operational inefficiencies for both the team and customers, building solutions that scale across all AWS regions while maintaining high quality standards.

A Day in the Life

Your day begins with a quick team standup to align on priorities, then you dive into coding complex security features for the Optics platform. You will collaborate with teammates to solve architecture challenges, review pull requests, and participate in design discussions for upcoming features. Throughout the day, you will work in an IaC deployment environment—designing, developing, testing, and deploying solutions. You will also have opportunities to automate operational inefficiencies while stretching yourself technically to help secure AWS sites globally.

About the Team

The Amazon Optics team values strong intuition backed by metrics and data. The team delivers solutions where “can’t be done” isn’t considered an answer—taking on seemingly impossible challenges and finding creative solutions. Services are used worldwide to secure assets for every AWS customer, making the team’s work essential to maintaining trust in the AWS platform. The team fosters a collaborative environment where you can share knowledge, help others succeed, and grow while owning critical security services that protect AWS infrastructure.

Diverse Experiences

Amazon Security values diverse experiences. Even if you do not meet all qualifications and skills listed in the job description, candidates are encouraged to apply. If your career is just starting, hasn’t followed a traditional path, or includes alternative experiences, you should still apply.

Amazon Security

Security is central to maintaining customer trust and delivering delightful customer experiences. The organization creates and maintains a high bar for security across all of Amazon’s products and services. The role offers opportunities to accelerate your career by building experience across a variety of areas, including cloud, devices, retail, entertainment, healthcare, operations, and physical stores.

Inclusive Team Culture

In Amazon Security, learning and curiosity are core to the team. Ongoing DEI events and learning experiences encourage continued learning and embracing uniqueness. Addressing the toughest security challenges requires seeking out and celebrating a diversity of ideas, perspectives, and voices.

Training & Career Growth

The performance bar is continuously raised as the team works toward becoming Earth’s Best Employer. You will find ongoing knowledge-sharing, training, and other career-advancing resources to help you develop into a better-rounded professional.

Work/Life Balance

Work-life harmony is valued. Success at work should not require sacrifices at home, which is why flexible work hours and arrangements are part of the culture.

Basic Qualifications

• Experience (non-internship) in professional software development.
• Experience designing or architecting (design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and existing systems.
• Experience programming with at least one software programming language.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or equivalent.
• Experience with the full software development life cycle, including coding standards, code reviews, source control management, build processes, testing, and operations.

Compensation

USA, VA, Arlington - 143,700.00 - 194,400.00 USD annually