Job description

Microsoft Silicon, Cloud Hardware, and Infrastructure Engineering (SCHIE) is the team behind Microsoft’s expanding Cloud Infrastructure and responsible for powering Microsoft’s “Intelligent Cloud” mission. SCHIE delivers the core infrastructure and foundational technologies for Microsofts over 200 online businesses including Bing, MSN, Office 365, Xbox Live, Teams, OneDrive, and the Microsoft Azure platform globally with our server and data center infrastructure, security and compliance, operations, globalization, and manageability solutions. Our focus is on smart growth, high efficiency, and delivering a trusted experience to customers and partners worldwide and we are looking for passionate engineers to help achieve that mission. As Microsofts cloud business continues to grow the ability to deploy new offerings and hardware infrastructure on time, in high volume with high quality and lowest cost is of paramount importance. To achieve this goal, the Cloud Hardware Systems Engineering (CHSE) team is instrumental in defining and delivering operational measures of success for hardware manufacturing, improving the planning process, quality, delivery, scale and sustainability related to Microsoft cloud hardware. We are looking for seasoned engineers with a dedicated passion for customer focused solutions, insight and industry knowledge to envision and implement future technical solutions that will manage and optimize the Cloud infrastructure. We are looking for a Principal Hardware Engineer to join the team. Qualifications Required Qualifications: • Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 7+ years technical engineering experience • OR Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 8+ years technical engineering experience • OR equivalent experience. • 7+ years of relevant experience in system (compute, storage, networking, and/or accelerator) level design and/or implementation across the hardware development lifecycle. • 7+ years of hands-on experience in server hardware architecture, design, and development with solid understanding of hardware, firmware, and Operating System (OS).  Other Requirements: Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include, but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings Microsoft Cloud Background Check This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter. Preferred Qualifications: • Proven experience in AI and GPU system development, including design, validation, and deployment at scale. • Ability to work across multiple disciplines (hardware, firmware, software, and/or data center infrastructure) to identify risks, drive discussions, detail system tradeoffs, and assess impact. • Broad technical expertise across electrical, mechanical, thermal, power, signal integrity, and system security domains. • Deep understanding of high-volume silicon (SoCs, GPUs, FPGAs), compute, storage, and networking systems, including manufacturing and deployment. • Hands-on experience with high-speed interfaces such as PCIe, DDR, and Ethernet, and familiarity with system firmware (BIOS, BMC) and OS-level integration (Windows and/or Linux). • Proven background in datacenter-scale operations and infrastructure, including system-level debugging and root cause analysis. • Demonstrated ability to manage hardware programs through the full product lifecycle, from concept to production. • Familiarity with AI training and inference workloads, and the ability to evaluate system designs based on TCO, performance per watt, and performance per dollar. • Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence technical direction. Hardware Engineering IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $139,900 - $274,800 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $188,000 - $304,200 per year. Microsoft will accept applications and processes offers for these roles on an ongoing basis. Responsibilities • Lead end-to-end product delivery from concept through launch, ensuring technical excellence and timely execution. • Drive cross-functional technical decision-making across architecture, silicon, firmware, hardware, OS, validation, and manufacturing teams. • Define and manage program baselines in partnership with TPMs, including scope, schedule, budget, and change control. • Own quality of design deliverables and ensure alignment with system-level requirements and performance goals. • Influence platform, rack, and datacenter-level solutions for next-generation AI infrastructure. • Evaluate and de-risk NUDD (New, Unique, Different, Difficult) technologies and features through structured analysis and mitigation planning. • Collaborate with internal and external partners—including open-source communities—to integrate innovative technologies seamlessly. • Articulate architectural and design tradeoffs across electrical, mechanical, thermal, and cost dimensions to optimize for TCO, performance, and scalability. • Work closely with validation engineering team, systems engineering team and manufacturing engineering team to drive issues found during test to closure Skills: Architectural Services, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Background Investigation, Budgeting, Business Growth, Change Control, Cloud Computing, Communication Skills, Computer Engineering, Computer Firmware, Computer Security, Computer Skills, Cost Control, Cross-Functional, Customer Experience, Customer Relations, Debugging Skills, Design Evaluation, Electrical Design, Electrical Engineering, Electricity, Engineering, Ethernet, FPGA, GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), Hardware Architecture Design, Hardware Development, Integrated Circuits (ICs), Leadership, Linux Operating System, Manufacturing, Manufacturing Engineering, Manufacturing Systems, Mechanical Engineering, Microsoft Bing Search Engine, Microsoft Product Family, Microsoft Windows Azure, Microsoft Windows Operating System, Network Operations Center, Network Systems, Open Source, Operating Systems, Operational Measurement, PCI Express (PCI-E), Performance Tuning/Optimization, Process Improvement, Product Lifecycle, Project/Program Management, Risk, Risk Analysis, Root Cause Analysis, Server Architecture, Server Hardware, Signal Integrity, Software Engineering, Structured Analysis, Sustainability, Systems Analysis, Systems Engineering, Team Lead/Manager, Team Player, Testing, Time Management, Total Cost of Ownership, Trade-Off Analysis, Xbox About the Company: Microsoft DO WHAT YOU LOVE Make your mark on the world’s most used technologies. Develop the next hit mobile application. Pioneer a startup that could be the next big thing. At Microsoft, you choose your path. Headquartered in Redmond, Washington, Microsoft is a top innovator in both the consumer and enterprise technology industry. Just a few of the many things our products do are unleash creativity, connect businesses, and make learning more fun. But our continued success is based on one thing: our employees. We hire amazing, talented people and give them the opportunities—and the tools—to succeed. WHY MICROSOFT? As a Microsoft employee, you’re surrounded by a diverse group of the smartest people in your field. This fosters new ideas, better business results, and creates a dynamic work environment. In the office, you’re constantly challenged and supported by your colleagues. Every day holds something new and exciting. We also offer unparalleled depth and breadth of career opportunities. As an industry leader in multiple fields, working for Microsoft means being able to do whatever you feel passionate about—and being able to make an impact in that field. From day one, we give our employees significant responsibility. This means that you’ll know that you directly contributed to something that has a positive impact on people worldwide. Whether you choose to work in management, dive deep into the newest technology, or explore multiple professions, you’ll find everything you need at Microsoft to drive your career—and to make a difference. WE GET IT – YOU’RE MORE THAN YOUR JOB Everyone works differently and is motivated by different things. We also understand that there’s more to you than your job. That’s why we offer competitive pay and a wide assortment of benefits-- to help you make the most of life at work and away from it. GET THE BALL ROLLING Company Size: 10,000 employees or more Industry: Computer Software Founded: 1975 Website: http://www.microsoft.com

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