If you love spending the majority of your waking time working, this is the place for you - Software Development Manager Amazon Employee Review

2.0
Jun 14, 2008
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The environment is a very fast-paced, get things done no matter what quality you can deliver. The people are very smart and for the most part everyone has some business sense to them (whether you aspire for this or not). There are some really cool projects (e.g. AWS), but they are saved for people who are Amazon veterans (i.e. don't think you'll come into Amazon and work on a cool project right away, unless of course you know someone). The overall compensation is definitely above average (assuming the stock isn't plummeting) but you have to be willing to sacrifice your personal life.

Cons

Amazon is a very frugal company (they still use doors for their desks, the facilities are very blah, no free sodas, they do not donate any money to charities or the arts like MS, Boeing, Washington Mutual, Starbucks do, etc.) that has very high expectations of their employees, including sacrificing your life side of work/life balance. Getting in 50 hours a week was a luxury week, the average is more around 60 hours. The majority of the technical side of the company are SDE's, with proportionately very little QA or PM staffing. This means that organization and quality are not part of deliverables, and leaves room for a lot of chaos throughout the company. Operational burden is also very high, and in some of the groups the Tier 1 support staff are the SDE's 24 hours a day (don't think you'll spend a lot of time coding as an SDE, because in some cases you will not!) -- everyone has heard of the dreaded pager stories, yes they are true! Project execution is like shoving a square peg through a round hole – very little planning is ever done and many times the atmosphere is simply survival. And, for all of this sacrifice and hard-work you put in, end of year reviews are very demoralizing and non-rewarding. The majority of the compensation is focused on stock rewards that vest at an escalated rate through 4 years. If you want to see any of that compensation, you need to hang around for at least that long – this is a rather large commitment and sacrifice so be prepared.

Explore other reviews about Amazon

5.0
Jan 23, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Working as a Data Center Engineering Operations (DCEO) technician at AWS has been an incredibly fulfilling experience. Every day, I know that my work directly supports the infrastructure that powers services used by millions of customers worldwide—from Netflix streaming to NASA processing Mars rover images. What makes this role special is the sense of ownership and responsibility. DCEO technicians are truly the heartbeat of the data center, maintaining the critical power, cooling, and life safety systems that keep AWS running at 99.999% uptime. The mission is clear: be stealthy in action and swift in recovery, solving problems before they impact customers. The technical challenges keep the work engaging. Whether I'm monitoring building management systems, responding to alarms, managing preventative maintenance programs, or coordinating with vendors, there's always something new to learn. The role demands both hands-on technical skills and critical thinking, which makes every shift dynamic and rewarding. AWS invests heavily in training and development. The comprehensive onboarding process, detailed standard operating procedures, and access to subject matter experts across Field Engineering and other support teams ensure you're never alone in solving complex problems. The emphasis on safety is genuine—leadership truly prioritizes that everyone goes home in the same condition they arrived. Working alongside dedicated teams like DCO, Infrastructure Delivery, and Logistics creates a collaborative environment where everyone understands how their role contributes to the bigger picture. The 24/7 nature of the work means building strong relationships with your shift team, and there's real camaraderie in knowing you're all working toward the same critical mission. For anyone who enjoys hands-on technical work, values operational excellence, and wants to be part of maintaining world-class infrastructure at global scale, DCEO at AWS offers a challenging and meaningful career path.

Cons

Time constraints, and demands can be overwhelming.

5.0
Jan 10, 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Really smart people, a lot of opportunity for growth, always encouraged to be innovative, think big, and create something new. Competitive salary and benefits with other major tech companies. 100% self motivating work environment. No dress code and 4 legged friends are welcome.

Cons

You have to be self motivated. NO ONE will hold your hand and tell you that you're doing a great job. If you need constant affirmations from management, this company isn't for you.

3159
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