below marketmost similar roles pay hereabove market
This role pays less than
62%
of similar roles. Most pay
$132,762–$208,000
— the blue band above.
At the midpoint, this role pays about
$152k
versus about
$170k
for comparable roles.
Based on 240 similar postings.
Employer
About Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is a global technology leader producing software, hardware, and cloud services including Windows, Office 365, Azure cloud platform, Xbox gaming, and Surface devices. Industry: Software & Cloud Computing
Microsoft currently has
711 open roles
on FindRole.
Listed pay typically runs
$119,800–$234,700
across 668 roles with salary data.
JOB TITLE: Firmware Engineer
The Firmware Engineer joins the Silicon and Cloud Hardware Infrastructure Engineering team to develop, debug, and validate next-generation firmware solutions for Microsoft AI accelerators and cloud silicon platforms. This role focuses on designing silicon firmware libraries for Compute Domains, High Bandwidth Memory solutions, and SoC infrastructure subsystems. Key responsibilities include owning IP libraries, participating in first-silicon bring-up activities, and performing root-cause analysis for hardware and performance issues. The successful candidate will utilize C/C++, Python, and tools such as JTAG and Lauterbach TRACE32. Required expertise includes SoC architecture, platform initialization flows, and hardware/software co-design. The work involves developing scalable firmware frameworks and APIs while validating libraries in pre-silicon simulation and emulation platforms like ZeBu, FPGA, and VHS to solve complex cloud infrastructure problems.
What does a Firmware Engineer earn?
Median $194500 from 37 postings across 10 companies.
Design and develop silicon firmware libraries for HBM, Compute, and SoC infrastructure subsystems.
Develop scalable and maintainable firmware frameworks and APIs.
Lead first-silicon bring-up activities for assigned IP libraries.
Perform debug and root-cause analysis for firmware, hardware, performance, and validation issues.
Define firmware verification requirements and comprehensive test plans.
Validate silicon firmware libraries using pre-silicon simulation and emulation platforms.
What we're looking for
Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field and 1+ year of technical engineering experience.
Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field and 2+ years of technical engineering experience.
Equivalent technical engineering experience to the degree requirements.
Ability to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check every two years.
3–5 years of hands-on expertise in firmware development, embedded systems, or System-on-Chip (SoC) development (preferred).
Proficiency in C/C++ and Python programming for developing robust, efficient, and scalable firmware (preferred).
Experience with silicon bring-up, debugging, and root-cause analysis using JTAG, Lauterbach TRACE32, and other industry-standard tools (preferred).
Knowledge of memory and I/O subsystems, bootloader design, and platform initialization sequences (preferred).
SoC Architecture
Firmware Development
Silicon Design
Bring-Up
JTAG
Arm TrustZone
x86
Arm
FPGA
ZeBu
Palladium
Lauterbach TRACE32
Arm Development Studio
Linux
Windows
Driver Development
RTL
Pre-silicon Validation
Post-silicon Validation
ATE