Microsoft
Principal Hardware Systems Engineer - Storage
$143K–$304K
Redmond, WA +3 · On-site · Principal · Full-time · Posted Nov 2, 2026
- Location
- Redmond, WA
Mountain View, CA
Austin, TX
Hillsboro, OR - Experience
- 7+ years with a master's degree, 8+ years with a bachelor's degree, or equivalent experience. Additional preferred criteria state 8+ years in hardware validation and 5+ years integrating hardware components at server-system level.
- Education
- Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field; OR bachelor's degree in one of these fields; OR equivalent experience.
About the job
Qualifies storage components and systems for Microsoft data centers by developing validation plans, resolving complex issues, and ensuring production readiness at cloud scale.
What you'll do
- Influence qualification frameworks, validation methods, automation infrastructure, and deployment-readiness processes.
- Set qualification coverage, reliability requirements, telemetry, and health monitoring; resolve storage and memory issues affecting Azure.
- Lead cross-functional root-cause investigations and coordinate with hardware, firmware, OS, driver, cloud-service, and industry partners.
What they ask for
- Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field and 7+ years of technical engineering experience; OR bachelor's degree in one of those fields and 8+ years; OR equivalent experience.
- Ability to meet Microsoft, customer, and/or government security screening requirements, including the Microsoft Cloud Background Check.
- Preferred qualifications also specify 8+ years of hardware validation experience and 5+ years integrating hardware components at server-system level.
Nice to have
- Knowledge of server, storage, and system memory architecture and validation; familiarity with networking, power, rack management, and remote access.
- Scripting and automation experience, such as PowerShell, Python, or Perl; technical leadership and collaboration with OEMs and ODMs.
Pay
USD $142,800 - $274,800 per year (base salary); USD $188,000 - $304,200 per year (base salary)
Tools
PowerShell, Python, Perl
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative