Mechanical Designer - Cryomechanical Systems

Microsoft•Redmond, WA

33d•$102,100 - $261,000

About The Position

At Microsoft Quantum, we aim to empower science and scientists to solve the world’s biggest problems by realizing advanced computing platforms at the intersection of high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, and quantum information technology. Microsoft Quantum will change the world of computing and help solve some of humankind’s currently unsolvable problems. The Cryomechanical and Packaging team enables Microsoft Quantum’s hardware roadmap by designing, integrating, and sustaining cryogenic mechanical systems, packaging solutions, and laboratory infrastructure that support reliable experimentation, scalable system integration, and disciplined transition from research concepts to producible hardware. As a Mechanical Designer – Cryomechanical Systems, you will own cryomechanical designs from a blank computer-aided design (CAD) canvas to released drawings and bills of materials (BOMs) for complex assemblies inside and around dilution refrigerators, also known as cryostats. You will create complete three-dimensional (3D) models from scratch, produce two-dimensional (2D) drawings with geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) per American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Y14.5, and drive cross-functional design reviews to release high-quality hardware that meets performance, thermal, vacuum, and integration requirements. Microsoft’s culture is grounded in a growth mindset, customer obsession, diversity and inclusion, one Microsoft collaboration, and making a difference through technology. In this role, you will be expected to model these values by learning continuously, partnering across disciplines, communicating clearly, and creating an inclusive environment where rigorous engineering and shared accountability help the team deliver meaningful impact.

Requirements

Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field OR Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 2+ years technical engineering experience OR equivalent experience.
Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role.
Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud Background Check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.
Citizenship & Citizenship Verification: This role will require access to information that is controlled for export under export control regulations, potentially under the U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or Export Administration Regulations (EAR), the EU Dual Use Regulation, and/or other export control regulations. As a condition of employment, the successful candidate will be required to provide either proof of their country of citizenship or proof of their U.S. permanent residency or other protected status (e.g., under 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3)) for assessment of eligibility to access the export-controlled information. To meet this legal requirement, and as a condition of employment, the successful candidate’s citizenship will be verified with a valid passport. Lawful permanent residents, refugees, and asylees may verify status using other documents, where applicable.
Ability to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) tools to drive innovation and efficiency, such as performance modeling and analysis, research gathering, and day-to-day task automation.
Ability to work in an artificial intelligence (AI)-first environment using modern artificial intelligence (AI) tools to accelerate discovery through hardware development.

Nice To Haves

Doctorate in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field OR Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 3+ years technical engineering experience OR Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 5+ years technical engineering experience OR equivalent experience.
Expert CAD skills (PTC Creo strongly preferred): proven record creating complete 3D models from scratch and releasing production grade drawings.
Mastery of GD&T (ASME Y14.5) and tolerance analysis for precision assemblies; ability to close loops between stack‑ups, manufacturability, and assembly sequencing.
PDM/PLM proficiency for configuration control and BOM accuracy (Windchill, OnePDM or similar).
Design review leadership and clear documentation practices (review packages, checklists, risks, decisions, and release artifacts) per our CryoME templates.
1+ year of experience integrating hardware inside dilution refrigerators across temperature stages, including millikelvin (mK) through 300 kelvin (K), thermal modeling or anchoring, and harnessing for radio frequency (RF) or direct current (DC) lines.
1+ year of experience using finite element analysis (FEA) or thermal simulation tools such as ANSYS Mechanical or COMSOL, including correlation to measurement or test data.
1+ year of experience applying radio frequency (RF)-aware mechanical design practices, including connector standards, shielding, controlled routing, strain relief, or microwave component packaging for low-noise systems.
1+ year of hands-on cryogenic, vacuum, or ultra-high vacuum (UHV) hardware experience, including materials, coatings, finishes for cryogenic service, vacuum seals, thermal interfaces, wiring fixtures, or low-outgassing practices.
1+ year of experience partnering with suppliers or manufacturing teams to support precision machining, sheet metal, special processes, cleaning, vacuum bakeouts, cryogenic-compatible finishes, or first-article builds.
1+ years of experience operating within regulated or high-security lab environments and collaborating across distributed teams or sites.
Experience contributing to inclusive, cross-disciplinary engineering teams by communicating decisions clearly, inviting diverse perspectives, and helping create an environment where team members can do their best work.

Responsibilities

Own end-to-end three-dimensional (3D) computer-aided design (CAD) for cryogenic subassemblies and top-level mechanical integrations, including cold fingers, millikelvin (mK) and 4 kelvin (4 K) stages, radiation shields, vacuum interfaces, and cable or harness routing fixtures; create fully detailed two-dimensional (2D) drawings with geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) and tolerance stackups.
Build and steward the top assembly and bill of materials (BOM) by managing part numbering, configurations, engineering change order (ECO) and engineering change request (ECR) workflows, and product data management/product lifecycle management (PDM/PLM) toolchains such as SolidWorks, Windchill, and OnePDM.
Lead Cryomechanical Engineering (CryoME) design reviews using standard review packages that include three-dimensional (3D) computer-aided design (CAD), two-dimensional (2D) drawings, critical-to-function specifications, materials, coatings, finishes, incoming quality control (IQC), cryogenic screening plans, manufacturing and assembly flows, risks, and schedules.
Translate system requirements into mechanical specifications for thermal anchoring, heat-load budgets, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch management, vacuum sealing, vibration isolation, radio frequency (RF) and direct current (DC) cable management, and integration across temperature stages.
Plan and document component screening, integration readiness, and product development gates by creating incoming quality control (IQC) plans, cryogenic pre-screening checklists, design release artifacts, and handoff documentation in partnership with systems, measurement, packaging, control/readout, and instrumentation teams.
Drive design for manufacturing/design for excellence (DFM/DFX) with suppliers by generating clear build packages, supporting fabrication through first-article approval, dispositioning nonconformances with data-driven tolerance and fit assessments, and capturing as-built changes in drawings and bills of materials (BOMs).
Embody our Culture and Values.