Software Development Engineer II, Foundational Security Services

We are open to hiring candidates to work out of one of the following locations:

Herndon,VA,US

As a Software Development Engineer II in the Amazon Foundational Security Services (AFSS) organization at AWS, you will have the opportunity to shape the future of AWS's security and foundational infrastructure. We provide the critical infrastructure that powers Amazon's vast range of services, enabling them to deliver for customers across the globe.

What you will do:

As an SDE II, your role is pivotal in maintaining the robust and innovative solutions of our team. You will work on complex challenges in existing and new development initiatives, focusing on areas with ambiguity. Your goal is to design and develop software systems that are secure, maintainable, scalable, and extendable.

You will develop an understanding of the business impact of your systems and make responsible trade-offs between the short-term operational needs and long-term business objectives. You will actively participate in team strategy discussions and contribute to the decisions made regarding technology.

You will provide technical solutions that not only meet the current needs but also consider the future, promoting simplicity and ease of maintainability. Your solutions will be designed in such a way that they can be easily understood and contributed to by other team members.

You will collaborate with your team, encouraging best practices and setting standards to improve the overall quality of the team's work. In situations where there are differing viewpoints, you will strive to find the best way forward and build consensus.

Why it matters:

Amazon and Amazon Web Services are growing at an unprecedented rate. To keep up with that growth, we are in constant need of innovative processes and automation solutions. Your work will have a company-wide impact, affecting thousands of developers and teams, and enabling us to launch and scale our services rapidly.

Why you'll love it:

You will get a comprehensive view of all aspects of Amazon's business. You will have the opportunity to work with massive data sets and improve the agility of our technical teams. You will be part of a growing, fast-paced, and innovative team. You will have ownership and responsibility to define and execute processes that enhance the productivity and savings for AWS and Amazon.

Our ideal candidate will have a strong background in software development with experience in identity directory systems architecture. Strong written and verbal communication skills are essential. The candidate should have a successful track record of delivering large-scale engineering solutions. The desire and ability to work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment is crucial.

Join us in this high-impact opportunity that offers interesting challenges and high visibility. Be prepared for a rigorous technical interview process as we're looking for the highest quality candidates.

Key job responsibilities
We own configuration management services that provide the means to provision and manage security and performance configurations of large fleet of Linux hosts.

This job requires an array of technical talents: system design, software development, operational excellence, hard prioritization, and making good decisions. At heart, you will be required to solve hard problems correctly.

About the team
Diverse Experiences
Amazon Security values diverse experiences. Even if you do not meet all of the qualifications and skills listed in the job description, we encourage candidates to apply. If your career is just starting, hasn't followed a traditional path, or includes alternative experiences, don't let it stop you from applying.

Why Amazon Security?
At Amazon, security is central to maintaining customer trust and delivering delightful customer experiences. Our organization is responsible for creating and maintaining a high bar for security across all of Amazon's products and services. We offer talented security professionals the chance to accelerate their careers with opportunities to build experience in a wide variety of areas including cloud, devices, retail, entertainment, healthcare, operations, and physical stores.

Inclusive Team Culture
In Amazon Security, it's in our nature to learn and be curious. Ongoing DEI events and learning experiences inspire us to continue learning and to embrace our uniqueness. Addressing the toughest security challenges requires that we seek out and celebrate a diversity of ideas, perspectives, and voices.

Training & Career Growth
We're continuously raising our performance bar as we strive to become Earth's Best Employer. That's why you'll find endless knowledge-sharing, training, and other career-advancing resources here to help you develop into a better-rounded professional.

Work/Life Balance
We value work-life harmony. Achieving success at work should never come at the expense of sacrifices at home, which is why flexible work hours and arrangements are part of our culture. When we feel supported in the workplace and at home, there's nothing we can't achieve.

Basic Qualifications:
- 3+ years of non-internship professional software development experience
- 2+ years of non-internship design or architecture (design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and existing systems experience
- Experience programming with at least one software programming language
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Preferred Qualifications:
- 3+ years of full software development life cycle, including coding standards, code reviews, source control management, build processes, testing, and operations experience
- Bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent

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 for more information. If the country/region you're applying in isn't listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.

Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several US geographic markets. The base pay for this position ranges from $129,300/year in our lowest geographic market up to $223,600/year in our highest geographic market. Pay is based on a number of factors including market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Amazon is a total compensation company. Dependent on the position offered, equity, sign-on payments, and other forms of compensation may be provided as part of a total compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits. For more information, please visit This position will remain posted until filled. Applicants should apply via our internal or external career site.

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