Director Architecture, Azure Management Solutions

Microsoft•Redmond, WA

4d•$142,800 - $304,200

About The Position

Microsoft Silicon, Cloud Hardware, and Infrastructure Engineering (SCHIE) is the team behind Microsoft’s expanding Cloud Infrastructure and responsible for powering Microsoft’s “Intelligent Cloud” mission. SCHIE delivers the core infrastructure and foundational technologies for Microsoft's over 200 online businesses including Bing, MSN, Office 365, Xbox Live, Teams, OneDrive, and the Microsoft Azure platform globally with our server and data center infrastructure, security and compliance, operations, globalization, and manageability solutions. We are looking for passionate engineers to help achieve that mission. As Microsoft's cloud business continues to grow the ability to deploy new offerings and hardware infrastructure on time, in high volume with high quality and lowest cost is of paramount importance. To achieve this goal, the CHSE (Cloud Hardware Systems Engineering) team is instrumental in defining and delivering operational measures of success for hardware manufacturing, improving the planning process, quality, delivery, scale and sustainability related to Microsoft cloud hardware. We are looking for engineers with a dedicated passion for customer focused solutions, insight and industry knowledge to envision and implement future technical solutions that will manage and optimize the Cloud infrastructure. We are seeking a highly experienced Principal Systems Architect, Azure Solution Management to define the next generation of Azure management architecture across the full Microsoft cloud hardware portfolio. This leader will shape the strategy and architecture for node-level, rack-level, cluster-level and fleet-level management systems spanning Azure AI solutions, GP Compute, Storage, power, cooling and future infrastructure deployments. The successful candidate will drive the evolution of management architectures including BMCs, DC-SCM, Rack-SCM, rack management controllers, telemetry systems, diagnostics, firmware lifecycle management, security and attestation infrastructure, control-plane integration and fleet orchestration. They will work across hardware, firmware, software, datacenter operations and cloud platform organizations to create scalable, secure and interoperable management solutions capable of supporting future Azure platforms and multi-vendor ecosystems. This role will help define how Microsoft operates the next generation of AI infrastructure, including multi-rack AI systems, accelerated computing platforms, and future autonomous datacenter environments. This is a rare opportunity to influence management architecture for the entire Microsoft cloud. The person in this role will help define how Microsoft manages the next decade of cloud infrastructure. The successful candidate will influence the future direction of cloud systems management and manageability architecture across the industry through engagement with hyperscale cloud providers, OEMs, ODMs, silicon partners, and standards organizations. Architects focus on requirements capture, technology insertion, concept and architecture proposals, cost/performance tradeoffs, prototype engineering, and architectural documentation for design/planning reviews. Once a program is approved from a conceptual level, Architects partner with the development teams to ensure a smooth transition to full product development.

Requirements

Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 7+ years technical engineering experience OR Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 8+ years technical engineering experience OR equivalent experience
Experience defining architecture for one or more of the following: server management systems, data center infrastructure management, rack management systems, fleet management platforms or hyperscale cloud infrastructure.
Deep knowledge of hardware and firmware management technologies, including BMCs, system controllers, service processors, firmware lifecycle management, telemetry, diagnostics and security architecture.
Demonstrated ability to influence strategy and drive technical alignment across multiple engineering organizations.
Experience working with hyperscale cloud providers, major OEMs, infrastructure vendors or industry standards organizations.
Experience with OCP, OpenRMC, Redfish, DMTF, OpenBMC or related management standards.
Experience architecting multi-rack AI, accelerated computing, rack-scale infrastructure or hyperscale cloud deployments.
Experience integrating heterogeneous vendor platforms into common management, operational and fleet orchestration frameworks.
Understanding of cloud control planes, fleet orchestration systems, infrastructure automation, telemetry, diagnostics, firmware lifecycle management and datacenter operations.
Experience collaborating with industry partners, standards bodies or technology ecosystems to influence future directions and standards.
Demonstrated ability to create long-term technology strategy and translate architectural vision into executable roadmaps.

Responsibilities

Define the long-term architectural vision for Azure solution management spanning node, rack, cluster and fleet-level management domains across AI infrastructure, Compute, and Storage.
Lead development of management architectures across server platforms, accelerated AI systems, storage systems, networking equipment, power systems, cooling infrastructure and heterogeneous vendor platforms.
Partner with hardware, firmware, software, datacenter operations and cloud platform teams to establish common management frameworks, architecture principles and requirements across Microsoft's cloud infrastructure portfolio.
Drive architectural strategy for management processors and programmable devices, DC-SCM (BMCs), Rack-SCM, Rack Management Controllers, management functions for telemetry and diagnostics, firmware lifecycle management, security and attestation systems, and fleet/control-plane and fabric integration.
Develop management abstractions and interoperability models that enable consistent deployment, monitoring, diagnostics, update, recovery and operational behavior across diverse hardware platforms and suppliers.
Shape the transition from device-level management toward rack, cluster and fleet-level orchestration models required for multi-rack AI infrastructure and next-generation cloud platforms.
Influence external technology providers, OEMs, ODMs, silicon partners, standards organizations and industry consortia to drive alignment with Azure infrastructure requirements.
Lead technical engagement with organizations such as OCP, DMTF, Redfish, OpenRMC and other industry bodies associated with infrastructure management standards.
Evaluate emerging industry trends and define Microsoft's strategy for next-generation management architectures, including multi-rack AI infrastructure, clusters, disaggregated infrastructure, rack-scale systems, autonomous datacenter operations and future management control planes.
Communicate architectural strategy, tradeoffs and roadmap decisions to executive leadership while building alignment across multiple engineering organizations.