Amazon to grow its Boston tech hub, add 3K jobs

Dive Brief:

Amazon is expanding its Boston Tech Hub and adding more than 3,000 tech and corporate roles over the next few years supporting Amazon Pharmacy, Amazon Web Services, Amazon Robotics, Alexa and other divisions, the e-commerce retailer announced on Tuesday.
The company plans to hire for positions in software development, artificial intelligence and machine learning, as well as back-office roles like human resources and finance, per the company announcement.
The company rented a 17-story office tower for its expanding Boston staff. The company will be leasing another office space, which is under construction and is expected to be completed later this year, to house 2,000 Amazon workers.

Dive Insight:

Amazon's Boston team plays a critical role in multiple areas, including Alexa, Amazon Pharmacy and Amazon Web Services, Rohit Prasad, vice president and head scientist for Alexa at Amazon, said in a statement. The company noted that it currently has more than 3,700 employees in its Boston Tech Hub.

"Much of the technology that makes Alexa smarter every day is invented in Boston," Prasad said. "Our teams here play a key role in driving Amazon's innovations ... and help us keep delighting customers around the world."

The e-commerce giant has been building up its Boston presence for the past few years. The company reportedly began seeking out space in the city back in 2018 as it scaled up its Boston-Cambridge area workforce. Meanwhile, the retailer has been opening up tech hubs in other cities, such as Chicago, New York, Denver, Dallas, Detroit, Phoenix and San Diego. The company's Chicago-area teams support Amazon Web Services, Amazon Advertising, and its transportation and operations units. The company's workforces in New York and other cities contribute to Alexa, Amazon Advertising, OpsTech, Amazon Fashion, Amazon Fresh, Amazon Web Services and other subsidiaries.

Over the years, multiple other retailers, including Yoox Net-a-Porter and Lowe's, have also created their own tech hubs. Lowe's in 2019 announced plans to hire up to 2,000 tech workers in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area. The move was part of the home improvement retailer's effort to revamp its technological infrastructure by 2021.