Principal Hardware Engineer, DC/DC Power

About the role

Microsoft Silicon, Cloud Hardware, and Infrastructure Engineering (SCHIE) delivers the core infrastructure and foundational technologies for Microsoft’s over 200 online businesses including Bing, MSN, Office 365, Xbox Live, Teams, OneDrive, and the Microsoft Azure platform globally with our server and data center infrastructure, security and compliance, operations, globalization, and manageability solutions. The CHSE (Cloud Hardware Systems Engineering) team is instrumental in defining and delivering operational measures of success for hardware manufacturing, improving the planning process, quality, delivery, scale and sustainability related to Microsoft cloud hardware.

Responsibilities

• Architect and validate DC-DC power delivery systems for compute, storage, and AI platforms.
• Lead design and simulation of multiphase regulators, point-of-load converters, and high-power ASIC module integration.
• Develop power solution concepts with critical insights into trade-offs, risks, and benefits.
• Provide oversight, guidance, and review of power development activity within engineering to ensure alignment to requirements and assist in key risk management mitigations.
• Support engineering technical leads, power engineers, and SI engineers on constraints, components selection, power tree design, test plans, bring-up and debug as needed.
• Participate in industry organizations and supplier engagements driving leading edge power solutions.
• Drive root cause analysis and resolution of complex power-related issues in production and development environments.
• Collaborate with ODMs and suppliers to qualify power components and systems.
• Conduct EMI, thermal, and reliability testing across global deployments.
• Influence product architecture and roadmap through deep domain expertise in DC-DC power systems.
• Provide technical mentorship and guidance to engineers and cross-functional partners.

Qualifications

• Required Qualifications:
  • Doctorate in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field AND 3+ years technical engineering experience
  • OR Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field AND 6+ years technical engineering experience
  • OR Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field AND 8+ years technical engineering experience
  • OR equivalent 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 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.

Preferred Qualifications

• MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• 10+ years (MS) or 5 years (PhD) of experience in DC-DC power system design and validation.
• 10+ years (MS) or 5 years (PhD) of experience in multiphase regulation, point-of-load conversion, and system-level integration.
• Proven design knowledge and experience in power converter control theory, PWM converter such as Buck, boost, buck/boost, and resonant converter such as LLC.
• Experience with design/simulation tools (e.g., LTspice, Simplis/Simetrix, Cadence or Altium).
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence technical direction.
• Experience with high power DC/DC module design.
• Experience with vertical power module design is a plus.
• SI/PI experience with simulation tools PowerDC, PowerSI, SIwave or ADS is a plus.
• Experience in hyperscale data center infrastructure and ODM/JDM development.
• Familiarity with PCB layout for low-loss and low-noise power conversion.
• 5+ years of experience with product bring-up and troubleshooting skills with power supply testing methodologies.
• 5+ years of experience developing design specifications, design guidelines, and test plans.
• Familiar with digital bus design, such as I2C/PMBus, Modbus, and CANbus.
• Familiar with power supply qualification standard and process, such as components derating, MTBF and EMC.
• Detail oriented communication skills.
• Experience with data center power delivery is a plus.
• Familiar with DC/DC power system design and evaluation is a plus.
• Experience with power system integration in ODM or CSP environments is a plus.

Pay

The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $142,800 – $274,800 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $188,000 – $304,200 per year. Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here.