Some great teams, and a lot of terrible teams - Software Engineer II Amazon Employee Review

3.0
Sep 24, 2013
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great tools for programmers. A lot of them are very proprietary, but the concepts are there, and the whole software ecosystem meshes together well. Some really smart people scattered throughout the company. I've learned a ton being here. If you find the right team, you can build products that customers love and have some say in how they're built. If you find a small team that's missing say a project manager, you get the chance to take on different roles. The "leadership principles" - while receiving a lot of scorn from some employees - are awesome guiding principles for how to act. They're burned into my brain for the rest of my life.

Cons

Lots of crappy programmers. Blind leading the blind means many college hires get indoctrinated with bad practices Here's your choice of teams: - Small agile teams that are building cool products quickly - Massive orgs that have built themselves into corners and make every simple task take days to get right - Teams owning some of the oldest software in the company with crazy high attrition rates (think avg 6-8 months) - Teams that grew too fast and have 10 awful hacks for every good programmer, causing nightmares for whoever's on call If you're looking to work at Amazon, you NEED to talk to the manager/coworkers on the team you're being hired for. If they look defeated and sad, look elsewhere!

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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.

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