Principal Hardware Engineer - Research and Development

Overview

The Strategic Missions and Technologies (SMT) division develops and delivers advanced AI, cloud capabilities, and strategic infrastructure to help solve the world’s major challenges.

From quantum computing for drug development and material design, to government-certified clouds providing Large Language Models (LLMs) and Generative AI (GAI) for national security, and autonomous systems for better managing biosecurity to reduce disease risks and protect ecosystems joining SMT means building the future , partnering with government, and working in an exhilarating impact-focused environment .

The Microsoft Premonition team develops state-of-the-art AI platforms to improve the world’s biosecurity and bio-intelligence capabilities ().

Microsoft Premonition is winner of Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Award (2021). Our end-to-end systems provide detection of unexpected or emerging pathogens using cloud-scale AI, real-time monitoring of dangerous or invasive species with AI-powered Biological Weather Stations , and prediction of where biological threats could emerge by fusing geospatial, climactic, and biological data.

Join our highly cross-disciplinary team, born from deep research roots, to help us launch critical technologies at the intersection of biology, AI, and autonomous systems.

We are looking for a Principal Hardware Engineer - Research and Development who can accelerate our efforts to design, prototype, and scale our Biological Weather Stations and related hardware platforms.

An ideal candidate is highly collaborative, comfortable working on open-ended research and business problems, and passionate about delivering solutions in real-world settings.

Individuals who enjoy the complete gamut of hardware design from concept and architecture to hands-on design and prototyping will thrive in this role.

Core competencies include circuit design and firmware development. Background in sensing technologies, embedded system design, IoT technologies and cyber-physical systems are highly desirable.

Experience working with device manufacturers to ship hardware at scale is valuable to our mission to create technology that makes real-world impact.

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more, and we’re dedicated to this mission across every aspect of our company.

Our culture is centered on embracing a growth mindset and encouraging teams and leaders to bring their best each day. Join us and help shape the future of the world.

In alignment with our Microsoft values, we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment for all employees to positively impact our culture every day.

Qualifications

Required / Minimum Qualifications :

• 10+ years of technical engineering experienceOR Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 8+ years of technical engineering experienceOR Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 5+ years of technical engineering experienceOR Doctorate degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 4+ years of technical engineering experience.
• 8+ years of hands-on experience in hardware design and development with solid understanding of hardware, firmware, and embedded system design.

Other Requirements :

Ability 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 :

Microsoft Cloud Background Check : This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire / transfer and every two years thereafter.

Additional or Preferred Qualifications :

• 15+ years of technical engineering experienceOR Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 10+ years of technical engineering experienceOR Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 8+ years of technical engineering experienceOR Doctorate degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 5+ years of technical engineering experience.
• 10+ years of hands-on experience in hardware design and development with solid understanding of hardware, firmware, and embedded system design.

Hardware Engineering IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $133,600 - $256,800 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 $173,200 - $282,200 per year.

Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here :

Responsibilities

• Work cross-organizationally to participate in strategy discussions, gather hardware requirements, and propose hardware development roadmaps.
• Carry out detailed hardware system design and prototyping.
• Guide hardware testing, debugging, and validation, together with engineering teams and biologists, in our global lighthouse pilot sites.
• Create engineering specifications and design artifacts to communicate hardware designs to manufacturers, customers, and stakeholders.
• Work with the team to integrate hardware solutions into working systems.
• Research and evaluate new hardware technologies and trends and provide recommendations for improvement and innovation.

Other

Embody our and

Benefits / perks listed below may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you work.

Industry leading healthcareEducational resourcesDiscounts on products and servicesSavings and investmentsMaternity and paternity leaveGenerous time awayGiving programsOpportunities to network and connect