Microsoft

Principal Hardware Architect - Optical Technologies

Microsoft • $142K — $274K *
Mountain View, CA 94040In-Person
Telecommunications & Hardware
Less than 5 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Doctorate in Optical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field with at least 3 years of experience; or a Master's with 5 years; or a Bachelor's with 7 years.
  • Strong background in technical engineering related to optical technologies and systems.
  • Ability to meet security screening requirements for Microsoft and its customers.
  • Familiarity with datacenter optical module technologies and emerging optical approaches.
  • Experience in architecting transceivers focusing on performance metrics.

Responsibilities

  • Design methodologies to assess optical performance and reliability.
  • Create detailed optical interconnect requirements via RFIs, RFPs, and specifications.
  • Implement POC and prototyping frameworks for evaluating optical technologies.
  • Analyze competing technologies by engaging with optical vendors.
  • Educate Microsoft stakeholders on optical technology directions.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health insurance plans.
  • Retirement savings plan with company matching.
  • Generous paid time off policy.
  • Professional development opportunities and training programs.
  • Flexible work arrangements and work-life balance initiatives.
Full Job Description
Overview

Join the Strategic Planning and Architecture (SPARC) team within Microsoft's Azure Hardware Systems and Infrastructure (AHSI) organization and be a part of the organization behind Microsoft's expanding Cloud Infrastructure and for powering Microsoft's "Intelligent Cloud" mission. Microsoft delivers more than 200 online services to more than one billion individuals worldwide and AHSI is the team behind our expanding cloud infrastructure. We deliver the core infrastructure and foundational technologies for Microsoft's cloud businesses including Microsoft Azure, Bing, MSN, Office 365, OneDrive, Skype, Teams and Xbox Live.

SPARC is hiring a Principal Hardware Architect - Optical Technologies with a focus on driving the adoption of emerging optical technologies into AI-centric datacenters. The candidate is expected to evaluate alternative interconnect technologies and identify innovative ways of applying them to new systems architectures. Technologies in scope include SerDes and die-to-die electrical interfaces, optical transceivers, optical integration into ASIC packages, optical circuit switches, lasers etc. The candidate may extend existing methodologies that account for System TCO, loss budget, power and reliability to include proposed optical components and drive Proof-of-Concept definitions to create line-of-sight to deployment.

Responsibilities
  • Design methodologies to characterize optical performance and reliability
  • Deliver detailed optical interconnect requirements in the form of RFIs, RFPs and product specifications.
  • Propose and utilize POC / prototyping frameworks for the rigorous evaluation of optical technologies.
  • Engage with optical technology vendors and conduct detailed analysis of competing technologies.
  • Educate / disseminate technology directions to Microsoft's internal stakeholders on optical foundations and fundamental directions.


Qualifications

Required/minimum qualifications
  • Doctorate Degree in Optical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 3+ years of technical engineering experience OR Master's Degree in Optical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 5+ years of technical engineering experience OR Bachelor's Degree in Optical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 7+ years of technical engineering experience OR equivalent experience.


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:
  • Familiarity with datacenter-class optical module technologies such as QSFP/OSFP form factor pluggable modules or emerging Near-Packaged Optics (NPO) or Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) approaches.
  • Experience in architecting optical transceivers for target metrics such as physical dimensions, power (or energy efficiency), bandwidth density, temperature sensitivity, BER and failure rates.
  • Expertise with optical transceiver ingredients such as EIC, PIC, drivers, TIAs, photo-detectors, modulators and lasers.
  • Experience in designing optical modules for density and reliability.
  • A background in computer and systems architecture with exposure to AI or HPC systems with an understanding of scale-up and scale-out requirements is highly desired.
  • Skilled in partnering and influencing architects, hardware engineers, software leads and executives.
  • Ability to manage through ambiguity, bringing clarity and results orientation to engage and energize collaborators and stakeholders.
  • Verbal and written communication skills, and ability to articulate and engage with both technical and non-technical stakeholders at all levels.
  • Experience leading and driving complex projects with


Optical Engineering IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $142,800 - $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.

Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay

This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

About Microsoft

Microsoft is an American multinational corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, supports, and sells a range of software products and services. Microsoft’s devices and consumer (D&C) licensing segment licenses the Windows operating system and related software, Microsoft Office for consumers, and the Windows Phone operating system. The company’s computing and gaming hardware segment provides Xbox gaming and entertainment consoles and accessories, second-party and third-party video games, and Xbox Live subscriptions; surface devices and accessories; and Microsoft PC accessories. Its phone hardware segment offers Lumia smartphones and other non-Lumia phones. Its D&C segment provides Windows Store, Xbox Live transactions, and Windows phone store; search advertising; display advertising; Office 365 Home and Office 365 Personal; first-party video games; and other consumer products and services as well as operating retail stores. Microsoft’s commercial licensing segments license server products, including Windows Server, Microsoft SQL Server, Visual Studio, System Center, and related Client Access Licenses (CALs); Windows Embedded; Windows operating system; Microsoft Office for business, including Office, Exchange, SharePoint, Lync, and related CALs; Microsoft Dynamics business solutions; and Skype. Its commercial segment offers enterprise services, including premier support services and Microsoft consulting services; commercial cloud comprising Office 365 Commercial, other Microsoft Office online offerings, Dynamics CRM Online, and Microsoft Azure; and other commercial products and online services. The company markets and distributes its products through original equipment manufacturers, distributors, and resellers, as well as online.

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Learn more about Microsoft
Size
181,000 employees
Market Cap
$1,762.4 billion
Industry
Enterprise Technology
Net Income
$51.3 billion
Founded
1975
5 Year Trend
+15.5%
Revenue
$153.2 billion
NASDAQ
MSFT
* Ladders Estimates

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