Sr. Network Development Engineer, Satellite Systems Integration and Test, Amazon Leo

Amazon Leo is an initiative to increase global broadband access through a constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit. Its mission is to provide fast, reliable, and affordable connectivity to unserved and underserved communities around the world.

The Satellite Systems Integration and Test team validates the complete communications path across the satellite payload, ground gateways, customer terminals, transport networks, and cloud services. We integrate new capabilities, evaluate end-to-end performance, troubleshoot complex failures, and reproduce issues observed during satellite operations.

As a Senior Network Development Engineer, you will lead hands-on integration and testing of satellite communications and ground-network capabilities. You will work across RF, networking, wireless protocols, embedded software, cloud services, and test automation to bring new features from initial lab integration through end-to-end validation.

This role is ideal for an engineer who enjoys working directly with complex systems, collecting evidence, analyzing packet captures and logs, understanding RF link behavior, and driving ambiguous problems to root cause. You will collaborate with systems, hardware, software, RF, networking, and operations teams to determine whether failures originate in the satellite payload, RF link, gateway, customer terminal, transport network, or cloud service.

Key job responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end integration and validation of satellite communications features across the satellite payload, ground gateways, customer terminals, transport networks, and cloud services.
• Develop and execute test campaigns covering functionality, performance, reliability, scale, and failure recovery.
• Translate system and product requirements into test plans, use cases, success criteria, and verification matrices.
• Bring up new test configurations by integrating customer terminals, gateway equipment, satellite payload systems, RF equipment, network infrastructure, and cloud services.
• Troubleshoot complex system issues using packet captures, system logs, telemetry, performance counters, RF measurements, and test data.
• Use tools such as tcpdump, Wireshark, iperf, and Linux networking utilities to isolate packet loss, latency, session failures, and throughput degradation.
• Analyze behavior across the communications stack, including RF link conditions, MAC behavior, Layer 2 and Layer 3 networking, transport protocols, and application performance.
• Troubleshoot packet loss and performance degradation caused by retransmissions, congestion, MTU issues, routing behavior, link conditions, and TCP or UDP behavior.
• Correlate RF conditions such as signal level, interference, link margin, channel impairments, and modulation performance with network and application behavior.
• Reproduce functional and performance issues observed during satellite operations in a controlled lab environment.
• Work with RF and test-equipment vendors to expand lab capabilities using spectrum analyzers, channel emulators, vector signal generators and analyzers, and customer-terminal simulators.
• Automate test execution, data collection, log processing, performance analysis, and reporting using Python or similar languages.
• Communicate technical findings clearly and drive cross-functional teams toward root cause, corrective action, and verification.
• Create and maintain test procedures, verification matrices, test records, dashboards, troubleshooting guides, and program-level status reports.
• Mentor engineers and establish repeatable integration, troubleshooting, and validation practices across the team.

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.

Basic qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent work experience
• 10+ years of experience in either satellite communications, cellular systems, wireless systems, modem validation, network integration, or end-to-end communications testing.
• Experience troubleshooting complex systems using packet captures, system logs, performance counters, and telemetry.
• Experience with Linux and network troubleshooting tools such as tcpdump, Wireshark, ping, traceroute, iperf, and standard Linux networking utilities.
• Knowledge of IP networking, including TCP and UDP behavior, routing, VLANs, IP addressing, MTU, packet loss, latency, and throughput analysis.
• Experience integrating and testing systems that combine hardware, software, networking, RF components, and external test equipment.
• Experience developing test automation or data-analysis tools using Python or a similar programming language.
• Experience leading technical investigations across multiple engineering teams and communicating complex findings.

Preferred qualifications

• • Master’s or PhD degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, telecommunications, or a related discipline.
• • Experience with satellite payloads, satellite ground systems, gateways, customer terminals, or over-the-air communications testing.
• • Experience with cellular systems and 3GPP protocols, including LTE, 5G NR, Layer 2 and Layer 3 procedures, mobility, and performance testing.
• • Understanding of RF link behavior and its effect on network performance, including link margin, fading, interference, modulation, coding, and retransmissions.
• Experience with RF test equipment such as spectrum analyzers, vector signal generators and analyzers, channel emulators, power meters, and terminal simulators.
• Experience troubleshooting modem or wireless protocol-stack behavior from the MAC layer through the application layer.
• Experience with TCP congestion behavior, UDP loss, Quality of Service, routing, traffic generation, and network-performance analysis.
• Experience querying and visualizing test data using SQL, Grafana, or similar tools.
• Experience with AWS services, cloud networking, software-defined networking, or network automation.
• Experience taking wireless or communications features from initial integration through system validation and production deployment.
• Strong technical leadership, documentation, and cross-functional coordination skills.

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, 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 Company’s 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 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, CA, San Diego - 159,100.00 - 215,300.00 USD annually
USA, TX, Austin - 159,100.00 - 215,300.00 USD annually
USA, WA, Redmond - 159,100.00 - 215,300.00 USD annually