Overall good experience - SDE1 Amazon Employee Review

4.0
8 Jan 2016
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

It really depends on which team/management you are working with, and since Amazon is very big, some employees can have a very different experience than I have. --- No matter what team you join, you will be working with people who are smart. Even if you think that you are the best in certain fields, there are always people you can learn from. Amazon is really fast paced, so you will see huge projects get quickly shipped out the door. Rather than spend years perfecting a product, Amazon is willing to take risks and fix things after getting things launched (with minimal customer impact). Amazon truly is customer-focused. A lot of the time the first question that is being asked is: How will this affect the customer? There are so many teams at Amazon, that you can constantly switch teams to try out completely new things. Although they require you to stay with a team for at least one full year, that's pretty much what I did. I hopped around trying out different things.

Cons

On-call. Not every team has this, but some teams do. For some teams, on-call is a breeze, and for others it is a nightmare. But this should come naturally to teams who are responsible for multi-million dollar code directly impacts customer experience. Although at first it may seem pretty daunting, once you get in the rhythm it's really not that bad. Plus most managers/teams are pretty understanding and you can come in late the next day if you get a over-night on-call. Work-life balance. Again this is heavily team/project dependent. Some teams have it really bad, while others have it really chill. Dealing with the recruiting team is a nightmare. I had to deal with them three times for three years, and every time I've had a really bad experience. I could have been unlucky, but from speaking with other co-workers I don't think I was the only one who had this experience. Frugality. Honestly being frugal is stupid. I've heard rumors of Amazon leadership taking it out of the leadership principles, but Amazon needs to get on top of its game with this.

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5.0
23 Jan 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
10 Jan 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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