Principal Security Engineer

Job ID: 200044763Posted: 2026-08-24Location: United States, Washington, RedmondSalary: USD $165,600 - $296,400 per yearEmployment type: Full-TimeWork site: 3 days / week in-officeRole type: Individual ContributorTravel: Less than 25%Profession: Software EngineeringDiscipline: Software EngineeringCompany: MicrosoftOverviewDo you want to be at the forefront of innovating the latest hardware designs to propel Microsoft’s cloud growth? Are you seeking a unique career opportunity that combines technical capabilities, cross-team collaboration, with business insight and strategy? Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees, we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to achieve our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond. In alignment with our Microsoft values, we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment for all employees to positively impact our culture every day. Join the Systems Planning and Architecture (SPARC) team within Microsoft’s Azure Hardware Systems and Infrastructure (AHSI) organization, the team 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. Azure Hardware Security Architecture team is responsible for designing and developing advanced infrastructure technology. This requires fully life-cycle development from definition, design, and development of the infrastructure. We work closely with Microsoft cloud product teams, industry partners and researchers to architect and develop server hardware solutions that meet the requirements for our cloud scale services and platforms. We are looking for a Principal Security Engineer to join our teamResponsibilitiesLead security initiatives across the full AI-driven hardware development lifecycle, from secure silicon and firmware design to manufacturing, supply chain security, and large-scale cloud deployment.Collaborate with security threat modeling teams to define and implement silicon and firmware security architectures.Design and develop secure low-level firmware and hardware interfaces.Write and maintain secure, defensive code with a emphasis on secure firmware development.Develop and implement firmware security features, including hardware root of trust technologies.Apply cryptanalysis knowledge to evaluate and strengthen security mechanisms.Ensure secure software and firmware development practices throughout the product lifecycle.Contribute to the design and implementation of Confidential Computing technologies.Demonstrate expertise in memory subsystems, side-channel attack mitigation, memory protection, scheduling, interrupts, and multithreading/threading concepts.QualificationsRequired/minimum QualificationsBachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 8+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python 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 10+ years of professional experience designing secure solutions. Familiar with server and AI architectures. Ability to debug and resolve issues spanning multiple subsystems Proven and demonstrable skill in C, C++, Rust, cryptanalysis Experienced with AI workflows, Confidential Computing Problem solving, debugging and troubleshooting skills, advanced design and development skills Software Engineering IC6 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $165,600 - $296,400 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 $220,800 - $331,200 per year. Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.