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Principal Optical Engineer

Microsoft· Hardware Engineering
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Hybrid (Mountain View, CA), Hybrid (Redmond, WA), Hybrid (Austin, TX), Hybrid (Raleigh, NC), Hybrid (Hillsboro, OR)$142.8k - $274.8kFull-timePosted 2w ago

About the role

Microsoft SCHIE seeks a Principal Optical Engineer to drive architectural design, production roadmap, and engineering efforts for next-generation optical interconnects in hyperscale AI infrastructure, working across silicon, systems, networking, datacenter engineering, and external partners to bring optical technologies from concept to large-scale production.

Responsibilities

  • Own the end-to-end architecture and multi-generation roadmap for NPO and CPO optical interconnects used in AI scale-up networks.
  • Translate system and network requirements into specifications for bandwidth density, reach, latency, energy per bit, optical-link budget, signal integrity, thermal limits, reliability, serviceability, manufacturability, and cost.
  • Define silicon-photonic subsystem architectures, including optical engines, modulators, photodetectors, laser-source strategies, coupling interfaces, fiber attach, electronic-photonic integration, and control and monitoring functions.
  • Build system models and budgets that connect photonic-device performance, SerDes and electrical channels, package parasitics, thermal behavior, controls, and network-level performance.
  • Provide hands-on technical leadership in laboratory characterization and debug, including optical and electrical measurements, link bring-up, design-of-experiments, margin analysis, failure analysis, and correlation of simulation with measured data.
  • Define verification, qualification, reliability, and manufacturing-test strategies at wafer, die, package, module, board, rack, and system levels
  • Guide proof-of-concept designs through product definition, design reviews, qualification, manufacturing readiness, supply-chain ramp, and fleet deployment; lead root-cause and corrective-action efforts when issues arise.
  • Drive technical alignment across silicon, packaging, signal integrity, thermal, mechanical, firmware, networking, manufacturing, and reliability teams.
  • Set technical direction with foundries, OSATs, component suppliers, equipment vendors, and strategic partners; assess technology readiness, supply continuity, cost, yield, and roadmap alignment.
  • Influence industry standards and ecosystem roadmaps, mentor engineers, and communicate complex architectural decisions and risks to technical and business leadership.

Qualifications

  • Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 7+ years technical engineering experience OR Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 8+ years technical engineering experience OR equivalent experience.

Skills

Required:NPO and CPO optical interconnects architecture
Last updated Oct 9, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

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