Principal Firmware Engineer

Microsoft • Redmond, WA

1d • $142,800 - $304,200

About The Position

Microsoft Silicon, Cloud Hardware, and Infrastructure Engineering (SCHIE) delivers infrastructure and foundational technologies for Microsoft’s online businesses and Azure platform. Its BIOS/UEFI Center of Excellence helps define and deliver operational measures for hardware manufacturing, improving planning, quality, delivery, scale, and sustainability for Microsoft cloud hardware.

Microsoft is seeking an accomplished Principal Firmware Engineer to provide strategic technical direction for its BIOS/UEFI development team. The team delivers and manages robust, high-quality BIOS/UEFI solutions across the Microsoft Cloud fleet throughout their lifecycle. The role collaborates with Microsoft teams and external partners, including silicon vendors, to ensure solutions are secure, highly available, and continuously innovative. The position supports development and maintenance of the BIOS/UEFI portfolio and infrastructure across the Azure fleet, and works with partners on new hardware programs, requirements, validation, rollouts, and industry standardization.

Requirements

• Doctorate in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field and 3+ years of technical engineering experience; or a master’s degree in one of these fields and 6+ years of technical engineering experience; or a bachelor’s degree in one of these fields and 8+ years of technical engineering experience; or equivalent experience.
• Ability to meet Microsoft, customer, and/or government security screening requirements, including passing the Microsoft Cloud Background Check upon hire or transfer and every two years thereafter.

Nice To Haves

• 12+ years of experience, with the majority as a technical lead or in a similar role.
• Proficiency in developing low-level firmware or software for hardware platforms, including firmware, BIOS, UEFI, EDK2, or BMC.
• Demonstrated leadership and cross-functional collaboration, with a history of overseeing complex projects spanning multiple disciplines and business groups.
• Experience managing the product lifecycle from project inception through release and guiding teams toward strategic visions.
• Ability to work effectively in ambiguous environments, balance multiple priorities, and drive resolution with a commitment to quality.
• Advanced problem-solving and strategic-thinking abilities, including developing and monitoring success metrics for designated areas.
• Ability to synthesize information and communicate solutions to complex technical challenges through effective presentations to technical and non-technical audiences at all organizational levels.
• Background in firmware or software development, testing strategies, and requirements definition.
• Familiarity with end-to-end CPU/SoC product development processes.
• Experience with data center hardware or software projects from concept through deployment.
• Technical aptitude, ability to address complex problems, and ability to work independently.
• Over 10 years of software development experience using one or more programming languages such as C, C++, C#, or Python.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with engineering partners to develop and maintain the BIOS/UEFI portfolio and supporting infrastructure across the Azure fleet.
• Drive strategic objectives and key results that improve Azure’s BIOS/UEFI security posture, resolve security vulnerabilities in a timely manner, and keep firmware components current.
• Oversee development of new hardware SKUs with the Hardware New Program Initiative team and engineering counterparts, ensuring BIOS/UEFI requirements are met, schedules are followed, validation is comprehensive, and rollout plans are executed.
• Lead BIOS/UEFI development for AI-driven, next-generation compute, and high-memory SKUs.
• Champion new BIOS/UEFI requirements to optimize performance, telemetry, and diagnostics in collaboration with cross-functional teams.
• Manage requirements and feature delivery through agile execution, including sprints, backlogs, and milestones, and lead continuous planning efforts.
• Define, communicate, and establish vendor-agnostic requirements for innovative Azure hardware solutions with internal and external partners, including silicon vendors, ODMs, and OEMs worldwide.
• Partner with architects, technical program managers, and engineering leaders to advance hardware and firmware standardization within Microsoft and throughout the silicon industry.

What This Job Offers

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