Senior Software Development Engineer, AWS RDS SQL Server

Position: Senior Software Development Engineer, AWS RDS for SQL Server
Description

RDS provides customers with databases that have multiple-nines of durability and availability. Achieving this level of reliability requires building control and monitoring systems that automatically detect and handle failures within seconds, and data replication options that accommodate various geographical distribution and disaster recovery objectives, all while supporting huge numbers of databases, multiple database engines, and a wide variety of customer workloads.

This role is on the AWS RDS for SQL Server team, responsible for making it easy for customers to set up, operate, and scale SQL Server deployments in the cloud. We build and operate the high availability, automated failover, patching, and lifecycle management systems that keep customers' SQL Server databases running with minimal interruption.

We are looking for a Senior Software Engineer who thrives on solving fundamental problems in distributed systems, state machine logic, performance, and fault tolerance. You will lead the design and delivery of complex features end-to-end, mentor engineers on the team, and drive technical decisions that directly impact customer availability. You bring a strong sense of ownership, passion for great customer experience, and excellent troubleshooting skills in high-pressure situations.

For more information:

Key job responsibilities

Design and operate highly available distributed systems that serve production customer workloads at scale

Define strategy in ambiguity:
Identify problems and opportunities where the path forward isn't clear, and design long-term solutions using sound judgment and stakeholder input

Lead end-to-end delivery:
Own the full lifecycle of solutions, from scoping and design through execution, simplifying complexity for the best outcome

Drive cross-functional influence:
Collaborate across teams, organizations, and geographies to align on goals and deliver results across one or more programs

Solve complex problems:
Tackle challenging business and technology issues, define project requirements, and resolve escalations decisively

Communicate at all levels:
Write strategic narratives and present to senior leadership; build consensus across diverse stakeholders

Balance short-term and long-term:
Make trade-offs between immediate delivery needs and sustainable, scalable solutions while mitigating long-term risks

Mentor and develop talent:
Coach and grow team members, raising the bar on team capability

Drive operational excellence:
Champion best practices and process improvements that elevate team performance

Clear blockers and drive resolution:
Navigate difficult situations, escalate appropriately, and keep programs moving forward

Deliver lasting impact:
Produce work that shapes long-term team direction and goals

A day in the life

As a Senior SDE, you'll split your time between hands-on coding and leading technical direction for your team. Day-to-day, you're designing systems, reviewing architectures, unblocking engineers, and writing narratives to align stakeholders, from product managers and designers to senior leadership. You own ambiguous, cross-cutting problems end-to-end: figuring out what to build, driving consensus when people disagree, making trade-off calls, and mentoring junior devs along the way.

It's part IC, part tech lead, and you're expected to find the path forward even when the problem isn't well-defined.

About the team

We're the team behind Amazon RDS for SQL Server, making it simple for customers to run SQL Server in the cloud without wrestling with infrastructure. We tackle complex distributed systems challenges (automated failover, zero-downtime patching, scaling at cloud speed) for customers ranging from startups to Fortune 500 enterprises. The culture is collaborative, high-ownership, and low on bureaucracy: we ship fast, learn from our customers, and genuinely enjoy the work.

If you like solving puzzles that millions of people quietly depend on every day, you'll fit right in.

AWS values diverse experiences. Even if you do not meet all of the preferred 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 AWS? Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world's most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform. We pioneered cloud computing and never stopped innovating - that's why customers from the most successful startups to Global 500 companies trust our robust suite of products and services to power their businesses.

Inclusive Team Culture Here at AWS, it's in our nature to learn and be curious. Our employee-led affinity groups foster a culture of inclusion that empower us to be proud of our differences. Ongoing events and learning experiences, including our Conversations on Race and Ethnicity (CORE) and Amaze Con  conferences, inspire us to never stop embracing our uniqueness.

Mentorship & Career Growth…