Sr. System Dev Engineer, EC2 Core Platforms Engineering

Amazon Inc.; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Amazon Inc. in Seattle is seeking a Systems Development Engineer on EC2 Core Platforms Engineering to lead the technical direction for how we launch new compute platforms, keep the core fleet healthy at massive scale, and automate the way we build, working at the seam between hardware and software.

We own the quality, performance, and reliability of the platforms that host EC2 instances, from lab bring-up through general availability.

Qualifications

• Lead bring-up and validation of new server platforms from lab testing to production launch.
• Drive reliability by reducing hardware and software failures using data-driven root-cause analysis.
• Define architecture for automation and provisioning to accelerate production readiness.

Responsibilities

• Lead the bring-up and validation of new server platforms that host cloud compute instances, owning the technical plan from early lab testing through production launch, and bringing in hardware, firmware, and Nitro experts where the work needs them.
• Own the approach to reducing hardware and software failures across a large-scale server fleet. Use data to find root causes, and drive permanent fixes and mechanisms that eliminate entire classes of failure and improve reliability.
• Design and lead the software and automation that streamline how new platforms are introduced, setting the standard for provisioning, deployment, and validation so platforms reach production faster and with a high quality bar.
• Take on ambiguous, difficult problems that span firmware, operating systems, networking, and infrastructure. Define the technical strategy and break the work into pieces that you and others can deliver in parallel.
• Improve the safety, agility, and automation of the build and launch process across the team and partner teams. Review designs, operational readiness reviews, post-incident analyses, and code, and raise the bar for operational excellence.
• Mentor and coach engineers, take part in hiring, and help the team succeed without depending on your presence.

Job description

Build the systems that bring Amazon's newest servers to life. As a Systems Development Engineer on EC2 Core Platforms Engineering, you'll lead the technical direction for how we launch new compute platforms, keep the core fleet healthy at massive scale, and automate the way we build, working at the seam between hardware and software.

We own the quality, performance, and reliability of the platforms that host EC2 instances, from lab bring-up through general availability. You'll lead the bring-up and validation of new EC2 server platforms, driving the technical plan across Nitro firmware, operating systems, and provisioning. You'll also set the approach for diagnosing and reducing failures across the core fleet, working to eliminate whole classes of failure rather than individual instances. A big part of the role is defining the architecture for the automation, including AI-driven tooling, that makes platform launches faster, safer, and more repeatable, and driving its adoption across the team and our partners.

You'll partner with hardware engineering, Annapurna, and the Nitro component teams, working on some of the largest compute fleets in the world, where a single improvement in reliability or build automation compounds across millions of hosts. You'll influence the technical strategy and roadmaps of these teams, build consensus where priorities compete, and bring clarity to problems where the right solution isn't yet defined.

Key job responsibilities

• Lead the bring-up and validation of new server platforms that host cloud compute instances, owning the technical plan from early lab testing through production launch, and bringing in hardware, firmware, and Nitro experts where the work needs them.
• Own the approach to reducing hardware and software failures across a large-scale server fleet. Use data to find root causes, and drive permanent fixes and mechanisms that eliminate entire classes of failure and improve reliability.
• Design and lead the software and automation that streamline how new platforms are introduced, setting the standard for provisioning, deployment, and validation so platforms reach production faster and with a high quality bar.
• Take on ambiguous, difficult problems that span firmware, operating systems, networking, and infrastructure. Define the technical strategy and break the work into pieces that you and others can deliver in parallel.
• Improve the safety, agility, and automation of the build and launch process across the team and partner teams. Review designs, operational readiness reviews, post-incident analyses, and code, and raise the bar for operational excellence.
• Mentor and coach engineers, take part in hiring, and help the team succeed without depending on your presence.