Director Operational Resilience Engineering

Microsoft • Washington, DC

2d • $142,800 - $304,200

About The Position

Microsoft Cloud Infrastructure and Operations (CO+I) is the engine that powers Microsoft's cloud services. The group is responsible for designing, building, and operating Microsoft’s global datacenters; managing the programmatic delivery of our critical infrastructure design, equipment procurement, construction delivery, infrastructure innovation, demand planning and capacity utilization of our unified infrastructure; and responsible for all operations needed to run the physical infrastructure. We focus on smart growth with an emphasis on automation, data-driven engineering, cost‐effectiveness, and environmental sustainability. We deliver the core infrastructure and foundational technologies for Microsoft's 200+ online businesses including Azure, Office 365, Bing, Xbox Live, Skype, and OneDrive. Our portfolio is built and managed by a team of subject matter experts working 24x7x365 to support services for more than 1 billion customers and 20 million businesses in over 90 countries worldwide.
CO+I’s Operational Resilience Engineering team serves as Microsoft's center of excellence for operational reliability engineering. We apply reliability engineering methodologies—including failure mode analysis, reliability modeling, incident forensics, statistical analysis, and systemic risk assessment—to identify and eliminate recurring failure mechanisms. By embedding these insights into operational standards and engineering practices, we improve the reliability, availability, resilience, and scalability of Microsoft's global datacenter fleet. We are seeking a motivated and experienced Director, Global Operational Resilience Engineering, to champion these efforts and shape the future of datacenter reliability worldwide.
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.
Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees, we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.

Requirements

• Doctorate Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Reliability Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field AND 5+ years technical engineering experience OR Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Reliability Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field AND 7+ years technical engineering experience OR Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Reliability Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field AND 8+ years technical engineering experience.
• 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.

Nice To Haves

• Doctorate Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Reliability Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field AND 7+ years technical engineering experience OR Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Reliability Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field AND 10+ years technical engineering experience OR Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Reliability Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field AND 12+ years technical engineering experience
• 4+ years people management experience
• Experience integrating telemetry, predictive analytics, and AI-driven tools into forensic processes
• Prior experience in multinational environments
• Professional certifications such as Certified Reliability Engineer (CRE), or equivalent.
• Proven track record in Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and post-incident governance
• Knowledge of risk assessment methodologies and containment strategies.
• Familiarity with forensic frameworks, evidence handling, and reliability metrics.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and managing global programs
• Advanced capability in failure analysis, data interpretation, and corrective action planning.
• Deep understanding of industry standards for forensic engineering (e.g., ISO, IEC)

Responsibilities

• Lead root cause analyses (RCA) and reliability engineering investigations into high-severity datacenter incidents to identify systemic failure mechanisms and drive permanent corrective actions.
• Apply advanced reliability engineering methodologies, including Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), Weibull analysis, reliability modeling, and probabilistic risk assessment.
• Perform incident forensics, statistical analysis, and trend analysis to identify recurring failure patterns, emerging risks, and opportunities for systemic improvement.
• Develop and maintain fleet-wide reliability models that quantify operational risk, predict failure behavior, and prioritize mitigation efforts.
• Embed RCA findings and reliability engineering insights into global operational standards, engineering requirements, maintenance strategies, and operating procedures.
• Conduct systemic risk assessments across critical power, cooling, controls, and operational processes to improve resilience and availability.
• Develop predictive metrics, leading indicators, and reliability dashboards that enable proactive identification and mitigation of operational risks.
• Partner with Engineering, Regional Operations, Design, and Product teams to drive fleet-wide reliability improvements throughout the datacenter lifecycle.
• Measure and validate the effectiveness of corrective actions using data-driven analysis to ensure sustainable elimination of recurring failure mechanisms.
• Establish best practices, analytical frameworks, and continuous improvement methodologies that improve the reliability, availability, resilience, and scalability of the global datacenter fleet.
• Embody our culture and values

Benefits

• Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree