What roles big tech companies actually hire for

Big tech companies — Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, Apple — hire for roughly the same set of jobs across all their locations, though the titles and pay vary by company and region. The largest hiring categories are software engineers, cloud infrastructure roles, sales and account management, product management, and data analysts. Most of these roles require either a computer science degree, a relevant certification, or a portfolio of work that demonstrates the skill. Unlike smaller companies, big tech has formal hiring processes with technical interviews, take-home projects, or both.

The jobs break into two broad groups: technical roles (where you build or maintain systems) and business roles (where you manage relationships, strategy, or operations). Technical roles typically pay more and have clearer advancement paths tied to skill level. Business roles often require less specialized knowledge to start but demand strong communication and project management skills.

Key Takeaways

  • Software engineer and cloud engineer positions make up the largest share of big tech hiring and typically require a degree or portfolio demonstrating coding ability.
  • Sales, account management, and product management roles are the main non-technical paths and often hire people from other industries if they can pass the interview.
  • Data analyst and business intelligence roles sit between technical and non-technical work, requiring SQL and spreadsheet skills but not necessarily a computer science background.
  • Most big tech companies use standardized interview formats — coding problems for engineers, case studies for product managers, and behavioral questions for all roles.
  • Certifications in cloud platforms (AWS, Google Cloud, Azure) can help you land infrastructure and operations roles, though they rarely substitute for a degree or work history.

Software engineer and senior engineer roles

Software engineer is the most common job title at big tech companies. The role means writing and maintaining code that runs services millions of people use. At Amazon, this is called Software Development Engineer (SDE). At Google, it is Software Engineer. At Microsoft, it is Software Engineer or Software Development Engineer. The work itself is similar across companies: you write code in languages like Python, Java, C++, or Go; you review other engineers' code; you attend meetings about system design; and you ship features or fixes on a schedule.

Entry-level software engineers (SDE I or equivalent) typically earn between $150,000 and $200,000 per year in salary plus stock and bonus, though this varies by location and company. Senior engineers (SDE III or equivalent) earn $250,000 to $400,000 or more. The job requires either a computer science degree from a four-year university, or a strong portfolio of open-source work or personal projects that shows you can solve hard problems. Most big tech companies ask you to solve coding problems in a live interview — usually on a whiteboard or shared screen — before they hire you.

Cloud infrastructure and DevOps engineer positions

Cloud engineers build and maintain the servers, databases, and networks that run big tech's services. The role is sometimes called Site Reliability Engineer (SRE), Cloud Infrastructure Engineer, or DevOps Engineer depending on the company. You work with tools like Kubernetes, Docker, Terraform, and cloud platforms like AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure. You write code to automate tasks, monitor systems for problems, and respond when something breaks.

This role often pays slightly less than software engineering at the entry level ($140,000 to $180,000) but can pay more as you advance. Many people move into this role from software engineering, or they start here if they have strong Linux and networking knowledge. Cloud certifications — AWS Solutions Architect, Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer, or Azure Administrator — can help you land an interview, though most big tech companies still want to see work experience or a degree alongside the certification. The hiring process usually includes a technical interview about system design and troubleshooting.

Product manager and program manager roles

Product managers decide what features to build and why. Program managers (sometimes called Technical Program Managers or TPMs) coordinate work across teams and manage timelines. Both roles sit between engineering and business. You spend time in meetings, write documents outlining strategy, talk to customers or internal teams about what they need, and work with engineers to ship features on schedule.

Product manager roles typically require a degree but not necessarily in computer science — business, economics, or engineering backgrounds are common. You need to show in your interview that you can think through a problem systematically, understand what users actually want, and communicate clearly. Salary for entry-level product managers ranges from $120,000 to $160,000, with senior product managers earning $200,000 to $350,000 or more. These roles rarely require certifications. The hiring process usually includes case study interviews where you are asked to solve a made-up business problem out loud.

Sales and account management positions

Account executives and sales development representatives (SDRs) sell big tech's products and services to other companies. Account executives manage relationships with large customers and close deals. SDRs are entry-level sales roles where you prospect for new customers and schedule meetings for account executives. These roles are common at companies like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Google Cloud.

SDR roles typically pay $50,000 to $70,000 in base salary plus commission, and you can move to account executive after one to two years. Account executives earn $100,000 to $200,000 or more in base salary plus commission, which can double or triple the total. These roles do not require a degree or certification — companies care about your ability to communicate, handle rejection, and close deals. The hiring process usually includes behavioral interviews and a role-play where you pitch a product to a mock customer.

Data analyst and business intelligence roles

Data analysts pull information from databases, build reports, and help teams understand what the data means. Business intelligence engineers do similar work but write more code and build automated systems that feed data to other teams. Both roles require SQL (a language for querying databases) and comfort with spreadsheets and visualization tools like Tableau or Looker.

Data analyst roles typically require a degree in any field plus demonstrated SQL and Excel skills. You can show these skills through a portfolio of personal projects, online courses, or certifications. Entry-level data analysts earn $80,000 to $120,000. Business intelligence engineers earn $120,000 to $180,000 at entry level and more as they advance. The hiring process usually includes a SQL coding test and a take-home project where you analyze a dataset and present your findings.

Operations, finance, and human resources roles

Operations roles manage supply chains, facilities, or internal processes. Finance roles include financial analysts, accountants, and controllers. Human resources roles include recruiters, people operations specialists, and HR business partners. These roles exist at every big tech company but hire in smaller numbers than engineering or sales.

Operations and finance roles typically require a degree in business, finance, accounting, or a related field. Human resources roles sometimes hire people without degrees if they have relevant experience. Salary ranges from $70,000 to $150,000 for entry-level roles, depending on the specific job and location. These roles rarely require certifications, though accounting roles may require or prefer a CPA. The hiring process usually includes behavioral interviews and case studies specific to the role.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a computer science degree to work at big tech?

For software and cloud engineering roles, most big tech companies want either a four-year degree in computer science or a strong portfolio of work that shows you can solve hard problems. Some people break in through coding bootcamps or self-taught work, but it is harder. For non-technical roles like sales, product management, or operations, a degree in any field is usually fine, and some roles do not require a degree at all if you have relevant experience.

What certifications help you get hired at big tech?

Cloud certifications like AWS Solutions Architect Associate, Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer, and Azure Administrator can help you land infrastructure and operations interviews. They rarely substitute for a degree or work experience, but they show you know the platform. For data roles, SQL certifications and courses are useful. For sales and account management, certifications are not expected.

How long does the hiring process take at big tech companies?

Most big tech companies take four to eight weeks from your first interview to an offer. The process usually includes a phone screen, one to three technical or behavioral interviews, and sometimes a take-home project. If you are interviewing for multiple roles or multiple companies, timelines can overlap, so you may hear back from some faster than others.

Can you move between roles at big tech companies?

Yes. Many people start as software engineers and move to management, product, or other roles after a few years. Some move from sales to product management or operations. Internal transfers usually move faster than external hiring, though you still interview with the new team. Most big tech companies encourage internal movement because it is cheaper and faster than hiring from outside.

What is the difference between a software engineer and a cloud engineer at big tech?

Software engineers write code that runs services and features. Cloud engineers build and maintain the infrastructure those services run on — servers, databases, networks, and automation. Software engineers focus on what the code does. Cloud engineers focus on where and how it runs reliably. Both roles require strong technical skills, but cloud engineers need deeper knowledge of systems, networking, and operations.