The posting
Annapurna Labs designs and builds the custom silicon and systems software that power Amazon Web Services at scale — including **Nitro** (the hardware and hypervisor platform behind every modern EC2 instance) and **Graviton** (Amazon's Arm-based server processors used by millions of customers worldwide).
We are looking for talented **graduate software engineers** to join our Nitro and Graviton systems software teams. This is a hands-on engineering role where you'll write low-level, high-performance software that runs directly on Amazon-designed chips — the kind of work where the code you write in your first year runs in production across the world's largest cloud. You'll be mentored by senior engineers, ramp up on real systems from day one, and grow into an expert in embedded and systems software.
If you love understanding how things work all the way down to the hardware, this is the team for you.
Key job responsibilities - Design, develop, test, and debug embedded and systems software (firmware, drivers, low-level services) for Amazon's Nitro and Graviton platforms.
- Write and optimize code primarily in **C** and **C++**, working close to the hardware.
- Collaborate with hardware, silicon, and verification engineers to bring up new chips and platforms.
- Debug complex issues across the software/hardware boundary using logic analyzers, JTAG, and system-level tooling.
- Contribute to code reviews, design discussions, and the continuous improvement of our software and processes.
- Learn continuously — from senior engineers, from the systems, and from a fast-moving, high-ownership environment.
A day in the life No two days look exactly alike, but a typical one might include:
- Picking up a task from your team's backlog — a new driver feature, a firmware bug, or a bring-up item on a new chip revision — and pairing with your mentor to scope it.
- Writing and reviewing C/C++ code, then running it on real Amazon-designed hardware in the lab (or on emulation/simulation before silicon arrives).
- Debugging an issue that spans the software/hardware boundary — reading logs, attaching a debugger over JTAG, or reasoning through a trace with a hardware engineer sitting next to you.
- Joining a design discussion or code review where your questions and ideas are genuinely wanted — junior engineers here are expected to think, not just execute.
- Wrapping up by pushing your change through CI and watching it move toward production that serves millions of AWS customers.
You'll start with plenty of support and a clear ramp-up plan, and take on more ownership as you grow. Learning is part of the job, every day — and you'll always have experienced engineers around you to learn from.
About the team Why Annapurna Labs
- Work directly on the silicon and software that run **the world's largest cloud** — real scale, real impact, from your first months.
- Deep technical mentorship from some of the best systems and silicon engineers in the industry.
- A rare chance to work across the full stack — from transistors to hypervisors — in one place.
- A culture of ownership, learning, and building things that matter.
- - Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Computer/Electrical Engineering, or a related field - - Solid programming foundations in **C** and/or **C++**. - - Strong understanding of computer science fundamentals: data structures, algorithms, operating systems, and computer architecture. - - Ability to read and write clear, correct, maintainable code. - - Fluent English (written and spoken).
- - Academic projects, internships, or personal projects involving embedded systems, firmware, device drivers, operating systems, or low-level programming. - - Familiarity with Linux, the Linux kernel, or real-time operating systems (RTOS). - - Exposure to computer architecture concepts (CPUs, memory hierarchies, virtualization) — Arm architecture a plus. - - Experience with hardware/software co-development, debugging tools, or scripting (Python, shell). - - Curiosity, ownership, and a strong desire to learn how systems work end to end.
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.
