Software Engineering Director Jobs in Kent, WA (NOW HIRING)

The Director of Embedded Software Engineering will lead mission-critical embedded software development for Amazon Leo's satellite bus systems, ensuring our satellite constellation meets aggressive reliability, security, and performance targets from manufacturing through end-of-life operations.
This role owns all embedded software development and systems testing for satellite spacecraft systems - including flight software, real-time operating systems, avionics, and on-orbit software validation. You will architect the software that sits on the satellite, manage the end-to-end software stack to bring up the satellite, and lead comprehensive system testing to ensure spacecraft readiness for launch and on-orbit operations.
This is a highly technical leadership role requiring hands-on embedded software architecture expertise combined with the ability to build and scale high-performing engineering organizations. You will work in constrained hardware environments where computing resources (processing power, memory, power consumption) are severely limited. A satellite has 600+ unique processors - it's like having its own compact data center in space - requiring sophisticated embedded software solutions to coordinate this complexity.
Key job responsibilities
As a group leader, you will anticipate bottlenecks, provide escalation management, anticipate and make tradeoffs, and balance the business needs versus technical constraints. The ability to take large, complex projects and break them down into manageable pieces, develop functional specifications, then deliver them in a successful and timely manner is expected. Maturity, judgment, negotiation skills, ability to influence, analytical talent and leadership are essential to success in this role.
Embedded Software Architecture & Development:
• Define and implement end-to-end embedded software architecture for satellite bus systems
• Lead development of real-time operating system (RTOS) implementations for spacecraft control, including scheduling algorithms and embedded design patterns
• Architect Linux OS solutions for satellite systems
• Drive hardware bring-up processes: boot, hardware verification, and comprehensive testing
• Design and implement control systems, redundancy management, and health check software
• Develop and oversee software for custom ASICs and FPGAs used in spacecraft systems
• Architect solutions for complex application synchronization (e.g., global time clock syncing)
• Address avionics systems challenges unique to spacecraft operations
Satellite Bus Software & Systems Testing
• Lead software development for satellite bus systems, including:
o Flight software and spacecraft control
o Attitude determination and control systems (ADCS)
o Power management and distribution
o Thermal control systems
o Command and data handling
o Fault detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR)
o Onboard autonomy and health monitoring
• Own systems test strategy and execution for satellite systems, including Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) simulation frameworks
• Lead on-orbit software testing and validation for operational satellites
• Establish multi-test environments and continuous test/deployment pipelines
• Drive software quality from prototype satellites to production at scale
Technical Leadership & Collaboration
• Provide close partnership with Hardware Engineering teams throughout the development lifecycle - from component design through integration and launch
• Create documentation for worldwide regulatory bodies
• Work closely with research teams to evaluate and simulate system-level performance
• Provide technical leadership while meeting aggressive project schedules
• Drive operational excellence and optimize system performance (e.g., battery usage, resource management)
Team Building & Organizational Leadership
• Scale the embedded software engineering organization from current state to production needs
• Hire and develop exceptional embedded software engineers and leaders
• Manage multiple engineering teams as a leader of leaders (100+ people)
• Foster a culture of innovation, speed, and technical excellence consistent with a "new space" mindset
• Develop talent pipeline for specialized embedded systems expertise
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related STEM discipline
• US Citizenship, Permanent Resident (Green Card), or Political Asylum status required
• Min 10+ years of experience as a manager of managers leading multiple engineering teams
• Proven track record building and scaling engineering organizations (70+ people)
• Demonstrated ability to grow teams from scratch and scale to production operations
• Experience managing directors, principal engineers, and senior technical leaders
Technical Experience
• Min 10+ years of embedded software design and development for mission-critical systems
• Hands-on experience with embedded software architecture and implementation - must be comfortable conducting architectural reviews and discussing technical implementations directly with engineers
• Strong Unix/Linux and systems development skills
• Proven experience with real-time operating systems (RTOS) architecture and implementation
• Deep understanding of embedded software design patterns and best practices
• Experience with hardware-software integration in constrained environments
• Track record taking projects from scoping requirements to successful launch
Software Development Methodology
• "Build quickly" mindset - test on the ground and anticipate how it will work in space
• Proven ability to balance speed with reliability in aerospace-grade environments
• Experience with rapid iteration and continuous test/deployment pipelines
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Aerospace & Satellite Systems Experience
• Hands-on experience with aerospace and avionics systems and techniques for high reliability/robust design
• Experience leading satellite bus software development - flight software, attitude control, power management, spacecraft systems
• On-orbit software testing and validation experience for operational satellites ("testing SW on satellites")
• Experience with space-qualified software development and certification processes
• Understanding of radiation-tolerant computing and fault-tolerant system design
• Familiarity with spacecraft subsystem integration and testing
• Experience working on subsystems and subcomponents (not just system integration)
• Experience with laser/optical inter-satellite link (OISL) software development is a strong differentiator
Embedded Systems Expertise
• Experience developing software for custom ASICs and FPGAs
• Deep knowledge of scheduling algorithms for real-time systems
• Expertise in embedded control systems design and implementation
• Experience with safety-critical software development standards
• Knowledge of hardware acceleration techniques for embedded systems
• Familiarity with Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) simulation frameworks for spacecraft validation
Technical Tools & Platforms
• Proficiency with C/C++, ADA (primary languages for flight software)
• Experience with Python, Matlab for simulation and analysis
• Familiarity with DOORS, JAMA or similar requirements management tools
• Experience with AWS cloud environments for ground systems integration
• Knowledge of version control, CI/CD, and automated testing frameworks
Industry Experience
• Substantial space industry experience (5+ years preferred)
• 10+ years managing products, budgets, and justifying resource needs to senior leaders
• Background in fast-paced "new space" environments strongly preferred over traditional aerospace
• 10+ years managing products, budgets, and justifying resource needs to senior leaders and finance partners
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, Redmond - 264,100.00 - 350,000.00 USD annually