May 18, 2026
Amazon Web Services
Part of Amazon
Is this your company?
Amazon Web Services Sr. Software Development Manager reviews
2.3
16% would recommend to a friend
Matt Garman
9% approve of CEO
54% positive business outlook
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14 reviews
1.0
Feb 1, 2026
High TC, but at the cost of your soul and sanity
Current employee, more than 5 years
Vancouver, BC
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook
Pros
The Paycheck: Let’s be real, the total compensation (TC) is top-tier. If you can survive until your Year 3 and 4 stock vests, you’re set. The Resume Stamp: Having AWS on your resume is like a golden ticket. It opens doors everywhere else because people know if you survived here, you can handle anything. Smart Peers: You will work with some of the most brilliant engineers in the world. You’ll learn more in 6 months here than in 3 years at a mid-tier company.
Cons
PIP Culture: The "Unregretted Attrition" (URA) goals are real. Managers are often forced to identify a bottom percentage of the team to put on Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) or "Focus" to meet corporate quotas, even if the whole team is high-performing. It creates a "hunger games" vibe. Work-Life Balance (WLB): It doesn't exist. Expect to be on-call for services that "break the internet" if they go down. High-severity (Sev2) tickets at 3:00 AM are a regular occurrence, and you’re expected to be back at your desk by 9:00 AM. Leadership Principles (LPs) as Weapons: The 16 Leadership Principles are used to justify everything. "Dive Deep" is often just code for micromanagement, and "Have Backbone; Disagree and Commit" usually means "you can complain, but we’re doing it my way anyway." Return to Office (RTO 5): The recent mandate for 5 days in-office feels like a "silent layoff" tactic. It has destroyed morale for those who built lives around flexibility, and the offices are often overcrowded and loud.
2.0
May 12, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook
Pros
If you haven't worked for a large company before it's a great way to get experience in process (mechanisms) and becoming an effective writer.
Cons
Every year there is a required percentage of employees to manage out of the company. Managers have full discretion and do not have to provide evidence. Therefore one or more of their team are "picked" to be put on performance improvement plans.
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