Amazon Leo is building a next-generation low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation to deliver global cellular connectivity directly to consumer devices. The Direct-to-Device (D2D) program enables standard mobile handsets to connect to Amazon Leo satellites without any hardware modification, leveraging 3GPP Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) standards. We are seeking a Distinguished Engineer to serve as the senior software technical leader for the D2D program, responsible for driving the end-to-end software architecture, development, and delivery of satellite-based cellular communication systems.
This role demands a rare combination of deep expertise in 3GPP standards, embedded systems engineering, real-time operating systems, radio access network (RAN) protocol stacks, and computer hardware architecture. The Distinguished Engineer will set the technical vision, mentor engineering teams, and make critical architectural decisions that shape the performance, reliability, and scalability of the D2D satellite communication system.
Export Control Requirement: Due to applicable export control laws and regulations, candidates must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.
Key job responsibilities
- Own the end-to-end software delivery for the D2D system, spanning satellite payload firmware, ground station software, and protocol stack implementations
- Build, mentor, and scale a world-class software engineering organization; attract and retain top talent across embedded systems, protocol development, and signal processing
- Drive architectural decisions across the full RAN protocol stack (RRC, CU, DU, RU) in alignment with 3GPP specifications
- Partner with systems engineers, hardware engineers, and network architects to ensure cohesive system design and integration
- Establish software development processes, coding standards, and engineering best practices across the D2D software organization
- Drive technical risk identification and mitigation strategies throughout the product development lifecycle
- Define comprehensive test strategies from unit testing through end-to-end system validation, including simulation environments and hardware-in-the-loop test beds
- Serve as a key technical voice on 3GPP NTN standards (Release 17+) and represent Amazon Leo in industry forums
- Make informed tradeoffs between bare-metal and RTOS-based deployments based on latency, throughput, power, and resource constraints
About the team
Join a team that is redefining global connectivity. Amazon Leo's Direct-to-Device program represents one of the most ambitious technical challenges in modern telecommunications—bringing cellular service to billions of people worldwide through a constellation of advanced LEO satellites. You will shape the technical direction of a program with global impact, working alongside world-class engineers across hardware, software, systems, and operations disciplines.
