Principal Optical Engineer

Microsoft•Mountain View, CA

About The Position

Microsoft’s Silicon, Cloud Hardware, and Infrastructure Engineering organization builds infrastructure and foundational technologies for Microsoft’s online services and Azure platform. The Cloud Hardware Systems Engineering team works to improve the planning, quality, delivery, scale, and sustainability of Microsoft cloud hardware. Microsoft is seeking a Principal Optical Engineer to lead implementation, integration, qualification, and high-volume deployment of optical interconnect solutions for cloud and AI infrastructure. In partnership with platform and optical architecture teams, the role translates approved architectures and technology selections into requirements for modules, fiber, connectors, rack integration, suppliers, validation, and manufacturing, guiding solutions from product definition through fleet deployment.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field and 7+ years of technical engineering experience; OR bachelor’s degree in one of those 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

Bachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering, Photonics, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related field and 10+ years of technical engineering experience, or equivalent experience.
10+ years of experience developing and delivering optical modules, fiber assemblies, connectors, fiber-management systems, or rack-level optical interconnects across the hardware product lifecycle.
Experience leading optical hardware implementation, integration, validation, qualification, manufacturing readiness, and production deployment for complex cloud, networking, or AI infrastructure.
Experience providing technical leadership across internal organizations and external module, cable, connector, ODM, contract-manufacturing, or test partners.
Experience productizing high-speed optical modules, optical engines, fiber assemblies, connector systems, or rack-scale optical interconnects for cloud, networking, or AI infrastructure.
Knowledge of pluggable, near-packaged, or co-packaged optical solutions sufficient to translate architecture interfaces into implementable module, fiber, connector, thermal, mechanical, telemetry, and serviceability requirements.
Experience with 112G/224G-class electrical interfaces, PAM4 optical links, link budgets, FEC considerations, interoperability, and end-to-end system margin analysis.
Deep knowledge of fiber-optic connector and fiber-management technologies, including MPO, MMC, LC, lensed or expanded-beam interfaces, blind-mate designs, routing, cleaning, inspection, and high-density rack integration.
Hands-on experience with optical and high-speed electrical characterization, system bring-up, margin analysis, and correlation of supplier data, laboratory measurements, and production results.
Experience defining DVT, qualification, reliability, inspection, production-test, DOE, FMEA, process-capability, yield, and quality-control plans for high-volume optical hardware.
Experience directing optical-module, fiber, cable, connector, ODM, contract-manufacturing, and test-equipment partners across design maturity, cost, quality, capacity, supply continuity, change control, and ramp.

Responsibilities

Translate approved optical architectures and technology selections into deployable product requirements, interfaces, acceptance criteria, and implementation plans in partnership with platform and optical architecture teams.
Own product-level requirements and tradeoffs for optical modules and engines, fiber assemblies, connectors, fiber-management systems, and rack-level optical paths, balancing performance, power, thermal constraints, reliability, serviceability, manufacturability, cost, schedule, and supply continuity.
Drive optical interconnect productization from product definition through design maturity, prototype integration, interoperability, qualification, production release, manufacturing ramp, and fleet deployment.
Lead cross-functional implementation and design reviews involving optics, electrical interfaces, SI/PI, mechanical tolerances, thermal integration, firmware and telemetry, rack integration, validation, reliability, manufacturing, and serviceability.
Define and drive component-, module-, assembly-, rack-, and system-level validation, qualification, reliability, inspection, and production-test strategies, including evidence-based coverage and exit criteria.
Lead resolution of complex module-, fiber-, connector-, rack-, manufacturing-, and field-level issues by coordinating cross-team debugging, correlating supplier and system data, and driving verified corrective and preventive actions.
Provide technical direction to optical-module, fiber, cable, connector, ODM, contract-manufacturing, and test-equipment partners; establish deliverables, design-review criteria, quality expectations, yield targets, escalation paths, and readiness gates.
Drive supplier selection and production readiness across design maturity, DFM/DFT/DFR, process capability, yield, quality, cost, capacity, continuity of supply, and change control.
Identify productization and deployment risks early, communicate options and consequences to senior stakeholders, and drive decisions balancing performance, reliability, serviceability, schedule, cost, and fleet-scale operability.
Mentor engineers and create reusable implementation specifications, qualification methods, manufacturing controls, supplier scorecards, design guides, and lessons learned across optical-interconnect programs.