The System Design Team is looking for an **Senior Principal Optical System Architect** to join our team. Our team is at the forefront of technology and system design, leading the way for the next generation of systems and AI super computers. Our mission is to architect the most performant, secure, reliable, and cost-effective solutions that are deployed and managed at hyperscale and power Azure. Leading the AI Network architecture for these systems that power one of the largest hardware deployments on earth requires deep technical knowledge and partnership across many teams. This individual will be an architect for the interconnects between GPU/AI Accelerators and the switching ASICs, helping articulate and define our next generation platforms. With ever-increasing complexity of the networking for AI super-computers, this area heavily influences and impacts the solutions for the world’s largest training clusters. This requires working across multiple domains including electrical, mechanical, networking, and serviceability to find the right solution tradeoffs. The System Design Team is part of a broader hardware and infrastructure organization known as the Silicon, Cloud Hardware, and Infrastructure Engineering (SCHIE). SCHIE is the team behind Microsoft’s expanding Cloud Infrastructure and is responsible for powering Microsoft’s “Intelligent Cloud” mission. SCHIE delivers the core infrastructure and foundational technologies for Microsoft's 200+ online businesses including Teams, OneDrive, Office 365, Xbox Live, Skype, Bing, MSN, and the Microsoft Azure platform globally. We architect and design the server and data center infrastructure, security and compliance, operations, globalization, and manageability solutions to support these businesses. Our focus is on smart growth, high efficiency, and deliver trusted experience to customers and partners worldwide. We are looking for passionate, growth-minded engineers to help us achieve that mission. As Microsoft's cloud business continues to grow the ability to deploy new offerings and HW infrastructure on time, at hyperscale, with high reliability and the performance/price level is paramount. Come join this exciting and growing team through our monumental evolution of cloud hardware at Azure and Microsoft!   Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond. **Responsibilities** This Optical System Architecture role, with a networking and interconnect focus, will require you to drive innovation, partnerships, and development: + Technology Leadership – Drive concepts and definitionfor industry leading platforms focused on GPU and AI accelerator-basedsolutions, with a focus on high performance and low latency networks at the forefront of density and speed. + Technology Partnerships – build relationships with our technology and development partners to drive leading edge innovation into our next generation products. + Customer Focus – partner across Microsoft teams and collaborate to deliver industry leading products. + Drive Clarity - Distill and articulate architectural tradeoffs for the AI accelerator networking and interconnects encompassing electrical, optical, signal integrity, mechanical, power, and thermal inputs in terms of key metrics such as TCO, performance, schedule, and risk. + Industry Influence - Drive and influence technology providers and design partners towards optimal components and solutions to meet the future requirements for Azure’s infrastructure. + Embody our culture (https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/culture) and values. (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/about/corporate-values) **Qualifications** **Minimum Qualifications:** + Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering or related field AND 9+ years technical engineering experience + OR Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 11+ years technical engineering experience + OR equivalent experience. + 9+ years of relevant experience in system (compute, storage, networking, and/or accelerator) level design and/or implementation across the hardware development lifecycle. + Proficient background and understanding in end-to-end optical link design and the trade-offs involved. **Other Requirements:** 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 security 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:** + Proficient understanding of state of the art of AI/HPC physical infrastructure in particular to networking architecture + Deep and broad knowledge of current and emerging optical interconnect technologies, to name a few: pluggable optical transceivers, near-packaged optical (NPO),  co-packaged copper/optics (CPC/CPO), and optical circuit switching (OCS) + Expertise with key components building up optical transceivers, such as DSP, driver/TIA, photonic integrated circuits (PIC), lasers, fiber connectors, fiber cables. + Familiar with advanced packaging for electrical-photonic integration + Deep insight in global supply chain dynamics and technology trends in the context of high-speed interconnects + Knowledge of Layer 2 and Layer 3 network operations and understanding of routing and switching protocols. + Knowledge of Layer 1 network, link training protocols and mechanisms, physical layer communication, and signal integrity analysis and optimization. + Experience working with interconnect/networking standards, such as IEEE, OIF, PCIe/CXL, UALink, UCIe + Hands-on experience with optical interconnects such as PSM (Parallel Single Mode) and/or WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplexing) for intra-data center cabling. + Understanding of optical link budget analysis, transceiver technologies, and integration of optics into high-performance AI infrastructure. + Experience designing high performance networks at-scale as part of a cloud service provider or hyper-scale company. Hardware Engineering IC6 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $163,000 - $296,400 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 $220,800 - $331,200 per year. Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: US corporate pay information | Microsoft Careers (https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/us-corporate-pay.html) Microsoft will accept applications for the role until July 20th, 2025. **\#SCHIE #CHSE #azurehwjobs** Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with applicable law, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations (https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/accessibility.html) .