Join Microsoft Silicon, Cloud Hardware, and Infrastructure Engineering (SCHIE) and power Microsoft’s “Intelligent Cloud” mission. We develop the core infrastructure and foundational technologies for over 200 online businesses, including Azure, Xbox Live, and Office 365. This is a unique opportunity to work on cutting-edge technology in a growth-mindset team dedicated to empowering every person and organization on the planet to achieve more.

We are building the next generation of hardware/firmware for server, silicon, and rack infrastructure for Cobalt/Maia systems. Our focus is on innovating firmware technology to secure Azure infrastructure for Microsoft and its customers. We are seeking a Principal Firmware Validation Engineer with extensive experience in System on Chip (SoC) architecture, SoC bring-up, and root-causing complex issues at the intersection of firmware and hardware subsystems.

You will be instrumental across all product development phases, from pre-silicon and post-silicon validation to deployment in the datacenter. This involves close collaboration with platform and firmware architects, program management, and component development teams.

Your role will include defining comprehensive test plans, validation frameworks, tools, and methodologies for end-to-end feature readiness. You will architect and optimize SoC and platform validation methodologies to enhance debugging, reduce manual effort, and improve coverage for concurrent and deployment scenarios. You will also be responsible for debugging and resolving complex hardware/firmware interface issues.

Own the coordination, integration, validation, and debugging of system software across various server architecture domains like SoC FWs, BIOS, and BMC. You will architect or contribute to requirements for test stimulus, content, and frameworks to ensure thorough testing and coverage establishment. Identify and rectify inefficiencies and gaps in architecture, testing, and execution. Additionally, you will mentor and guide peers, fostering a collaborative team environment and ensuring a system-level perspective to validate that integrated firmware/system software aligns with product architectural goals.

A Bachelor’s degree or higher in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or a related field is required. You should possess over 15 years of hands-on experience in large-scale system design, architecture, development, testing, release, and performance tuning.

Exceptional problem-solving, debugging, and troubleshooting skills are essential, alongside programming proficiency in Python, C, or C++. Experience with platform initialization, Board Support Packages (UEFI/U-Boot), integration, and low-level drivers for peripherals like PCIe, I2C, eMMC, SPI, USB, and UARTs is expected. Familiarity with memory management, scheduling, interrupts, and multi-threading is also crucial.

Demonstrated experience leading significant initiatives across multiple teams and organizations, leveraging deep domain expertise to influence product roadmaps, is highly valued. A passion for exploring and deploying innovative methods to improve coverage, debugging, and efficiency in firmware releases is key. Candidates must meet Microsoft, customer, and/or government security screening requirements, including the Microsoft Cloud Background Check.