Amazon adding 600 tech jobs to Austin hub

Online retail giant Amazon is again expanding its Central Texas presence, with plans to add more than 600 tech-focused jobs at its hub in North Austin, the company told the American-Statesman.

The latest expansion comes after Amazon said in March that it planned to add 800 tech jobs to the space in the Domain. In total, the hub will add 1,400 tech jobs between the two expansions, according to the company.

To accommodate the new growth, Amazon will lease an additional 100,000 square feet of space in Domain 10, a 15-story tower being built at the North Austin mixed-use development. Amazon previously leased 145,000 square feet in the building.

“Austin is becoming one of the fastest-growing tech hubs across our network – we are finding great talent within the local community and strong pool of innovators willing to think big on behalf of our customers,” Terry Leeper, general manager of Amazon’s Austin tech hub, said in a written statement. “We’re excited to be adding 600 new tech jobs in the city, with plans to have a team of over 1,400 Amazonians working from Domain 10 building over time.”

Amazon's Austin presence already is among the largest of the tech giant's North America locations outside of its Seattle headquarters. Amazon has more than 5,600 workers in the Austin metro area, including about 1,000 corporate-level staff members. It has 2,000 employees at a fulfillment center in San Marcos. And, through its ownership of Whole Foods Market, there are 2,600 additional Austin-based employees.

“Amazon is once again exhibiting its confidence in the Austin region’s ability to provide an innovative community and talent pipeline that helps fuel success by creating 600 new jobs at the Domain,” Charisse Bodisch, Austin Chamber of Commerce senior vice president of economic development, said in a statement.

One of the world’s largest companies, with a market value approaching $900 billion, Amazon’s branches reach throughout Central Texas. Besides its presence at the Domain, at the six Whole Foods stores here and the warehouse in San Marcos, Austin is home to one of Amazon’s brick-and-mortar bookstores and has been a site for new delivery and shopping projects by the company.

Amazon also occupies 171,000 square feet in the Domain 8 building and an additional 76,000 square feet in Domain 7. Employees there include teams for the Amazon Web Services and Amazon Business divisions, as well as ones for company products, video game design and advertising.

In June, Amazon also opened a second delivery station in Austin, which added 300 full-time and part-time jobs.

The new expansion includes include positions with Amazon's Consumer Ops Technology division; Amazon Web Services jobs in infrastructure, sales utility, software development engineers and computing; and positions in the devices division, which includes work on the Alexa app and software development.

Currently, there are more than 200 open roles open in Austin on Amazon's job site.

Amazon did not disclose salaries for the new positions, but a representative said all full-time employees "receive comprehensive medical benefits from day one — including prescription drug, dental and vision plans, and up to 20-weeks of paid parental leave."