Amazon To Hire 800 More Workers In North Austin

NORTH AUSTIN, TEXAS — Online retail giant Amazon on Thursday revealed plans to add 800 tech jobs at its Austin, company officials announced Thursday.

The plans will add to an already robust presence of Amazon workers at the site. The retailer's new employees will occupy 145,000 square feet of leased space on four floors of a 15-story high rise being built at the mixed-use center The Domain, company officials said.

In a press release, Amazon said the new Amazon office is expected to open by early next year. Employment for the new unit will be done over the course of several more years, officials added. The jobs at the new North Austin site will include those in the fields of software and hardware engineering, research science, and cloud computing, company officials said.

Austin-based teams primarily focus on Amazon Web Services (AWS), Amazon Business, Amazon devices, video game design, advertising and more, officials noted.

“In the last four years, we have created more than a 1,000 jobs in Austin,” said Terry Leeper, General Manager of Amazon’s Austin Tech Hub, in a prepared statement. “With a strong pool of technical talent in Austin and a dynamic quality of life, we are excited to continue to expand and create more opportunity in this vibrant city.”

Greater Chamber of Austin officials were gratified by the news. "We are pleased to see Amazon's significant investment in the Austin region continues to grow," Opportunity Austin Chair Gary Farmer said in a prepared statement. "This expanding presence is indicative of our region’s ability to provide creative and innovative talent. We’re proud to call Amazon a partner in our efforts to achieve regional prosperity.”

Others were similarly pleased by the development:

• “The state of Texas has cultivated a strong and vibrant business environment, leading to more jobs and greater innovation,” Gov. Greg Abbott said in a prepared statement. “With today’s announcement and continued investment in the technology sector, Texas will continue to chart a path toward greater economic prosperity.”
• “It is no surprise that Texas’ booming economy continues to attract innovative companies, both large and small. Amazon’s decision to further expand comes with the recognition that Texas continues to boast a pro-business environment that helps businesses and families to grow, thrive, and succeed,” said U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Austin) McCaul. “This expansion will help ensure Austin remains at the cutting-edge of the tech that’s fueling and driving emerging markets.”
• "I'm pleased that Amazon is doubling down on Austin by expanding the Tech Hub,” state Sen. Kirk Watson (D-Austin) said. “Austin is a special place that fosters creativity and innovation, and I appreciate that Amazon has chosen to become an even greater contributor to our dynamic community and economy."

The Seattle-based online giant already employs some 6,600 workers in the Austin area, more than 1,000 of them holding corporate-level jobs. Another 3,000 warehouse workers are employed in San Marcos and another 2,600 work at jobs associated with Amazon's ownership in Whole Foods Market. Statewide, Amazon officials said the company has created more than 22,000 jobs and invested over $7 billion in the state since 2011, including infrastructure and compensation.

Amazon’s Austin Tech Hub is one of the company’s 17 North American Tech Hubs — a network of development centers in addition to Amazon’s Seattle and Northern Virginia headquarters, company officials explained. Together, these hubs employ more than 20,000 employees, building new products and services for Amazon customers around the world, according to Amazon.

While the company has set a brisk schedule for hiring, Amazon often delays site openings after making such plans. In the Birmingham area of Alabama, Amazon announced a 2019 opening of a $325 million, 855,000-square-foot fulfillment center in Bessemer only to later delay the unfurling to 2020.

Read Amazon’s press release here.