{"id":2193740,"url":"https://alion.io/job/microsoft-principal-firmware-engineer-4","title":"Principal Firmware Engineer","company":{"id":18,"name":"Microsoft","domain":"microsoft.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/microsoft","size_band":"5000+","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Eightfold","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":75,"open_postings":100,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":1,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":null,"computed_at":"2026-10-13T05:45:00Z"}},"role":"Hardware","role_family":"Hardware","seniority":"lead","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Mountain View, United States","Washington, United States","Austin, United States","Raleigh, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":142800,"max":274800,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":274800},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":12,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Azure","optional":false},{"name":"C++","optional":false},{"name":"Cadence Palladium","optional":true},{"name":"Python","optional":true},{"name":"Siemens Veloce","optional":true},{"name":"Synopsys HAPS","optional":true},{"name":"Synopsys ZeBu","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-03T21:27:06Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-09","last_verified_at":"2026-10-13T23:50:30Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":40,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":40},"description":"OverviewThe Microsoft Azure team is seeking a highly experienced Principal Firmware Engineer to lead the , development of firmware , debugging, and validation of next-generation firmware solutions for Microsoft AI accelerators and cloud silicon platforms.\nThis role is focused on the design, development , debug and deployment of silicon firmware libraries focused on Compute Domains and ANC (Accelerator Network Controller). This will require deep expertise in SoC architecture, low-level firmware, silicon bring-up, hardware/software co-design, and platform initialization flows. The candidate will serve as a technical leader driving IP Firmware library architecture across multiple silicon programs while collaborating with hardware architects, validation engineers, security and Platform firmware and software teams. The role needs to be technical hands on leaders who will influence architecture across teams, mentor others, drive complex initiatives, and effectively communicate with executives, customers, and engineering stakeholders.\nResponsibilities\nDefine and drive firmware architecture for Silicon firmware libraries for HBM, ANC, Compute, and SoC infrastructure subsystems.\nInfluence microarchitecture decisions by working closely with silicon architects during specification and design phases.\nLead firmware strategy across multiple silicon generations and platform programs..\nProvide technical leadership across firmware, hardware, validation, and software organizations\nDevelop silicon firmware libraries in C/C++ for Compute engines, ANC sub system, DMA Engines, and other similar IP blocks\nDevelop scalable and maintainable firmware frameworks and APIs.\nLead first-silicon bring-up activities.\nDrive root-cause analysis for firmware, hardware, performance, and validation issues.\nDefine firmware verification requirements and test plans.\nLead cross-team initiatives spanning firmware, silicon architecture, software, security, and system integration.\nCreate engineering alignment across geographically distributed teams.\nCollaborate with Azure hardware, platform software, systems, and validation organizations.\nRepresent firmware technical direction in leadership and architecture reviews.\nMentor engineers.\nDevelop engineering best practices, coding standards, and architectural review processes.\nQualifications\nMinimum Qualifications\nDoctorate 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 \nOR Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field AND 8+ years technical engineering experience \nOR equivalent experience. \n\nOther Requirements:\nAbility 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:\nMicrosoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.\nPreferred Qualifications\n12+ years of experience in firmware, embedded systems, or SoC development.\nProficient understanding of Memory and IO subsystem for server class SoC\nProven experience as a technical lead for complex silicon or firmware programs.\nDemonstrated ownership of architecture, development, and delivery of production-quality firmware.\nExpert Level Programming skills in C/C++ and Python.\nDeep Expertise in CPU and accelerator architecture, ARM/RISC architectures, On Chip Interconnect\nExperience in designing Boot loader, Platform Initialization sequences, Silicon Abstraction layers.\nExperience in domains like Network controllers, and high-performance compute sub systems\nSilicon bringup. Debug and experience in using JTAG , Lauterbach TRACE32 and other debug tools\nExperience in using Emulation and FPGA Platforms\nExperience with Azure hardware platforms.\nExperience with AI accelerator silicon.\nExperience with confidential computing and security firmware.\nExperience working with emulation platforms (Zebu, HAPS, Palladium, Veloce).\nExperience with firmware performance optimization and telemetry.\nExperience in RAS, reliability, and serviceability architecture.\n#azurehwjobs #SCHIE\nFirmware 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.\nCertain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:\nhttps://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay\nThis position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.\nMicrosoft 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.","description_format":"text","description_chars":5834,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":12,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Console Games","Cloud Platforms (IaaS & PaaS)","Gaming Consoles","Developer Tools"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-09T18:38:43Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":16,"band":"cold","label":"Long shot","p_open":1,"p_active":0.464,"p_room":0.35,"age_days":39,"expected_fill_days":19,"reasons":["conf:1","stale_co","velocity","win:tail","comp:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-10-13T05:45:00Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":274800,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/microsoft-principal-firmware-engineer-4","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/microsoft-principal-firmware-engineer-4.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-14T01:51:41Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":2725,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-15T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":18},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=18"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fmicrosoft-principal-firmware-engineer-4"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fmicrosoft-principal-firmware-engineer-4"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fmicrosoft-principal-firmware-engineer-4"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/microsoft-principal-firmware-engineer-4\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fmicrosoft-principal-firmware-engineer-4"}]}