Avoid the Kindle organization - Software Development Engineer Amazon Employee Review

2.0
May 23, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Ships a lot in a really short time. Leading the way in digital media. Amazon talks a lot about it "still being day one" in that there is a lot of opportunity in the space they are in. That definitely is true. I got lucky with my team for work-life balance. Compared to a lot of others, I have a pretty sane work life.

Cons

Avoid working in the Kindle organization unless you like really political environments. There are some people who are hired with the sole purpose to nag other teams to deliver on their schedule. If you think android fragmentation is bad, try dealing with Kindle internal teams. Components will make changes that break consumers and provide no backwards compatibility story besides telling people to fork their own codebase. People in the Kindle org are very quick to pass blame to others and do things to just cover their own butt. Based on the company values, I'm very surprised that the Kindle organization behaves the way they do. They've hired too many ex-Microsoft who brought the poor culture along (see the article about Microsoft lost decade). Promotions seem nearly impossible here too. Promotion committees are very quick to dismiss a promotion on a single peer feedback even though there is overwhelming good feedback. Also, if you do not have a lot of other people on your team at a higher level than you, you cannot get the required endorsement of someone at that level to get promoted.

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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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