below marketmost similar roles pay hereabove market
This role pays more than
63%
of similar roles. Most pay
$170,187–$231,000
— the blue band above.
At the midpoint, this role pays about
$209k
versus about
$201k
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
694 open roles
on FindRole.
Listed pay typically runs
$119,800–$234,700
across 651 roles with salary data.
The Principal Optical Engineer joins the Cloud Hardware Systems Engineering team to lead the implementation, integration, qualification, and high-volume deployment of optical interconnect solutions for cloud and AI infrastructure. This role involves translating approved architectures into specific requirements for optical modules, fiber assemblies, connectors, and rack-level paths. Key responsibilities include owning product-level tradeoffs for performance, power, and thermal constraints, driving productization from design maturity through manufacturing ramp, and leading cross-functional reviews of electrical interfaces, mechanical tolerances, and firmware. The position requires expertise in 112G/224G-class electrical interfaces, PAM4 optical links, and fiber-management technologies like MPO and LC. The engineer will manage supplier relationships and technical direction for ODM and contract-manufacturing partners to ensure reliable, high-quality deployment of large-scale optical hardware components.
Translate approved optical architectures into deployable product requirements, interfaces, and implementation plans.
Own product-level requirements and tradeoffs for optical modules, fiber assemblies, and rack-level optical paths.
Drive optical interconnect productization from initial definition through prototype integration and fleet deployment.
Lead cross-functional design reviews spanning electrical interfaces, thermal integration, firmware, and manufacturing.
Define validation, qualification, reliability, and production-test strategies with evidence-based coverage and exit criteria.
Resolve complex module and field-level issues by organizing cross-team debugs and driving corrective actions.
Provide technical direction to ODM, contract-manufacturing, and test-equipment partners to ensure quality and yield targets.
Identify deployment risks early and communicate performance, cost, and reliability consequences to senior stakeholders.
What we're looking for
Master's Degree in Electrical, Computer, or Mechanical Engineering and 7+ years of technical engineering experience.
Bachelor's Degree in Electrical, Computer, or Mechanical Engineering and 8+ years of technical engineering experience.
Equivalent experience to the degree and years of experience requirements.
Ability to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check.
Bachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering, Photonics, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related field and 10+ years of technical engineering experience (preferred).
10+ years of experience developing and delivering optical modules, fiber assemblies, connectors, or rack-level optical interconnects (preferred).
Experience leading optical hardware implementation, integration, validation, and production deployment for cloud, networking, or AI infrastructure (preferred).
Experience with 112G/224G-class electrical interfaces, PAM4 optical links, link budgets, and end-to-end system margin analysis (preferred).
Optical Engineering
Photonics
Python
MATLAB
Signal Processing
Optical Alignment
Imaging Systems
Data Analysis
Laboratory Automation
Optical System Modeling
Detector Assemblies
ISO 9000
Excel
Word
PowerPoint