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Amazon plans to create 100,000 new full-time US jobs by mid-2018

Amazon plans to create 100,000 new full-time US jobs by mid-2018

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That works out to 182.6 new hires a day

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Amazon announced today that it plans to create 100,000 new full-time jobs in the United States in the next 18 months. The company currently employs 180,000 full-time US workers, making this a massive expansion for the retail giant.

According to the press release, the new jobs will be in all areas of the company, but many will be specifically in new fulfillment centers that Amazon intends to open across the country. Amazon also has numerous, ongoing initiatives that could lead to new jobs in areas like warehouses, shipping, retail stores, and the company’s nascent drone delivery program, all of which could require more support staff for more widespread rollouts on a national scale.

In addition to the infrastructure positions, Amazon also referenced hiring more engineers and software developers, as part of the company’s continued efforts in machine learning and cloud computing — something that makes sense given the tremendous success of the Alexa virtual assistant.

The hiring initiative could also be seen as a move by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos appease President-elect Donald Trump. Bezos and Trump have spent the last year or so in a series of spats, with Trump attacking Amazon for what he perceives as tax issues, while Bezos offered in return to shoot Trump into space. Given Trump’s fervor for increasing US-based jobs, today’s news could be a move on Amazon’s part to try and garner favor with the new administration.