Senior Design for Manufacturing Engineer

Microsoft • Redmond, WA

1d • $119,800 - $234,700

About The Position

Microsoft is hiring a Senior Design for Manufacturing Engineer in its Microsoft Devices Operations organization, which brings together engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain teams to produce, deliver, and service hardware at scale. The role sits at the intersection of product design and factory execution, using product knowledge, robust engineering methods, and continual improvement to support cost, quality, and scale objectives for Surface and Xbox products.

The engineer will provide technical leadership for complex new product introduction and product development programs, influencing product architecture and design early to improve manufacturability, quality, cost, repairability, scalability, and product experience. The role applies broad expertise in product design and manufacturing to anticipate risk, simplify complexity, and identify opportunities involving automation and process scale. It requires navigating ambiguity, influencing without authority, and bringing cross-functional teams together to shape design decisions.

The position also advances Design for Excellence capability and manufacturing excellence across the organization. This includes developing engineering requirements, standards, and best practices; collaborating with global suppliers and manufacturing partners; communicating technical recommendations and tradeoffs to senior stakeholders; and mentoring engineers. Microsoft describes a culture centered on growth mindset, innovation, collaboration, respect, integrity, accountability, and inclusion.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field and 5+ years of experience in engineering, manufacturing, operations, or hardware development, or equivalent experience.
• Experience in product design and/or manufacturing engineering for high-volume consumer electronics or other electro-mechanical hardware, including parts and assemblies such as enclosures, mechanisms, thermal solutions, and PCBAs.
• Demonstrated experience influencing product architecture for automation, including automated assembly, test, or repair, and partnering with design, factory, and automation teams to ensure manufacturability and scalability.
• Track record leading DFX or design-for-manufacturing readiness across the full NPI lifecycle, from concept through production ramp, and driving cross-functional and cross-team projects to closure.
• Applied experience with Design for Six Sigma and statistical methods, including DOE, tolerance analysis, and process capability.
• Working knowledge of CAD and DFM analysis tools such as Creo, Valor, or Cadence Allegro.
• Ability to build trusted partnerships and influence without authority across Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial Design, Reliability, Quality, Supply Chain, and global manufacturing partners and suppliers.
• Ability to communicate complex technical risks and tradeoffs clearly, adapting communication for engineers, factory teams, and senior executives.
• Ability to turn data into concise recommendations that support timely, informed decisions.

Nice To Haves

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field and 6+ years of experience in engineering, manufacturing, operations, or hardware development.
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field and 8+ years of experience in engineering, manufacturing, operations, or hardware development.
• Six Sigma Green Belt certification or equivalent certification.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for complex NPI and product development programs, influencing product architecture and design decisions early to optimize manufacturability, quality, cost, repairability, scalability, and product experience.
• Drive Design for Excellence strategies across cross-functional teams, partnering with Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial Design, Reliability, Quality, Materials, and Global Manufacturing organizations.
• Establish robust engineering requirements, standards, and best practices for product design and manufacturing.
• Lead advanced DFM/DFA and risk-reduction efforts to simplify product architecture, improve design robustness, enable automation, and characterize and mitigate risks related to new technologies, materials, processes, and system-level design features.
• Apply engineering expertise and analytical methods to solve complex mechanical and electro-mechanical challenges, including modeling, statistical analysis, DOE, FMEA, Design for Six Sigma, and process capability analysis.
• Develop DFX design standards, requirements, and best practices, and translate manufacturing capabilities and process variation into product design requirements.
• Collaborate with global suppliers and manufacturing partners.
• Communicate technical recommendations and tradeoffs to senior stakeholders.
• Mentor engineers and help scale DFX expertise across the organization.

What This Job Offers

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