Microsoft Corporation is actively seeking an exceptional professional to join our organization as a Principal Firmware Architect within the Firmware Engineering division. Positioned at the core of Microsoft’s technological innovation, this role offers direct involvement in mission-critical engineering initiatives, planetary-scale cloud services, and next-generation product architectures.

Role Overview & Strategic Impact

As a Principal Firmware Architect based in Redmond, Washington, United States, you will play an integral role in architecting, engineering, and delivering transformative technology solutions. Operating within Microsoft’s Firmware Engineering practice, your efforts will directly shape the scalability, performance, and security of software systems and platforms trusted by billions of users worldwide.

Microsoft’s enduring mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Team members thrive within an inclusive culture grounded in a growth mindset, cross-team empathy, and uncompromising customer focus. In this position, you will collaborate with industry-leading engineers, researchers, and product leaders to solve complex technical problems at unprecedented scale.

Technical Domain: Core Systems, Operating Systems & Low-Level Computing

At Microsoft’s core engineering divisions, software professionals push the boundaries of low-level systems architecture, operating systems kernel development, and hardware-software co-design. From hypervisor virtualization and high-performance C++ networking stacks to firmware execution and Data Processing Unit (DPU) integration, engineers build the low-latency pipelines that underpin modern compute. Team members maintain rigorous code correctness, concurrency benchmarks, and hardware-accelerated telemetry across mission-critical execution environments.

Professionals in this specialization combine strong computer science fundamentals with practical, real-world systems engineering. Whether delivering distributed microservices, designing custom silicon interconnects, managing physical datacenter infrastructure, or scaling AI-powered customer workflows, you will operate within a mature engineering ecosystem supported by Microsoft’s global technical community.

Key Responsibilities & Scope of Work

In this capacity, your daily priorities and core technical contributions will center on the following key operational deliverables:

• Design through firmware architecture and development.
• At the design phase, you will be part of a team driving the architecture, design and development of the various sub-systems including firmware development of low-level hardware interfaces and define boot and management flows of ASIC and Rack infrastructure.
• You will be responsible for firmware level debug as part of end-to-end firmware development and debug.
• 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.
• Experience with working from early concept of SoC Architecture and design to shipping final product.
• Experience driving firmware architecture solutions with detailed troubleshooting and debugging skills.
• The successful candidate should have experience with some or all the following: Peripherals such as PCIe, memory interfaces, OS primitives, memory management, scheduling, interrupts, threading.
• Maintain rigorous code quality, comprehensive automated test coverage, and security compliance throughout all phases of software delivery.
• Participate actively in technical design reviews, operational post-mortems, and architectural discussions across global engineering cohorts.

Candidate Profile & Experience Requirements

Candidates for the Principal Firmware Architect position are evaluated based on their practical experience, technical depth, and demonstrated track record of problem-solving:

• Professional Background: Minimum of 3 years (36 months) of verified experience directly relevant to firmware engineering or related technical specializations.
• Doctorate in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field AND 3+ years technical engineering experience OR Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field AND 6+ years technical engineering experience OR Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field AND 8+ years technical engineering experience OR equivalent experience.
• 12+ years of technical engineering experience OR Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 10+ years of technical engineering experience OR Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 7+ years of technical engineering experience OR Doctorate degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 5+ years of technical engineering experience.
• OR Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 10+ years of technical engineering experience
• OR Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 7+ years of technical engineering experience
• OR Doctorate degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 5+ years of technical engineering experience.
• 10+ years of professional experience designing and developing Embedded Software solutions.
• Technical Competence: Demonstrated mastery of programming environments, distributed systems, modern cloud infrastructure, or specialized analytical methodologies relevant to the domain.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Strong written and verbal communication skills, with an established ability to articulate complex technical architectures clearly to engineering peers and executive stakeholders.
• Culture & Values: Demonstrated alignment with Microsoft’s core values of respect, integrity, and accountability, alongside a proactive dedication to diversity and inclusion.

Work Environment, Workplace Schedule & Location Structure

This position is designated with an official location in Redmond, Washington, United States. Work arrangements for this role are structured as Onsite Model with Hybrid Work Flexibility (Redmond, Washington). Microsoft provides modern, accessible work environments equipped with state-of-the-art developer tooling, ergonomic facilities, and collaborative hybrid infrastructure.

Compensation, Total Rewards & Comprehensive Benefits

Microsoft offers a comprehensive, highly competitive total rewards framework designed to support employees’ personal, professional, and financial well-being:

• Legally Disclosed Base Salary Range: USD $142,800 – USD $274,800 per annum across typical US geographic zones (regional geographic differentials apply for high-cost zones such as the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City metropolitan areas).
• Incentive & Equity Rewards: Eligibility for annual performance-based cash bonuses and Microsoft restricted stock units (RSUs).
• Comprehensive Healthcare: Premium medical, dental, and vision coverage, including mental health support programs and wellness reimbursements.
• Retirement & Financial Security: Robust 401(k) / national retirement savings plans with generous company matching contributions, alongside financial planning resources.
• Time Off & Work-Life Harmony: Generous paid time off, comprehensive parental leave programs, public holiday allowances, and caregiver leave support.
• Growth & Learning: Unlimited access to Microsoft Learn, internal technical conferences, tuition assistance, and structured career mobility pathways across worldwide business units.

Application Process & Requisition Reference

This position is actively open and monitored by Microsoft Talent Acquisition. In alignment with corporate hiring policies, applications are accepted on an ongoing basis with no rigid pre-determined closing deadline until a qualified candidate is formally selected (Open Until Filled).

To submit your application, select the Apply Now button on this listing to navigate directly to the official Microsoft Careers requisition portal. When submitting your candidacy, reference Requisition ID 200046437. Ensure your resume and supporting documentation highlight your relevant technical deliverables, system achievements, and professional qualifications.