Applied Scientist, Automated Reasoning Group

Amazon Inc.; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 143,000 - 193,000; Full time

Job summary

Amazon Development Center U.S., Inc. in Seattle is seeking an Applied Scientist for the AWS Automated Reasoning group to advance automated reasoning, formal methods, and neurosymbolic approaches across systems to ensure safety, security, and correctness of code and services.

You will collaborate with leading researchers to design algorithms, prove properties, and apply verification techniques at scale, contributing to trust and reliability of AWS offerings and developer experiences.

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent research experience is required.
• Experience in mathematical logic, formal verification, SAT/SMT, theorem proving, model checking, or program analysis.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement algorithms and formal methods for automated reasoning, including constraint solving, model checking, static analysis, theorem proving, and program synthesis to verify the correctness, security, and reliability of computing systems.
• Solve large or significantly complex problems that require deep knowledge and scientific innovation in your domain; own strategic problem solving and take the lead on design, implementation, and delivery of solutions with long-term quantifiable impact.
• Develop new decision procedures, heuristics, and search strategies that improve the scalability and accuracy of verification tools; build and deploy production-grade automated reasoning systems at Amazon scale.
• Explore and apply generative AI and machine learning techniques to enhance automated reasoning capabilities, including learning-based heuristics for search and optimization, neural approaches to symbolic reasoning, and methods for verifying the correctness of AI-generated code.
• Develop automated reasoning techniques for generative AI and agentic coding systems, including methods for ensuring the safety and alignment of autonomous software agents and applying formal guarantees to large language model outputs.
• Conduct original research and publish findings in peer-reviewed venues.
• Work with customer teams to understand the nature of their software and the properties they need to establish; identify tools and methods capable of addressing verification needs, including novel analysis capabilities.
• Provide cross-organizational technical influence, increasing productivity and effectiveness by sharing deep knowledge and experience; collaborate with partner teams to translate verification capabilities into production systems.
• Mentor scientists and engineers on formal methods, neurosymbolic techniques, and best practices for building reliable automated reasoning systems; assist in career development of others.

Skills

Mathematical logic

Formal verification

SAT/SMT

Theorem proving

Model checking

Program analysis

OCaml

Haskell

Rust

Scala

Kotlin

Lean

Verus

Dafny

Isabelle

Rocq

Education

PhD or equivalent research experience

Job description

Applied Scientist, Automated Reasoning Group

Job ID: 10593664 | Amazon Development Center U.S., Inc.

This is an Applied Scientist position in the AWS Automated Reasoning group. In this role you will work together with leading scientists in the field to develop and apply the latest automated-reasoning techniques, formal methods, and neurosymbolic approaches to ensure safety, security, and correctness of code and services. As Agentic AI becomes the primary method of software development, we are changing the way that computer systems are developed and operated, raising the bar on quality, verifiability, and durability.

Automated Reasoning at Amazon is central to maintaining customer trust and improving the customer experience. Automated Reasoning techniques are being applied in diverse areas spanning generative-AI safety, agentic sandboxes, cloud infrastructure verification, software security and verification, cryptographic assurance, and policy validation. The techniques we are applying include automated theorem proving, model checking, constraint solving, and neurosymbolic proof search.

This is a unique opportunity to get in early on a rapidly expanding part of AWS and help shape the technology, product, and business. You will have a chance to utilize your deep technical expertise within a fast-paced environment and make a large business and customer impact.

Key job responsibilities

• Design and implement algorithms and formal methods for automated reasoning, including constraint solving, model checking, static analysis, theorem proving, and program synthesis to verify the correctness, security, and reliability of computing systems.
• Solve large or significantly complex problems that require deep knowledge and scientific innovation in your domain; own strategic problem solving and take the lead on design, implementation, and delivery of solutions with long-term quantifiable impact.
• Develop new decision procedures, heuristics, and search strategies that improve the scalability and accuracy of verification tools; build and deploy production-grade automated reasoning systems at Amazon scale.
• Explore and apply generative AI and machine learning techniques to enhance automated reasoning capabilities, including learning-based heuristics for search and optimization, neural approaches to symbolic reasoning, and methods for verifying the correctness of AI-generated code.
• Develop automated reasoning techniques for generative AI and agentic coding systems, including methods for ensuring the safety and alignment of autonomous software agents and applying formal guarantees to large language model outputs.
• Conduct original research and publish findings in peer-reviewed venues.
• Work with customer teams to understand the nature of their software and the properties they need to establish; identify tools and methods capable of addressing verification needs, including novel analysis capabilities.
• Provide cross-organizational technical influence, increasing productivity and effectiveness by sharing deep knowledge and experience; collaborate with partner teams to translate verification capabilities into production systems.
• Mentor scientists and engineers on formal methods, neurosymbolic techniques, and best practices for building reliable automated reasoning systems; assist in career development of others.

Basic Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent research experience
• Experience in any of the following areas: mathematical logic, formal verification, satisfiability solving (eg SAT/SMT), mechanical theorem proving, model checking, or program analysis

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in professional software development
• Experience programming in OCaml, Haskell, Rust, Scala, Kotlin, or a related language
• Experience with proof assistants or verification languages such as Lean, Verus, Dafny, Isabelle, or Rocq
• Experience applying formal methods or automated reasoning to real-world software, security, or systems problems

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, WA, Seattle - 142,800.00 - 193,200.00 USD annually