Senior Software Engineer

Senior Software Engineer / SDE II+

We are looking for a hands-on Senior Software Engineer / SDE II+ who can move quickly from idea to production and take ownership of backend or full-stack systems.

The ideal candidate will have strong experience with Java, Python, TypeScript, AWS, distributed systems, and modern cloud technologies, with a strong focus on production reliability, scalability, and engineering quality. AI/LLM experience is a plus.

What the Hiring Manager Wants

• Strong hands-on builder who can ship quickly
• Backend or full-stack engineering expertise
• Experience building and supporting distributed systems
• Strong AWS experience
• Strong Java experience
• Modern technology stack
• Production ownership and operational maturity
• Risk, compliance, accuracy, and auditability mindset
• Ability to ramp up quickly and work independently
• AI/LLM experience is a plus

Required Skills

Must Have:

• Previous Amazon experience – REQUIRED
• Experience at approximately SDE II level or above
• Strong hands-on Java
• Strong software engineering fundamentals
• Experience with modern technology stacks
• AWS experience
• Distributed systems experience
• Production application ownership
• Strong API/service integration experience

Nice to Have:

• Python
• TypeScript
• React / Front-End development
• AI / LLM experience
• AWS serverless technologies
• Amazon Bedrock
• OpenAI
• RAG
• Prompt engineering

Preferred Technical Stack

• Languages: Java, Python, TypeScript
• Cloud: AWS
• AWS Services: Lambda, Step Functions, DynamoDB, CloudWatch
• Frontend: React, TypeScript
• APIs: REST APIs and service integrations
• Architecture: Distributed, event-driven and serverless systems
• AI: Amazon Bedrock, OpenAI, RAG, prompt engineering

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, test, and deploy scalable software applications
• Build and maintain backend services and APIs
• Develop distributed and event-driven systems using AWS
• Own features from design through production deployment
• Troubleshoot complex production issues and perform root-cause analysis
• Improve application performance, reliability, and scalability
• Collaborate with engineering and business teams to deliver solutions quickly
• Monitor production systems and participate in incident response/on-call activities
• Develop solutions with appropriate accuracy, auditability, and compliance considerations
• Identify opportunities to automate manual processes and improve engineering efficiency
• Contribute to modern AI/LLM-powered solutions where applicable

Ideal Candidate Profile

The strongest candidate will have:

• Amazon experience
• Experience operating at an SDE II+ level
• Strong Java development experience
• Backend/full-stack engineering background
• Strong AWS and distributed-systems experience
• Experience with Lambda, Step Functions, DynamoDB, or similar AWS services
• Production ownership and troubleshooting experience
• Strong understanding of APIs and service integrations
• Exposure to AI/LLMs is highly desirable
• Ability to work onsite in Nashville, TN

What Candidates Should Be Prepared to Discuss

Candidates should be comfortable discussing real examples of:

1. Feature Delivery

• Building and delivering production features end-to-end
• Example: React/TypeScript/Python validation platforms
• Measurable improvements in quality or efficiency

2. Performance Optimization

• DynamoDB optimization
• Caching strategies
• Reducing application latency
• Measuring and validating performance improvements

3. AI / LLM

• Amazon Bedrock
• OpenAI
• RAG
• Prompt engineering
• Using LLMs for automation, documentation, or engineering productivity
• Understanding that LLM outputs require validation

4. Distributed Systems

• AWS Lambda
• Step Functions
• DynamoDB
• Event-driven architecture
• Designing scalable and decoupled services

5. Production Ownership

• CloudWatch monitoring
• Incident response
• On-call support
• Root-cause analysis
• Monitoring → Debugging → Fixing → Preventing recurrence

Recruiter Screening Checklist

Before submitting a candidate, please confirm:

• Ex-Amazon: Yes / No
• Highest Amazon level: SDE I / SDE II / SDE III / Senior / Other
• Java experience: ___ years
• AWS experience: ___ years
• Distributed systems: Yes / No
• Python: Yes / No
• TypeScript/React: Yes / No
• AI/LLM: Yes / No
• Production/on-call experience: Yes / No
• Nashville onsite: Yes / No
• Work authorization: __________
• Able to work W2: Yes / No