SoC Systems Engineer System Architecture

The Amazon Devices team designs highprofile consumer electronics including the bestselling Amazon Echo FireTV Fire Tablets Kindle and Astro family of products. We are looking for a motivated individual contributor with a solid hardware or silicon background great communication skills and the passion to collaborate with a crossfunctional team to drive system architecture across Amazon devices.

Key job responsibilities
As an SOC Systems Engineer you will be contribute to defining the system architecture for consumer products such as Echo FireTV and a range of new concepts not yet announced. You will serve as the lead technical point of contact that the product management and business teams rely on to interpret and clarify the product concepts desired user experience and requirements. You will define system architecture that can meet product requirements and work closely with the business team to understand and clarify requirements and user experience tradeoffs. In the process of architecture definition you will drive key design decisions such as edgecloud compute partition device SoC selection compute architecture (CPU DSP GPU and ML accelerators) and other system component selections (chipsets memory storage). You will document the decisions in a system architecture specification document that will provide relevant design guidance for the engineering team.

Besides directly defining product architectures you will track market trends interface directly with silicon and IP vendors and define roadmaps for the whole organization on the next generation compute IP and silicon platforms. You will dive deep into silicon design define specs for the nextgen silicon platforms and work with our silicon suppliers to implement them. You will work on concepts that may have an existing reference architecture as well as emerging product ideas that do not have any precedence. As the product is developed from the initial concept prototype development validation to production you will stay engaged as the system technical lead to ensure the product requirements are being met. Throughout this process you work closely with multidisciplinary product team including Program Management Electrical Engineering Software Engineering ML Science Product Design Industrial Design Reliability and Operations.

You are a handson engineer who is close to the details and validates your architecture assumptions through profiling and benchmarking. You have sufficient breadth across system domains to be able to independently lead a crossfunctional group to drive architecture decisions. Besides breadth you also typically bring depth in one or more areas of expertise to the architecture team such as computer architecture SoC architecture silicon design graphics and multimedia embedded Linux video encoders/decoders applied machine learning ML accelerators audio wireless sensors power management system performance benchmarking etc. As part of technology development you contribute towards developing IP and filing patents.

A day in the life
Gather business and functional product requirements from external/internal customers and translate these requirements into technical specifications and architectures that are robust scalable and supportable
Perform architecture feasibility analysis including profiling benchmarking and prototyping new features (with the larger team) on available silicon platforms.
Present architecture tradeoffs and recommendations to senior management (VP level)
Collaborate with crossfunctional teams to develop and document architecture specifications that serve as a reference for development teams
Serve as a technical lead throughout the full development lifecycle endtoend from scoping planning conception design implementation and testing to delivery and maintenance
Provide design and validation reviews for other engineers including feedback on architecture and design issues as well as integration performance and scalability.
Drive technology roadmaps in areas of expertise to foster innovation and meet the needs of the longterm product roadmap.
Work closely with silicon and component suppliers and influence their roadmaps to meet Amazon Lab126 needs.

About the team
The system architecture team is responsible for architecting Amazon Lab126 products including Echo Fire Tablets FireTV Kindle eReaders Hearables Wearables and IoT. The team also owns the chipset and IP technology roadmap and drives strategies that enable reuse and scale across Amazon devices. The team is comprised of architects with varied hardware and software backgrounds. We are always on the lookout for capable architects who can raise the bar and add technical expertise and depth to drive architectures for nextgen devices and emerging concepts.

Come be a part of the system architecture team in Lab126 Hardware Architecture and technology! Employees who have experience with consumer electronics devices and have been EEs embedded software engineers systems engineers etc. and would like to contribute at the architecture level to the exciting Lab126 roadmap are encouraged to apply.

Masters degree or PhD in Computer Engineering Electrical Engineering or related fields or equivalent job experience.

Background or education in SoC/Silicon engineering computer architecture machine learning or embedded software

Strong understanding of heterogenous SoC architectures
Experience in driving architecture and design decisions for consumer electronics devices
Expertise in at least two of the following areas: computer architecture SoC architecture silicon design graphics and multimedia embedded Linux video encoders/decoders applied machine learning ML accelerators audio wireless sensors power management system performance benchmarking etc.
Handson skills in either software development for prototyping (Python C/C Java etc. or hardware development (System C RTL design FPGA design)
Strong communication skills ability to clearly document and present technical designs

Amazon is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race national origin gender gender identity sexual orientation protected veteran status disability age or other legally protected status.

Los Angeles County applicants: Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees supervisors and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees supervisors and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal state and local laws and Company policies. Criminal history may have a direct adverse and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies exercise sound judgment effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism and safeguard business operations and the Companys reputation. Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

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 for more information. If the country/region youre applying in isnt listed please contact your Recruiting Partner.

Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several US geographic markets. The base pay for this position ranges from $104000/year in our lowest geographic market up to $212200/year in our highest geographic market. Pay is based on a number of factors including market location and may vary depending on jobrelated knowledge skills and experience. Amazon is a total compensation company. Dependent on the position offered equity signon payments and other forms of compensation may be provided as part of a total compensation package in addition to a full range of medical financial and/or other benefits. For more information please visit This position will remain posted until filled. Applicants should apply via our internal or external career site.