Design for Manufacturing Engineer II

Microsoft • Redmond, WA

1d

About The Position

Microsoft Devices Operations (MDO) is hiring a Design for Manufacturing Engineer II to help deliver hardware at scale across Surface and Xbox products. This role works at the intersection of product design and factory execution, applying product knowledge, engineering methods, and continuous improvement to support cost, quality, and scale objectives. The engineer evaluates designs, identifies manufacturing risks, and recommends improvements that enhance manufacturability, quality, cost, automation, and scalability. The role contributes to product development from concept through production by working across disciplines, using data to inform decisions, and developing technical solutions that support successful product launches.

The engineer partners with cross-functional teams on product design decisions; performs DFM/DFA assessments and engineering analyses; assesses technologies, materials, features, and manufacturing processes; and applies structured engineering methods to understand tradeoffs and guide development. The role also collaborates with engineering, quality, reliability, design, and global manufacturing teams to resolve challenges, mitigate risks, establish DFX standards and best practices, and communicate findings and recommendations.

The required qualification is a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field and at least two years of experience in engineering, manufacturing, operations, or hardware development, or equivalent experience. The stated base pay range is USD $102,100–$202,200 per year across the U.S., with a different range of USD $133,800–$219,200 per year for specified San Francisco Bay Area and New York City metropolitan area locations. The position is open for a minimum of five days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until filled.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field and 2+ years of experience in engineering, manufacturing, operations, or hardware development, or equivalent experience.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field and 3+ years of experience in engineering, manufacturing, operations, or hardware development; alternatively, a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field and 5+ years of such experience; or equivalent experience.
• Experience in product design and/or manufacturing engineering for consumer electronics or electro-mechanical hardware.
• Exposure to design for automation, including evaluating designs for automated assembly, test, or repair and recommending changes that enable automation and manufacturability.
• Experience supporting one or more NPI programs from prototype builds through production ramp.
• Knowledge of Design for Six Sigma and statistical tools such as DOE, tolerance analysis, and process capability.
• Working knowledge of CAD and DFM tools such as Creo, Valor, or Cadence Allegro.
• Six Sigma Green Belt or equivalent certification.
• Effective collaboration and communication across Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial Design, Reliability, Quality, and global manufacturing teams, including suppliers and factories in different time zones.
• Ability to clearly present findings, risks, and recommendations verbally and in writing to peers, engineering leads, and management.

Responsibilities

• Partner with cross-functional engineering teams throughout concept and product development to improve manufacturability, repairability, quality, cost, automation, and scalability, and contribute to key product design decisions.
• Perform Design for Manufacturing/Design for Assembly (DFM/DFA) assessments and engineering analyses to identify manufacturing risks, evaluate complexity, and recommend improvements to product robustness, assembly efficiency, and manufacturing readiness.
• Assess new technologies, materials, features, and manufacturing processes; characterize technical risk, evaluate feasibility, and support informed product design decisions.
• Apply structured engineering tools and methodologies, including tolerance analysis, Design of Experiments (DOE), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), statistical analysis, and Design for Six Sigma principles, to understand technical tradeoffs and guide product development.
• Collaborate with Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial Design, Reliability, Quality, and Global Manufacturing teams to resolve design challenges and develop risk mitigation strategies.
• Develop Design for Excellence (DFX) standards and best practices.
• Communicate technical findings, risks, tradeoffs, and recommendations using data-driven analysis.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level