Software Systems Engineer Jobs in Washington
Software Systems Engineer jobs in Washington are among the most active in the country, concentrated in aerospace and defense, cloud infrastructure, and enterprise software across a market that stretches from entry-level associate engineers to principal and staff-level roles. The heaviest hiring happens in the Seattle metro, Bellevue, and the Puget Sound corridor, where Boeing, Microsoft, and Amazon maintain large engineering organizations. The most in-demand specialties include embedded systems, distributed systems architecture, and DevOps platform engineering. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 61+ Software Systems Engineer jobs
DESCRIPTION
We are seeking a Software Development Engineer to work on an in-house distributed database system the serves some of the most demanding needs of AWS services. This system pioneered database concepts that are now considered state-of-the-art innovations within the field. In this role you will continue to innovate for Amazon and support AWS’ ever-increasing needs and scale. Your responsibilities will include designing and developing novel, distributed, highly available, and scalable database technologies. You will be working with a team of highly passionate and knowledgeable SDEs, participating in design, code reviews, and engaging in problem-solving. You will engage with customers to understand their needs and support them operationally. While maintaining current technical knowledge to support rapidly changing technology, you will look out for new technologies and work with the team to adapt and improvise. Candidates will have the opportunity to work with senior engineers who have built deep knowledge in distributed systems and database technologies.
Key job responsibilities
Our engineers collaborate across diverse teams, projects, and environments to have a firsthand impact on our global customer base. You’ll bring a passion for innovation, data, search, analytics, and distributed systems.
You’ll also:
- Solve challenging technical problems, often ones not solved before, at every layer of the stack.
- Design, implement, test, deploy and maintain innovative software solutions to transform service performance, durability, cost, and security.
- Build high-quality, highly available, always-on products.
- Research implementations that deliver the best possible experiences for customers.
A day in the life
As you design and code solutions to help our team drive efficiencies in software architecture, you’ll create metrics, implement automation and other improvements, and resolve the root cause of software defects.
You’ll also:
- Build high-impact solutions to deliver to our large customer base.
- Participate in design discussions, code review, and communicate with internal and external stakeholders.
- Work cross-functionally to help drive business decisions with your technical input.
- Work in a startup-like development environment, where you’re always working on the most important stuff.
About the team
Our team is dedicated to supporting new members. We have a broad mix of experience levels and tenures, and we’re building an environment that celebrates knowledge-sharing and mentorship. Our senior members enjoy one-on-one mentoring and thorough, but kind, code reviews. We care about your career growth and strive to assign projects that help our team members develop your engineering expertise so you feel empowered to take on more complex tasks in the future.
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 AmazeCon conferences, inspire us to never stop embracing our uniqueness.
Mentorship & 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, mentorship 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 we strive for flexibility as part of our working culture. When we feel supported in the workplace and at home, there’s nothing we can’t achieve in the cloud.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 5+ years of non-internship professional software development experience
- 5+ years of programming with at least one software programming language experience
- 5+ years of leading design or architecture (design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and existing systems experience
- Experience as a mentor, tech lead or leading an engineering team
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 5+ 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, WA, Seattle - 168,100.00 - 227,400.00 USD annually
DESCRIPTION
We are seeking a Software Development Engineer to work on an in-house distributed database system the serves some of the most demanding needs of AWS services. This system pioneered database concepts that are now considered state-of-the-art innovations within the field. In this role you will continue to innovate for Amazon and support AWS’ ever-increasing needs and scale. Your responsibilities will include designing and developing novel, distributed, highly available, and scalable database technologies. You will be working with a team of highly passionate and knowledgeable SDEs, participating in design, code reviews, and engaging in problem-solving. You will engage with customers to understand their needs and support them operationally. While maintaining current technical knowledge to support rapidly changing technology, you will look out for new technologies and work with the team to adapt and improvise. Candidates will have the opportunity to work with senior engineers who have built deep knowledge in distributed systems and database technologies.
Key job responsibilities
Our engineers collaborate across diverse teams, projects, and environments to have a firsthand impact on our global customer base. You’ll bring a passion for innovation, data, search, analytics, and distributed systems.
You’ll also:
- Solve challenging technical problems, often ones not solved before, at every layer of the stack.
- Design, implement, test, deploy and maintain innovative software solutions to transform service performance, durability, cost, and security.
- Build high-quality, highly available, always-on products.
- Research implementations that deliver the best possible experiences for customers.
A day in the life
As you design and code solutions to help our team drive efficiencies in software architecture, you’ll create metrics, implement automation and other improvements, and resolve the root cause of software defects.
You’ll also:
- Build high-impact solutions to deliver to our large customer base.
- Participate in design discussions, code review, and communicate with internal and external stakeholders.
- Work cross-functionally to help drive business decisions with your technical input.
- Work in a startup-like development environment, where you’re always working on the most important stuff.
About the team
Our team is dedicated to supporting new members. We have a broad mix of experience levels and tenures, and we’re building an environment that celebrates knowledge-sharing and mentorship. Our senior members enjoy one-on-one mentoring and thorough, but kind, code reviews. We care about your career growth and strive to assign projects that help our team members develop your engineering expertise so you feel empowered to take on more complex tasks in the future.
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 AmazeCon conferences, inspire us to never stop embracing our uniqueness.
Mentorship & 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, mentorship 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 we strive for flexibility as part of our working culture. When we feel supported in the workplace and at home, there’s nothing we can’t achieve in the cloud.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 5+ years of non-internship professional software development experience
- 5+ years of programming with at least one software programming language experience
- 5+ years of leading design or architecture (design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and existing systems experience
- Experience as a mentor, tech lead or leading an engineering team
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 5+ 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, WA, Seattle - 168,100.00 - 227,400.00 USD annually
See All 61 Software Systems Engineer Jobs in Washington
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Find JobsSoftware Systems Engineer Jobs by City in Washington
Where Washington roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Software Systems Engineer Job Market in Washington
A snapshot from current Washington openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Manufacturing
- Technology & Software
What Washington Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in software systems engineer jobs across Washington.
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related engineering field
- Demonstrated experience designing and implementing large-scale software systems or embedded applications
- Proficiency in one or more systems programming languages such as C++, Rust, Go, or Python
- Familiarity with cloud platforms, particularly AWS or Azure, which dominate Washington employer stacks
- Experience with version control, CI/CD pipelines, and Agile or SAFe development methodologies
- Strong written communication skills for technical documentation and cross-functional collaboration
Software Systems Engineer Jobs in Washington: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a software systems engineer in Washington?
Most software systems engineer roles in Washington require a bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, electrical engineering, or a closely related field, and Washington does not require a state-issued license for this role. Employers in aerospace and defense, including major Puget Sound contractors, frequently require or prefer candidates who can obtain a federal security clearance. Building a portfolio of systems-level projects, contributing to open-source infrastructure work, or completing a relevant internship in Washington's tech corridor strengthens applications considerably.
How much do software systems engineers make in Washington?
Software systems engineers in Washington earn a median of about $166,540 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $96,810 for the lowest 10% to over $255,350 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire software systems engineers in Washington?
Employers hiring software systems engineers in Washington right now include Meta, Amazon, and Blue Origin, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Washington's dense concentration of aerospace primes, hyperscale cloud providers, and enterprise software companies means demand for systems engineers is consistently high across multiple industry verticals.
Which Washington cities have the most software systems engineer jobs?
Seattle, Redmond, and Bellevue have the most software systems engineer openings in Washington. Seattle and Bellevue lead because of the headquarters presence of major cloud and enterprise software firms, while Redmond and the broader Eastside corridor add significant volume through aerospace, defense contracting, and semiconductor-adjacent employers anchored in the Puget Sound region.
Are there remote software systems engineer jobs in Washington?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 33% of software systems engineer openings tied to Washington are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting how much of this work involves code, architecture review, and documentation that travels well. The most remote-friendly sub-areas are cloud platform engineering and backend distributed systems, while embedded systems and hardware-adjacent roles typically require on-site presence.
How can I get hired as a software systems engineer in Washington with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is an associate or junior software engineer role at a Washington aerospace or cloud company, where structured new-grad programs provide mentorship and rotation across systems teams. Boeing, Amazon, and Microsoft all run established early-career engineering programs specifically for candidates without professional experience. Building projects that demonstrate systems thinking, such as a distributed application or a low-level networking tool, and earning a cloud certification from AWS or Azure gives candidates a concrete edge when applying to Washington's competitive entry-level openings.
Where can I find and apply to software systems engineer jobs in Washington?
You can find and apply to software systems engineer jobs in Washington on Migrate Mate, which lists current Washington openings. Search the available roles, find the ones that fit your background and location, and apply directly.
See All 61 Software Systems Engineer Jobs in Washington
Find roles in Washington that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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