Principal HW/SW Silicon Architect | Microsoft Careers

Microsoft

Quick summary

Work type
On-site
Location
Redmond, WA
Salary
$142,800–$274,800 / yr
Posted
1 day ago
Closes
Nov 30, 2026

Market check

Salary context

Competitive pay

How this pay compares to similar roles

Similar $226k
This role $209k
$127k most similar roles pay here $291k

This role pays less than 52% of similar roles. Most pay $201,000–$251,750 — the shaded band above. At the midpoint, this role pays about $209k versus about $226k for comparable roles.

Based on 239 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 598 open roles on FindRole.

Listed pay typically runs $119,800–$234,700 across 547 roles with salary data.

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At a glance

TL;DR · Principal HW/SW Silicon Architect | Microsoft Careers

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The Principal HW/SW Silicon Architect role within the Silicon IP and Custom Products (SCIPS) team at Microsoft involves leading silicon accelerator hardware and software co-design, including software prototyping and authoring programming guides. This position requires developing deep insights through workload characterization to optimize systems for Azure’s general-purpose and specialized compute fleet. The architect will collaborate with diverse experts across Microsoft to engineer cost-effective solutions while influencing long-term hardware architecture decisions based on data-driven analysis. Ideal candidates have over three years of experience in systems software, CPU and system architecture co-design, and expertise in Windows OS internals, memory management, and virtualization principles. Additionally, proficiency in AI tools and the ability to partner with architects and engineers are essential for success in this role.

Skills

Windows Linux OS Kernel Memory Management I/O Stacks Virtualization CPU Architecture Memory Architecture I/O Architecture Zstd Deflate AI Tools CI/CD

What you'll do

  • Lead silicon accelerator HW/SW co-design including software prototyping.
  • Develop insights through workload characterization to identify systems optimization opportunities.
  • Engineer TCO-optimized solutions for Azure compute fleet by collaborating with experts.
  • Influence hardware architecture and industry alignment with data-driven analysis over three-to-six-year timeframe.
  • Guide architecture and software enabling in systems software, OS kernel, memory management.

What we're looking for

  • 3+ years experience in systems software (OS kernel, memory management, I/O stacks, Virtualization).
  • Deep expertise in CPU, memory, and I/O architecture along with virtualization principles.
  • Proven track record of leading significant hardware/software co-design projects involving CPU and systems architecture.
  • Extensive knowledge of Windows Operating System internals and OS memory management.
  • Skilled in partnering and influencing architects, hardware engineers, and software leads.

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