SDE I → SDE II

Promotion Playbook: Amazon

Software Development Engineer I  →  Software Development Engineer II

Timeline: 18–30 months Comp increase: 25–40% Cycle: Anytime — manager-driven, not committee
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What Amazon actually requires

  • Deliver complex features independently with minimal guidance
  • Show ownership beyond assigned scope (Bias for Action LP)
  • Write and review design docs for your features
  • Demonstrate customer obsession in technical decisions
  • Drive oncall and operational excellence improvements
Process: Manager-driven promotion — tight alignment with your manager is the critical variable. Make sure they are actively advocating.

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Quick facts
Timeline 18–30 months
Comp bump 25–40%
Review cycle Anytime — manager-driven, not committee

What actually blocks most engineers

These patterns keep SDE I engineers stuck — even technically strong ones:

Not connecting technical work to customer impact or Leadership Principles
Waiting for manager to define scope instead of proposing it
Operational bar too low — systems that page too often
Under-leveraging LPs in written promo docs and self-reviews

How to use your AI coach for this promotion

Paste these prompts directly into your coaching session:

Audit my impact

"Is my current work demonstrating SDE II-level scope at Amazon?"

Write your promo doc

"Help me write a promotion case from SDE I to SDE II at Amazon based on what I've done this year."

Prep the conversation

"Role-play the conversation I need to have with my manager about my promotion timeline."

Find your gaps

"What should I be doing differently to make SDE II at Amazon in 18 months?"

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