Toxic culture hiding behind principles - Software Development Engineer (SDE) II Amazon Employee Review

1.0
Apr 16, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- Smooth relocation logistics — flights, visa, temporary housing handled well - Exposure to large-scale systems and internal Amazon tools

Cons

- You're dropped into complex systems with zero context, no documentation, and minimal onboarding - Managers promote “ownership” but won’t take responsibility for giving direction or support - Communication culture is broken — most messages and pings are ignored unless escalated multiple times - Teams are territorial and uncooperative; getting anything done across orgs is a political nightmare - You're judged by output, but dependencies outside your control are your problem to solve — or your fault when things fail - Technical debt is massive, but any suggestion to improve things is dismissed as “not high priority” - Planning meetings are chaotic; deadlines are arbitrary and based on gut feeling, not actual capacity - Expect to be overwhelmed constantly. If you raise concerns, it’s seen as a lack of “bias for action” - DEI is talked about but not practiced — cultural/religious needs like fasting schedules or prayer breaks are ignored completely - You’re expected to “just figure it out” while also delivering from day one — a setup for failure

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5.0
May 12, 2026
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Pros

There are consistent VET weakly to choice from.

Cons

Long 10h shifts can be sometime mentally draining.

5.0
Jan 10, 2016
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Really smart people, a lot of opportunity for growth, always encouraged to be innovative, think big, and create something new. Competitive salary and benefits with other major tech companies. 100% self motivating work environment. No dress code and 4 legged friends are welcome.

Cons

You have to be self motivated. NO ONE will hold your hand and tell you that you're doing a great job. If you need constant affirmations from management, this company isn't for you.

3159
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