Build greenfield distributed AWS infrastructure systems from scratch

Interview for a Senior SDE role in AWS Infrastructure Services, the org that runs the design and operation of all AWS global infrastructure. This specific team is standing up greenfield large-scale distributed applications using reactive microservices, serverless computing, and distributed NoSQL stores.

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What this interview tests

Greenfield distributed system design (reactive microservices, serverless, NoSQL)
Leading architecture and design decisions for new systems
Writing modular, testable, production-quality code
Fundamental algorithms and system design reasoning
Mentoring junior engineers on design and troubleshooting

Common question themes

Design a large-scale distributed system from scratch — walk through your choice of serverless vs. microservices vs. NoSQL and why

Describe an architecture decision you led that had to balance reliability, scaling, and cost

How do you structure code to keep it modular and testable in a fast-moving greenfield project

Tell me about mentoring a junior engineer through a design or coding problem

How would you approach solving a complex, ambiguous architecture problem with no existing precedent on the team

How candidates describe it

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

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