Applied Scientist II, AWS Agentic AI

Company: Amazon
Location: Santa Clara
Posted on: April 2, 2026

Job Description:

Amazon is looking for a passionate and inventive scientist to advance the science in foundational models and Agentic AI. Specifically, as part of our science team in Amazon AWS Agentic AI, you will lead the research and development of techniques for efficient and effective Agent optimization/learning, through various techniques ranging from model fine-tuning (e.g. RL) to context optimization, as a foundational layer for AWS customers to build reliable and performant Agents. You will have the opportunity to take a product from zero to one by influencing directly the product and science roadmap, and impact millions of our customers. You will also gain hands on experience with Amazon’s large-scale computing resources to accelerate advances in foundation models. Job Responsibility * Develop short-term and long-term science roadmap for research in the broad area of Agent optimization/learning, which could range from RL reward shaping, training efficiency optimization, to automatic prompt optimization and techniques to learn from agent memory. * Develop concrete science plan, implement and validate research idea before moving it to production * Collaborate across product and engineering teams to transfer science innovations into AWS customer facing product. About the team Diverse Experiences AWS values diverse experiences. Even if you do not meet all of the qualifications and skills listed in the job description, we encourage candidates to apply. If your career is just starting, hasn’t followed a traditional path, or includes alternative experiences, don’t let it stop you from applying. Why AWS? Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform. We pioneered cloud computing and never stopped innovating — that’s why customers from the most successful startups to Global 500 companies trust our robust suite of products and services to power their businesses. Inclusive Team Culture Here at AWS, it’s in our nature to learn and be curious. Our employee-led affinity groups foster a culture of inclusion that empower us to be proud of our differences. Ongoing events and learning experiences, including our Conversations on Race and Ethnicity (CORE) and AmazeCon) conferences, inspire us to never stop embracing our uniqueness. Mentorship & Career Growth We’re continuously raising our performance bar as we strive to become Earth’s Best Employer. That’s why you’ll find endless knowledge-sharing, mentorship and other career-advancing resources here to help you develop into a better-rounded professional. Work/Life Balance We value work-life harmony. Achieving success at work should never come at the expense of sacrifices at home, which is why we strive for flexibility as part of our working culture. When we feel supported in the workplace and at home, there’s nothing we can’t achieve in the cloud. - PhD, or Master's degree and 4 years of CS, CE, ML or related field experience - Experience in patents or publications at top-tier peer-reviewed conferences or journals - Experience programming in Java, C++, Python or related language - Experience with techniques like RLVR, reward modeling, inference optimization, agent task/environment synthesis. 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, Santa Clara - 171,600.00 - 222,200.00 USD annually

Keywords: Amazon, Hayward , Applied Scientist II, AWS Agentic AI, IT / Software / Systems , Santa Clara, California