Hardware Development Engineer, OneMHS - Electrical and Controls Engineering Architecture and Design

We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Hardware Development Engineer to serve as a technical authority for industrial controls network architecture and controls hardware within Amazon"s global fulfillment center network. This role will define, standardize, and evolve the EtherCAT-based controls architecture used across material handling systems. You will focus on network topology, device selection, functional safety integration, scalability, and operational excellence. As part of OneMHS (One Material Handling Systems), you will help transform how Amazon designs, builds, and operates its material handling capabilities through standardized, high-performance controls hardware.

The ideal candidate has a proven track record in industrial network design, controls hardware integration, and device selection for complex material handling systems, including tote/parcel conveyance and sortation. You will work closely with Controls Software, WWDE, Operations Engineering, strategic suppliers, integration partners, and cross-functional teams to deliver robust, maintainable controls architectures.

This role requires deep technical expertise to create architecture standards and approved component baselines that guide vendor designs and multi-year roadmaps. It also requires the tactical execution to review designs, resolve integration issues, and improve the clarity and quality of project deliverables.

Key job responsibilities

EtherCAT Network Architecture & Topology

• Define and maintain the OneMHS EtherCAT controls architecture, including topology, ring and cable-redundancy design, segmentation, and device-order rules
• Develop architecture diagrams, and network topology drawings, and establish network design limits such as device counts per segment, cycle-time and latency budgets, and safety-connection capacity
• Define addressing, naming, and identification standards for devices, ports, and cables
• Establish network diagnostics, fault isolation, and troubleshooting practices for operations and maintenance teams

Device Selection, Qualification & Component Standards

• Select, specify, and qualify controls hardware for the architecture, including industrial PCs, couplers, I/O, MDR controllers, VFDs, IO-Link masters and devices, safety devices, scanners, sensors, and controls power supplies
• Own the approved component list, including exact part numbers, firmware/hardware revisions, and device profiles
• Evaluate new and alternate components for technical fit, compliance (e.g., UL, Class 2/LVLE), cost, availability, and lifecycle risk
• Partner with suppliers on technical requirements, certification status, product roadmaps, and obsolescence management
• Develop substitution and change-approval criteria for vendors and integration partners

Functional Safety Integration

• Define the integration of safety devices and safety-over-fieldbus (e.g., FSoE) into the controls architecture
• Establish safety-controller allocation, safety-zone, and E-stop integration rules in coordination with Safety and Controls teams
• Support compliance with applicable functional safety standards (e.g., ISO 13849, IEC 62061)

Hardware Development, Prototyping & Validation

• Build and maintain test benches and lab environments to validate devices, topologies, and failure modes
• Lead prototype testing, interoperability testing, and production-readiness validation of new hardware and architectures
• Support factory acceptance testing, site acceptance testing, and commissioning of controls hardware

OneMHS Program Specifications

• Author and maintain controls architecture specifications, device integration requirements, and cabling standards
• Define vendor deliverables for controls hardware, including device schedules, topology drawings, and bills of material
• Review integrator and OEM designs for compliance with OneMHS architecture and component standards
• Drive continuous improvement of specification templates and documentation for scaled deployment

Standards & Code Compliance

• Ensure controls hardware designs comply with NEC/NFPA 70, NFPA 79, UL 508A, and applicable IEC standards
• Serve as subject matter expert on industrial networking, controls hardware, and low-voltage controls requirements
• Conduct design reviews and audits to identify compliance gaps and safety risks
• Stay current with EtherCAT Technology Group guidance, industry standards, and regulatory changes

Technical Collaboration & Knowledge Sharing

• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers and designers
• Lead design reviews for controls architecture and hardware at site and program levels
• Collaborate with Controls Software, Operations, Facilities, Construction, WWDE, and Safety teams
• Build consensus across stakeholders, suppliers, and integration partners on architecture decisions

A day in the life

Collaborate with Controls Software, integration partners, and suppliers to define and refine the EtherCAT architecture for upcoming fulfillment center projects. Review vendor topology drawings and device schedules, evaluate a new device for inclusion in the approved component list, and work through an integration question with a supplier"s engineering team. Validate a new topology or device in the lab before it reaches the field, and support a site team troubleshooting a commissioning issue.

Develop mechanisms that make controls hardware implementations repeatable across multiple simultaneous projects while maintaining the highest standards of safety, reliability, and performance.

About the team

One MHS is the central material handling systems organization within Amazon"s global fulfillment center network. Our engineering teams design and deliver state-of-the-art power, hardware, and controls systems that keep the world"s supply chains moving. We are committed to excellence, safety, and the professional growth of every team member.