Principal Hardware System Validation Engineer

Microsoft is a highly innovative company that collaborates across disciplines to produce cutting edge technology that changes our world.  The Azure Cloud Hardware and Infrastructure Engineering (CHIE) team is seeking a highly motivated Principal Hardware Systems Validation Engineer to work in a team of other hardware and software developers to create systems and modules to be deployed in Microsoft’s Azure Cloud.  Microsoft provides ample opportunities for developers to have an impact on products that touch the lives of millions of users daily, in a cutting-edge public cloud environment. 

As a Systems Engineering team member, you will develop System Validation plans for Azure's leading HW solutions by incorporating advanced technologies, datacenter use cases and by working across different engineering functions.  Responsibilities will include architecting and developing efficient test and debug frameworks for cutting edge technologies, building test and debug automation, partnering with leading technology providers to define test and debug strategies, driving unified and efficient test, validation and debug methodologies across product segments.  This is an opportunity to leverage and grow your existing hardware design/validation experience and provide innovative E2E hardware solutions to Microsoft Cloud.

Come join this exciting and growing team through our monumental evolution of cloud hardware at Azure and Microsoft!  

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 realize 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.

Responsibilities

• Define and Develop System validation architecture, test frameworks, and test plans for complex HW solutions based on CPU/GPU applications to achieve holistic test coverage and efficient debugging. 
• Drive continuous improvement to achieve a unified and standard testing, validation, and debug methodology – adopt automation, AI Capabilities to drive efficiency and enhance test coverage.  
• Apply your knowledge in ARM, x86,  Nvidia, & AMD (GPU) instruction sets, and different technologies to create tests that are portable across different CPU & GPU architectures
• Contribute to SOC and Server architecture design in the areas of Observability, Testability, Debuggability (OTD) to facilitate analogous capabilities that will support standardized validation tests and debug methods
• Use your knowledge in debug methodology (e.g., kernel debug, JTAG debug, crash-dumps) to create debug tools that are analogous and potentially portable across CPU & GPU architectures. Create near-standardized tools for parsing and decoding debug logs.
• Work with ODMs, Engineers from different functions such as HW, FW, OS/SW, Debug, and Test to develop validation execution plans for new technologies and MSFT IP features. 
• Hands on engineering work  
• Drive defect triaging, debugging, and resolution for cross functional issues. 
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to ensure systems meet significant quality, reliability, and service level requirements for a cloud environment 
• Developing quality criteria for different phases of programs – with metrics such as test coverage, bug discovery, test optimization, test automation etc. 
• Work with stakeholders on process improvement, data quality improvement and cross-boundary triaging. 
• Automate review process to improve data quality and scaling capability. 
• Mentor other  validation engineers in test plan creation, writing test cases to have holistic coverage  

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 7+ years technical engineering experience
• 8+ years of relevant hands-on experience in server systems/platforms development and validation for enterprise or cloud market segments.
• 8+ years of experience with hardware, firmware, and OS interfaces and interdependencies, different CPU and GPU architecture and system design concepts.
• 5+ years of experience in technical leadership role for end-to-end system validation and building test frameworks.
• 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 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:

• 15+ years of hands-on experience in platform/server validation.
• Proven technical communication skills (verbal and written) to interface with cross-functional technical leads within and/or outside of the organization.
• Deep understanding of OTD (Observability, Testability, and Debuggability).
• Familiar with different technology areas including but not limited to networking, power management, rack device management, remote device management
• Experience in performance benchmarking tools such as SPEC workloads, Linpack, AI workloads
• Experienced in defining custom HW tools for either validation or debug.
• Experience in windows and Linux operating systems.
• Advanced troubleshooting and debugging skills. Hands on experience in debug and measurement tools such as Logic Analyzers, Oscilloscopes, PCIe analyzers.
• Experience in test automation development using PowerShell, python or similar frameworks
• Experience in evaluating hardware designs, HW/FW/OS interactions, platform config trade-offs, and E2E error flows is required.
• Experience in debugging complex system level issues related to board hardware, thermal and Firmware components is required.
• Self-motivated individuals must be able to work collaboratively in a team environment and across internal divisions and industry (OEM, ODM), demonstrated technical leadership in driving successful product designs.

Hardware Engineering IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $139,900 - $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

Microsoft will accept applications for the role until October 12, 2025.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances.  We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request via the Accommodation request form.

Benefits/perks listed below may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you work.

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