University of Windsor computer science student Matthew Muscedere during his co-op placement at Amazon’s YYZ18 location in Toronto. (Image courtesy of Matthew Muscedere)
By Victor Romao
Curiosity, drive and a passion for innovation led Matthew Muscedere to a summer co-op placement at Amazon’s Toronto tech hub, where he helped improve the performance of a key cloud-based system by more than 90 per cent.
Muscedere, a fourth-year computer science student at the University of Windsor, began his four-month internship this past May at Amazon’s YYZ18 office in Toronto’s Southcore Financial Centre. He successfully navigated a rigorous multi-stage hiring process that included coding assessments, a technical interview and behavioural evaluations.
While at Amazon, Muscedere was paired with a mentor and took ownership of a full software development lifecycle. His project focused on optimizing Amazon Aurora system tests—automated checks that ensure the reliability of the company’s cloud-based database. His contributions significantly improved test efficiency and speed.
“This was my final co-op work term, but by far the most impactful,” Muscedere said. “I grew professionally by applying Amazon’s Leadership Principles to my work, improving my code quality through mentorship and connecting with fellow Amazonians.”
Muscedere credits his success to coursework in data structures and algorithms, as well as previous internship experiences at Green Shield as an IT co-op student.
“When our students excel at global leaders like Amazon, it reinforces what we already know — UWindsor talent can thrive anywhere,” said Kerri Zold, Manager of Co-operative Education & Workplace Partnerships. “Experiences like Matthew’s highlight the transformative power of co-op education and showcase how the University of Windsor is shaping future leaders ready to compete on the world stage.”
He expects to graduate at the end of the semester with an Honours degree in computer science, specializing in artificial intelligence and hopes to return to Amazon in 2026.
Outside of his studies, Muscedere also works part-time as an Information Security Consultant at GreenShield, further demonstrating the real-world impact of the opportunities and networks built through UWindsor’s co-op program.