Junior Database Engineer Jobs in Seattle, WA (NOW HIRING)

Ever wonder what happens when S3 processes a PUT request, when DynamoDB commits a write with single-digit millisecond latency, or when Kinesis Data Streams ingests a new record? Behind the scenes, a distributed log service is making it all possible, and you'd be building it.
The Transactional Services organization builds foundational distributed systems that power the largest AWS services. We specialize in high-performance, strongly consistent data systems that operate at massive scale. Our systems process over 4 million writes per second today and are growing fast. When we ship, the blast radius is AWS itself. Getting it right matters. Our customers depend on every write being durable and every read being consistent.
We have a multi-year roadmap packed with hard, unsolved problems: pushing tail latencies lower than today's already tight targets, continuously driving down the cost structure of the platform, partnering with customers to deliver new capabilities, and pushing the boundaries of durability, availability, and performance in distributed log systems. These are not small improvements. This is the work that shapes the foundation of AWS storage infrastructure.
As an SDE-II, you'll own systems end-to-end: from requirements and design through implementation, deployment, and production support. You'll dig deep into systems internals, reasoning about memory layouts, cache behavior, lock-free data structures, and network protocol design. The service is built primarily in Java with Rust used for the most performance-critical components, high-consistency disk and networking IO where every microsecond counts. You'll troubleshoot complex production issues spanning multiple distributed components where the root cause is rarely obvious. You'll work alongside multiple Senior and Principal Engineers on a tight-knit team that values pairing, co-ownership, and direct collaboration. You'll also mentor junior engineers and help raise the team's technical bar through design reviews and engineering best practices.
This role demands strong computer science fundamentals. You should be comfortable reasoning about algorithmic complexity, concurrency primitives, and the trade-offs inherent in distributed systems. If you have a sharp eye for detail, a passion for getting to the root cause, and want to go deep on distributed systems and database internals, not just use them, but build the ones that AWS depends on, this is the role.
Key job responsibilities
- Design and build highly available, low-latency distributed log and database systems that process millions of writes per second for AWS's most critical services.
- Own end-to-end delivery of software projects from requirements through design, implementation, deployment, and production support.
- Troubleshoot and resolve complex issues in production distributed systems using systematic debugging, performance profiling, and deep analysis of system behavior under failure conditions.
- Design and implement efficient data structures and algorithms optimized for throughput, latency, and memory efficiency in performance-critical paths.
- Identify and execute opportunities to reduce system latency and optimize cost efficiency across the platform.
- Drive improvements to security, reliability, durability, and performance across multiple foundational services.
- Lead and contribute to multi-year, cross-team migration and integration efforts with high-profile partner teams.
- Mentor junior engineers through code reviews, design discussions, and pairing sessions.
- Establish and evolve engineering best practices and operational processes for the team.
About the team
AWS values diverse experiences. Even if you do not meet all of the preferred 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 AWS? Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world's most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform. We pioneered cloud computing and never stopped innovating - that's why customers from the most successful startups to Global 500 companies trust our robust suite of products and services to power their businesses.
Inclusive Team Culture Here at AWS, it's in our nature to learn and be curious. Our employee-led affinity groups foster a culture of inclusion that empower us to be proud of our differences. Ongoing events and learning experiences, including our Conversations on Race and Ethnicity (CORE) and AmazeCon conferences, inspire us to never stop embracing our uniqueness.
Mentorship & 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, mentorship 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 we strive for flexibility as part of our working culture. When we feel supported in the workplace and at home, there's nothing we can't achieve in the cloud.
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
- 1+ years of software development engineer or related occupational experience
- 1+ years of designing and developing large-scale, multi-tiered, multi-threaded, embedded or distributed software applications, tools, systems, and services using: C#, C++, Java, or Perl experience
- 1+ years of Object Oriented Design experience
- Bachelor's degree or foreign equivalent in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related field
- Experience programming with at least one software programming language
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
- Knowledge of professional software engineering & best practices for full software development life cycle, including coding standards, software architectures, code reviews, source control management, continuous deployments, testing, and operational excellence
- Experience with Java or Rust in performance-sensitive environments
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 https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you're applying in isn't listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
USA, WA, Seattle - 143,700.00 - 194,400.00 USD annually