Software Development Engineer II, Drift Defender

Software Development Engineer, Drift Defender: AWS Proactive Security

AWS Proactive Security protects AWS by finding and fixing security risks before anyone can exploit them. We build the technology that keeps AWS infrastructure, pipelines and accounts in a known secure state, at a scale few organizations ever see.

The Drift Defender team in New York City (JFK14) is part of AWS Proactive Security. We detect security configuration drift across AWS and fix it automatically. Drift Defender continuously checks resources against security intents, flags deviations and brings them back into compliance without slowing builders down. We build large, highly available systems that turn security policy into guardrails that run at AWS scale.

The team keeps expanding Drift Defender's coverage and its integrations across the AWS security ecosystem. This work is central to how AWS scales its security posture, and it directly reduces risk for AWS and its customers.

We're looking for engineers who enjoy solving hard distributed systems problems, designing creative solutions and building secure systems at scale, and who do well in a fast-moving, high-ownership environment. You'll build systems that directly affect the security of AWS. You'll work closely with security engineers, product managers and principal engineers to take early concepts through to launch. Experience in security, compliance automation or infrastructure-as-code is a strong plus.

Amazon offers competitive salary, stock grants, health coverage and other benefits.

Key job responsibilities

As a Software Development Engineer on Drift Defender, you will:

- Design, build and operate large-scale distributed services that detect and fix security drift across AWS.

- Work with security engineers and product managers to define security intents and detection logic. You'll also analyze drift and findings data and turn the results into incremental improvements.

- Own the quality and operational excellence of your systems, including design reviews, testing, monitoring and on-call.

- Partner with service teams across AWS so enforcement rolls out safely without disrupting builders.

- Mentor other engineers and help raise the team's engineering bar.

- Bring technical depth, sound security judgment and a bias for action.

A day in the life

Diverse Experiences

Amazon Security values diverse experiences. Even if you do not meet all of the 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 Amazon Security?

At Amazon, security is central to maintaining customer trust and delivering delightful customer experiences. Our organization is responsible for creating and maintaining a high bar for security across all of Amazon’s products and services. We offer talented security professionals the chance to accelerate their careers with opportunities to build experience in a wide variety of areas including cloud, devices, retail, entertainment, healthcare, operations, and physical stores

Inclusive Team Culture

In Amazon Security, it’s in our nature to learn and be curious. Ongoing DEI events and learning experiences inspire us to continue learning and to embrace our uniqueness. Addressing the toughest security challenges requires that we seek out and celebrate a diversity of ideas, perspectives, and voices.

Training & 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, training, 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 flexible work hours and arrangements are part of our culture. When we feel supported in the workplace and at home, there’s nothing we can’t achieve.

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

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, NY, New York - 158,100.00 - 213,800.00 USD annually