Senior Software Development Engineer, Amazon Leo Optical Inter-Satellite Link

Amazon; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 168,000 - 227,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) matching

Paid time off

Parental leave

Job summary

Amazon LEO seeks a Software Engineer for the Optical Inter‑Satellite Link team. You will design and implement the switch‑management software and network stack that enables deterministic, low‑latency forwarding across the constellation.

You’ll work on embedded Linux drivers, flight software networking layers, and tooling for diagnostics with cross‑functional hardware, optics, and operations teams. You will mentor engineers, contribute to SDN and L2 networking, and help deliver space‑based

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional software development experience.
• Experience with a switch SDK and L2 protocols, including RSTP, BFD, MPLS, and ARP.
• Experience developing embedded and low‑level networking software systems in C/C++ or Rust.
• Experience mentoring, tech lead, or leading an engineering team.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and enhance the switch‑management software enabling deterministic, low‑latency forwarding across the constellation.
• Design and optimize the networking layers of flight software for optical inter‑satellite link systems on embedded Linux.
• Collaborate with hardware, optics, systems, and operations engineers to deploy high‑speed optical communication systems and networking stack.
• Build and extend tooling for network diagnostics and observability for rapid fault isolation and performance trending.

Skills

C/C++

Rust

Embedded networking

L2 networking protocols

SDN switch firmware

Mentoring/leadership

System design

Tools

Switch SDK

Embedded Linux

Job description

Amazon LEO is an initiative to increase global broadband access through a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). Its mission is to bring fast, affordable broadband to unserved and underserved communities around the world. Amazon LEO will help close the digital divide by delivering reliable, high-speed connectivity to a wide range of customers, including consumers, businesses, government agencies, and other organizations operating in places without dependable internet access. Innovation is part of our DNA! Our goal is to be Earth's most customer‑centric company, and we are just getting started. We need people who want to join this ambitious program that continues to push the state of the art in distributed systems and software design. Come work at Amazon!

Export Control Requirement: Due to applicable export control laws and regulations, candidates must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Key job responsibilities

• Design, implement, and enhance the switch‑management software — from translating routes received from a centralized SDN controller into forwarding‑table entries, to building MAC‑learning and loop‑prevention logic for a redundant switch topology — that enables deterministic, low‑latency packet forwarding across the constellation
• Design and optimize the networking layers of flight software for optical inter‑satellite link systems, spanning network device drivers and protocol implementations on embedded Linux
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams — including hardware, optics, systems, communications, and operations engineers — to integrate, test, and deploy high‑speed optical communication systems and the networking stack that underpins space‑based connectivity
• Build and extend operational tooling for network diagnostics and observability — including routing‑table inspection, packet capture and analysis, structured logging, and metrics emission — that enables rapid fault isolation and performance trending across the satellite mesh

A day in the life

As a Software Engineer on the Optical Inter‑Satellite Link team, you won't just write code — you'll see it fly. Your software will control and monitor high‑speed laser communications between satellites moving at orbital velocities, and you'll be there for every stage of the journey: from early design and ground‑based verification to watching your code commission an optical link for the first time in orbit. On the networking side, you'll design and debug the switching fabric that routes traffic across the constellation — ensuring packets traverse inter‑satellite links with minimal latency and maximum reliability.

About the team

You will join a multi‑disciplinary team of exceptional engineers whose work spans an unusually broad scope: embedded flight software running on satellites in orbit, cloud‑based systems powering mission and network operations, automation frameworks that keep a growing constellation healthy, and AI‑driven capabilities that make our optical links smarter with every orbit. We collaborate closely with optical, electrical, firmware, opto‑mechanical, and operations teams — and with partner organizations including Mission Operations and Optical Network Operations — to deliver one of the most advanced optical communication systems ever built.

Basic Qualifications

• 5+ years of non‑internship professional software development experience
• 5+ years of programming with at least one software programming language experience
• 5+ years of leading design or architecture (design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and existing systems experience
• 5+ years of full software development life cycle, including coding standards, code reviews, source control management, build processes, testing, and operations experience
• Experience as a mentor, tech lead or leading an engineering team
• Experience with a switch SDK and L2 networking protocols, including RSTP, BFD, MPLS, and ARP
• Experience developing embedded and low‑level networking software systems in C/C++ or Rust

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing embedded software for space systems, including optical communication systems, laser terminals, or high‑speed serial interfaces
• Experience with ARM‑based SoCs

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.

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.

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