Senior HDD Hardware Engineer (S3 Storage Hardware, OEM Drives)

Quick Facts

• Team: S3 Hardware Engineering
• Focus: HDD technology for AWS cloud storage

Description

As a Senior HDD Hardware Engineer, you will bring new HDD technology into AWS S3 systems and scale operations for a massive, rapidly growing drive fleet. You will execute product designs from concept through production—covering design, development, validation, and large-scale implementation—while applying new technologies to server deployments. You will also drive continuous improvements to performance, quality, and cost using data-driven analysis and engineering troubleshooting.

Responsibilities

• Review fleet analytics and monitor millions of drives; analyze trends and anomalies to prioritize immediate issues vs. long-term optimizations
• Lead new HDD technology initiatives (e.g., qualification and production readiness for HAMR laser-enabled HDDs)
• Evaluate firmware capabilities and run extensive validation tests prior to deployment at scale
• Architect software–HDD interaction approaches to maximize performance and reliability
• Debug complex system interaction issues using automated monitoring and root-cause analysis
• Develop and refine automation frameworks and analytics tools for managing the fleet at scale
• Coordinate with HDD manufacturers for development and qualification of drives; orchestrate integration tooling

Requirements

• Experience developing functional specifications, design verification plans, and functional test procedures
• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or equivalent
• 5+ years of engineering experience deploying and operating HDDs systems
• Deep engineering understanding of HDD function and system interactions

Benefits

• Sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs)
• Comprehensive health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription; Basic Life & AD&D; Supplemental life options), EAP, mental health support, medical advice line
• Flexible Spending Accounts, adoption and surrogacy reimbursement
• 401(k) matching
• Paid time off, parental leave
• Work-life balance focus and flexibility
• Mentorship and career growth through knowledge sharing