Principal Firmware Architect

Job ID: 200044227Posted: 2026-09-28Location: United States, Washington, RedmondSalary: USD $142,800 - $274,800 per yearEmployment type: Full-TimeWork site: 3 days / week in-officeRole type: Individual ContributorTravel: Less than 25%Profession: Hardware EngineeringDiscipline: Firmware EngineeringCompany: MicrosoftOverviewMicrosoft Silicon, Cloud Hardware, and Infrastructure Engineering (SCHIE) is the team behind Microsoft’s expanding Cloud Infrastructure and responsible for powering Microsoft’s “Intelligent Cloud” mission. SCHIE delivers the core infrastructure and foundational technologies for Microsoft's cloud platform, including the hardware and firmware that power Azure at global scale.We are seeking a Principal Firmware Architect to join the first party silicon firmware team responsible for the firmware that runs in Microsoft Azure custom silicon, including Cobalt and MAIA. In this role, you will define firmware architecture and requirements that align with Azure features, partner closely with silicon and board design teams, and help shape the platform capabilities that enable secure, scalable, and high-performance cloud services.This role is for an experienced firmware architect who can translate product and Azure service needs into clear firmware requirements, drive technical direction across hardware and firmware boundaries, and influence design decisions from early architecture through validation and release.ResponsibilitiesProvide firmware requirements and architectural guidance to hardware teams, including silicon design, board design, and platform integration teams.Create firmware architecture and requirements that align with Azure features, service needs, and platform roadmap priorities.Define and maintain firmware subsystem interfaces, dependencies, and design principles for first party silicon programs.Partner with silicon architects, board engineers, and firmware developers to ensure firmware requirements are feasible, testable, and complete.Develop security requirements and threat models for firmware features, platform capabilities, and cross-domain interfaces.Drive architecture reviews and technical decisions for firmware capabilities across boot, platform initialization, manageability, security, telemetry, and recovery flows.Establish requirements for firmware that supports Microsoft Azure custom silicon programs such as Cobalt and MAIA.Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure firmware designs support reliability, performance, security, and operational excellence at cloud scale.Influence design tradeoffs early in the product cycle to reduce integration risk and improve long-term firmware maintainability.Support validation planning by defining expected firmware behavior, feature coverage, and acceptance criteria for platform bring-up and release readiness.Diagnose complex architecture and integration issues across silicon, board, and firmware boundaries.QualificationsRequired Qualifications: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. 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:Strong coding experience in C, C++, Rust, or similar low-level programming languages used for firmware and embedded systems.Demonstrated experience defining firmware architecture and requirements for complex hardware platforms.Experience working with silicon design teams, board design teams, or other hardware engineering partners.Experience translating product or cloud service requirements into firmware specifications and technical design decisions.Experience writing, debugging, and reviewing code for boot firmware, embedded runtime, or platform initialization components.Ability to communicate effectively across technical and non-technical audiences and influence cross-functional partners.Other: 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.10+ years of experience in firmware, embedded systems, or hardware platform architecture.Experience with Python or other scripting languages used for automation, validation, and tooling.Experience working in pre-silicon environments.Experience with boot firmware, platform initialization, recovery, telemetry, security, and manageability features.Experience with RTOS-based firmware development.Familiarity with hardware interfaces and protocols such as PCIe, I3C, I2C, SPI, and USB.Experience working with Azure service teams and aligning platform firmware to service requirements.Strong understanding of hardware/software co-design and feature bring-up on custom silicon platforms.Experience influencing architecture across multiple engineering teams and product groups.Experience performing low-level debugging, performance analysis, and root cause analysis in code spanning silicon and board boundaries.Experience with firmware validation, platform debugging, and root cause analysis across silicon and board boundaries.Proven ability to operate in ambiguous environments and drive clear technical direction.Firmware 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: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.