This role pays more than
67%
of similar roles. Most pay
$140,863–$220,200
— the shaded band above.
At the midpoint, this role pays about
$209k
versus about
$181k
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
653 open roles
on FindRole.
Listed pay typically runs
$119,800–$234,700
across 617 roles with salary data.
The Principal Hardware Engineer - Networking serves as a technical leader for complex network switch platforms supporting Azure AI infrastructure. This role involves defining multi-generation electrical and system architecture roadmaps, managing requirements decomposition, and overseeing execution from board design through manufacturing and deployment. The engineer provides technical authority on components including switch ASICs, control-plane CPUs, BMCs, CPLDs/FPGAs, high-speed Ethernet, retimers, optical modules, and power delivery systems. Day-to-day responsibilities include leading architecture reviews for PCB stack-up, signal integrity, and power integrity while managing ODM/OEM partnerships. The role requires expertise in 112G/224G PAM4, SONiC hardware enablement, and high-speed serial technologies to solve complex infrastructure challenges. Candidates must navigate trade-offs between performance, reliability, cost, and schedule to deliver scalable platform solutions for large-scale cloud networking environments.
Define multi-generation electrical and system architecture roadmaps for custom network switch platforms supporting Azure AI infrastructure.
Manage requirements decomposition and architectural tradeoffs regarding performance, reliability, security, manufacturing, and cost.
Provide technical authority for components including ASICs, CPUs, power delivery, high-speed Ethernet, and optical modules.
Lead design reviews across schematic, PCB layout, signal/power integrity, and system integration to resolve cross-disciplinary issues.
Establish validation strategies for platform bring-up, stress testing, reliability, and production-test coverage.
Resolve complex board, system, and manufacturing defects by leading cross-team debugs and implementing corrective actions.
Provide technical direction to ODM/OEM partners regarding design criteria, quality expectations, and supplier roadmaps.
Mentor engineers and develop reusable specifications, design guides, and reference architectures for network-switch programs.
What we're looking for
Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field and 7+ years of experience.
Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field and 8+ years of experience.
Ability to pass the Microsoft Cloud Background Check.
10+ years of experience designing and delivering board- or system-level hardware for networking, compute, storage, accelerator, or datacenter products (preferred).
Experience leading architecture, requirements, design reviews, bring-up, validation, root-cause debug, and production readiness for complex hardware platforms (preferred).
Experience developing high-speed serial and high-current power-delivery hardware across electrical, firmware, mechanical, thermal, SI/PI, and manufacturing disciplines (preferred).
Experience providing technical leadership across internal organizations and external ODM/OEM, silicon, component, or manufacturing partners (preferred).
Experience architecting merchant-silicon Ethernet switch platforms for AI, cloud, hyperscale, or datacenter infrastructure (preferred).
RDMA
RoCE
TCP/IP
UDP
SONiC
Linux Networking
Ethernet
SmartNICs
DPUs
High-Speed SerDes
Packet Analysis
Telemetry
Azure
Distributed Training
Collective Communication
Congestion Control
QoS
AI Infrastructure
Ethernet
RDMA
RoCE
SONiC
Switch ASICs
Optical Networking
SerDes
Firmware
Distributed Systems
GPU
System Architecture
Control Plane
Hardware Engineering