Senior Device Software Development Engineer

About the role

Amazon Leo is Amazon’s initiative to launch a constellation of 3,236 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites to provide high‑speed, low‑latency broadband connectivity to unserved and underserved communities globally. As a Senior Device Software Development Engineer on the Amazon Leo Government (ALG) team, you will design and develop embedded software for Amazon Leo’s satellite and ground systems, working on fault‑tolerant, real‑time platforms and collaborating closely with hardware, systems, and product teams to deliver secure, reliable, and high‑performance solutions. The role supports critical government initiatives for U.S. and allied missions and is based in Northridge, El Segundo, Seattle, or Arlington with U.S. relocation benefits. On‑site work is required 5 days a week.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and optimize embedded software for Amazon Leo’s satellite and ground terminal systems, focusing on fault‑tolerant, real‑time platforms.
• Leverage modern application frameworks for Embedded Linux and RTOS platforms to develop scalable, modular, and high‑performance software.
• Implement and integrate software for data processing, device control, and networking protocols (e.g., TCP/IP, UDP).
• Develop low‑level drivers for peripherals and interfaces, including I2C, SPI, PCIe, UART, and GPIO.
• Collaborate with hardware teams to support board bring‑up and integration testing.
• Drive security initiatives, including bootloaders, cryptography, and secure Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) practices.
• Debug and resolve complex hardware‑software integration issues using tools like logic analyzers and oscilloscopes.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to ensure seamless hardware‑software interaction and system reliability.
• Mentor junior engineers, conduct design reviews, and uphold high software quality standards.

Security Clearance: This position requires the candidate to be a U.S. citizen to comply with U.S. government‑imposed requirements.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or equivalent.
• 5+ years of non‑internship professional software development experience.
• 5+ years of programming with at least one software programming language.
• 4+ years of leading design or architecture (design patterns, reliability, scaling) of new and existing systems.
• Experience as a mentor, tech lead, or leading an engineering team.
• 3+ years of programming experience in C, C++, or Rust for resource‑constrained systems.
• Proficiency in debugging, optimization, and hardware‑software system integration.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in computer science or equivalent.
• 5+ years of full software development life cycle experience, including coding standards, code reviews, source control management, build processes, testing, and operations.
• 3+ years of experience leading architecture and design for fault‑tolerant, real‑time systems.
• Hands‑on experience with Xilinx platforms, custom silicon development, cryptography, and secure SDLC practices.
• In‑depth knowledge of Linux kernel internals (process scheduling, memory management, concurrency, synchronization, networking subsystems).
• Familiarity with networking protocols (e.g., TCP/IP, UDP) and low‑level hardware interfaces such as I2C, SPI, and PCIe.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary with sign‑on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs).
• Comprehensive health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription), Basic Life & AD&D insurance, optional supplemental life plans, Employee Assistance Program, mental health support, medical advice line, and flexible spending accounts.
• Adoption and surrogacy reimbursement coverage.
• 401(k) matching.
• Paid time off and parental leave.
• Relocation assistance for eligible locations.