Systems-level SDE for the Tier-0 data plane routing every AWS Global Accelerator packet

AWS is hiring a Software Development Engineer for the Global Accelerator data plane team, which builds and owns the packet processor routing and load-balancing every packet ingressed at AWS edge locations. The role calls for distributed systems and networking depth, ideally with C/C++ and DPDK/NGINX exposure, on a Tier-0 global service.

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Likely format

Amazon SDE loop: phone screen (coding + LP behavioral), then onsite/virtual onsite loop of 4-5 rounds mixing coding, system design, and Leadership Principles behavioral interviews with a bar raiser.

What this interview tests

Distributed systems & networking fundamentals
Packet routing / load balancing at scale
Systems-level programming (C/C++, DPDK, NGINX)
Availability and performance improvement with metrics
Technical ownership and mentoring
Amazon Leadership Principles behavioral depth

Common question themes

Design a system to route/load-balance traffic across global edge locations reliably

Debug a scenario where packet loss or latency spikes at one edge location

Tell me about a system you designed from scratch and owned end-to-end (Ownership LP)

Experience with C/C++ or low-level systems programming

How would you improve availability of a Tier-0 service without a full rewrite (Invent and Simplify)

Mentoring a teammate through a complex distributed systems problem

How candidates describe it

Real Software Development Engineer interview stories — retold from candidates' public write-ups, with sources.

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A master's new grad went through Amazon's full three-part online assessment and three 45-minute virtual interviews. Every round opened with Leadership Principles questions before the coding began, and the offer landed within five business days.

Interviewed October 2019 · Seattle, WA, US

Amazon · SDE I (New Grad)Offer

Amazon SDE 1 new grad interview: one OA, four back-to-back onsite rounds, offer

A fresher found the posting through a LinkedIn connection, cleared the OA within a week of applying, and faced a six-hour virtual onsite: four one-hour rounds where every behavioral answer drew three to four follow-up questions.

Interviewed January 2021 · Seattle, WA, US

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Amazon SDE I Interview Experience: Global Selling Team, 2022

A LinkedIn referral bypassed Amazon's usual online assessment for this SDE I candidate, who then worked through a telephonic DSA screen and two technical rounds pairing coding problems with Amazon Leadership Principles questions before receiving no further response.

Interviewed March 2022 · Not specified

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