Microsoft

Principal Optical Engineer

Microsoft • $188K — $304K *
Mountain View, CA 94040In-Person
Telecommunications & Hardware
5 - 7 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Master's or Bachelor's Degree in relevant engineering fields with 7+ or 8+ years of technical experience, respectively.
  • Ability to meet specialized Microsoft security screening requirements.
  • Experience with Fiber Optics, including design and operations.
  • Deep expertise in data center networking and high-speed optical systems.
  • Knowledge of AI infrastructure and optical engineering concepts.
  • Hands-on testing experience in fiber optic components.

Responsibilities

  • Define Microsoft's optical interconnect strategy for next-gen AI platforms.
  • Evaluate emerging technologies for optimal migration paths.
  • Lead architecture for rack-scale fiber management for AI clusters.
  • Establish targets for bandwidth density, latency, reliability, and power efficiency.
  • Develop rack-scale fiber management solutions including connectors and cabling.
  • Formulate standards for large-scale optical deployment in datacenters.
  • Influence industry standards through technical forums.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health benefits including medical, dental, and vision coverage.
  • Retirement plans with company matching contributions.
  • Generous paid time off and holiday leave.
  • Professional development and continuing education opportunities.
  • Access to employee discounts and wellness programs.
Full Job Description
Responsibilities

This individual will serve as one of Microsoft's technical leaders in optics and photonics, shaping the company's multi-generation roadmap for Cloud/AI interconnects and rack-scale optical infrastructure. Success in this role will directly influence platform architecture, deployment scalability, power efficiency, cost structure, and time-to-revenue for future AI systems.

  • Define and drive Microsoft's optical interconnect strategy for next-generation AI platforms.


  • Evaluate emerging technologies and determine the optimal migration path across multiple platform generations.


  • Lead architecture and product definition for rack-scale fiber management supporting AI clusters


  • Define bandwidth density, latency, reliability, power efficiency, serviceability, manufacturability, and cost targets.


  • Lead development of rack-scale fiber management solutions including Fiber shuffles, Fiber connectors, and fiber cabling


  • Develop standards and best practices for large-scale deployment of optical infrastructure across AI datacenters.


  • Drive supplier roadmaps to align with Microsoft's future platform requirements.


  • Influence industry standards and ecosystem direction through joint development initiatives and technical forums.


  • Drive architecture reviews and technical decision making across multiple organizations.


  • Guide optical technologies through proof-of-concept, qualification, productization, manufacturing readiness, and fleet deployment.


  • Support root-cause analysis and operational issue resolution for deployed systems.


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 is required for this role. These requirements include, but are not limited to, the following specialized security screening:
    • Microsoft Cloud Background Check. This position is required to pass the Microsoft Cloud Background Check upon hire or transfer and every two years thereafter.


Preferred Qualifications:

  • Knowledge and experience of Fiber Optics including related tools, devices, processes, design, operations, or manufacturing, etc.
  • Doctorate Degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 6+ years of technical engineering experience OR Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 8+ years of technical engineering experience OR Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 12+ years of technical engineering experience OR equivalent experience.


  • Deep expertise and hands-on in one or more of the following:
    • Data center networking
    • High-speed copper or optical interconnects
    • High-speed optical transmission systems
    • Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) or Near-Packaged Optics (NPO)
    • Silicon Photonics
    • Pluggable optics
    • Advanced packaging
    • Rack-scale fiber management


  • Experience with AI infrastructure, GPU fabrics, InfiniBand, Ethernet, or UALink ecosystems.
  • Knowledge of Optical Engineering and Optical Engineering concepts, testing procedures, standards, tools and appropriate analysis methods.


  • Experience developing high-density fiber infrastructure, including fiber shuffle solutions, patch panels, connectors, cable assemblies, and rack-scale optical systems.


  • Hands-on testing and validation experience in active and passive fiber optic components and end-to-end fiber links.


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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