Microsoft

Principal Hardware Engineer, AI Systems

Microsoft • $142K — $274K *
Redmond, WA 98052In-Person
Telecommunications & Hardware
5 - 7 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Master's Degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering or related field with 7+ years experience OR Bachelor's Degree with 8+ years OR equivalent experience.
  • Proven experience in hardware, firmware, software integration, particularly for high-performance AI and GPU platforms.
  • Extensive knowledge of power delivery, thermal management, and system reliability.
  • Hands-on experience with significant technologies such as PCIe, DDR, Ethernet, and Linux/Windows.
  • Experience in designing and implementing datacenter-scale AI systems and performing thorough system-level debugging.

Responsibilities

  • Serve as the System Technical Lead for next-gen AI and GPU platforms from architecture handoff to production.
  • Collaborate with System Architects to turn product and architectural requirements into actionable system designs.
  • Drive technical execution across multiple engineering disciplines ensuring alignment with specifications and quality goals.
  • Lead cross-functional teams in making technical decisions and resolving complex system-level challenges.
  • Ensure technical readiness for all significant project milestones and production releases, maintaining high quality standards.
  • Maintain overall system integrity across various domains, from electrical to networking, ensuring seamless integration.
  • Work with Technical Program Managers to manage technical baselines and assess impacts of design changes.

Benefits

  • Opportunity to work on cutting-edge AI and GPU technologies.
  • Collaboration with cross-functional teams across multiple engineering disciplines.
  • Engagement with top-tier ODMs and silicon suppliers, influencing product direction.
  • Hands-on experience that has a significant impact on product outcomes and performance.
  • Potential for personal and professional development through challenging projects and innovative solutions.
Full Job Description
Responsibilities

  • Serve as the System Technical Lead (STL) and end-to-end technical owner for next-generation AI and GPU platforms from architecture handoff through production deployment and fleet readiness.


  • Partner closely with System Architects to translate product requirements, workload needs, architectural intent, and new technologies into executable system designs, engineering requirements, and development plans.


  • Drive program-level technical execution across hardware, firmware, software, validation, manufacturing, and datacenter infrastructure teams, ensuring alignment to system requirements, architecture specifications, schedule, and quality objectives.


  • Lead cross-functional technical decision making and resolve complex system-level tradeoffs spanning performance, power, thermal, mechanical, reliability, manufacturability, serviceability, cost, and total cost of ownership (TCO).


  • Own technical readiness for key program milestones, design reviews, phase exits, and production releases, ensuring engineering deliverables are complete, integrated, and meet quality expectations.


  • Maintain end-to-end system integrity across electrical, mechanical, thermal, firmware, networking, rack, and datacenter domains, ensuring seamless integration from component to rack and cluster level.


  • Drive alignment across engineering disciplines including Electrical, Mechanical, Thermal, Power, Firmware, System Engineering, Validation, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain teams to deliver a cohesive system solution.


  • Partner with TPMs to establish and manage program technical baselines, assess technical impacts of design changes, identify risks, and drive issue resolution throughout the development lifecycle.


  • Evaluate, de-risk, and enable adoption of new and disruptive technologies, including AI accelerators, advanced memory architectures, liquid cooling solutions, optical interconnects, rack-scale infrastructure, and emerging datacenter technologies.


  • Collaborate with ODMs, silicon suppliers, and ecosystem partners to influence technical direction, resolve critical issues, and ensure successful integration and production readiness.


  • Communicate technical status, risks, mitigation plans, and key decisions to engineering leadership and executive stakeholders while serving as the primary point of accountability for program technical success.


Qualifications

Required Qualifications:
  • Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 7+ years technical engineering experience
    • OR Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 8+ years 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:

  • Proven track record leading cross-functional technical execution across hardware, firmware, software, and datacenter infrastructure.


  • Deep system expertise in power delivery, thermal and liquid cooling, signal integrity, mechanical design, and reliability.


  • Experience bringing high-volume silicon platforms (GPU, SoC, accelerator) from architecture through production ramp.


  • Hands-on experience with PCIe, DDR, Ethernet, BIOS/BMC, and Linux and Windows integration.


  • Experience with datacenter-scale AI systems, including system debug and root cause analysis.


  • Proven ability to evaluate AI systems using performance-per-watt and performance-per-dollar metrics.


  • Clear, concise communicator with the ability to influence technical direction across teams and at senior levels.
  • BS / MS in Electrical/Computer Engineering or equivalent industry experience
  • 10+ years of relevant experience in system (compute, storage, networking, and/or accelerator) level design and/or implementation across the hardware development lifecycle.
  • 10+ years of hands-on experience in server hardware architecture, design, and development with solid understanding of hardware, firmware, and Operating System (OS).
  • Proven experience delivering AI and GPU-based systems to production.


Hardware 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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Join Microsoft today and be part of a company that values innovation, leadership, and diversity in its workforce. As a global leader in technology and digital transformation, Microsoft offers unparalleled job opportunities that propel your career to new heights.

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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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