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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Senior Network HW System Engineer - **Company:** Microsoft - **Location:** Redmond, WA, United States - **Experience:** Expert - **Salary:** $119,800.0 - $234,700.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Artificial Intelligence, Macintosh Computers, Automation of Tests, Big Data, Microsoft Online Services, Cloud Computing, Content Management Interoperability Services, Computer Engineering, Data Centers, Software Debugging, Linux, Ethernet, Network Interface Controllers, Firmware, Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), Hardware Design, Networking Hardware, Interoperability, Network Troubleshooting, Network Architecture, Systems Development Life Cycle, Signal Integrity, System Software, Systems Integration, AI Infrastructure, Scripting, Computer Networking Systems, Digital Access Carrier System, High Performance Computing, Computer Network Technologies, System Availability, Low Latency - **Published:** September 24, 2026 - **Apply:** https://jobs.localjobnetwork.com/apply/add/88416294/1 ## About the Role * Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 3+ years technical engineering experience + OR Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 5+ years technical engineering experience + OR equivalent experience. * 5+ years of experience developing or validating networking, compute, storage, or accelerator hardware systems. * 5+ years of experience designing, integrating, validating, or troubleshooting Ethernet-based networking infrastructure, including switches, NICs, optics, PHYs, or high-speed SerDes technologies. * 5+ years ofexperience supporting AI, HPC, cloud, or large-scale data center infrastructure deployments. 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., * Experience with GPU, FPGA, TPU, or custom AI accelerator systems supporting AI/ML workloads. * Experience with scale-up and scale-out AI networking and distributed AI infrastructure. * Electrical networking expertise in areas such as 112G/224G SerDes, PAM4, MAC/PCS, FEC, link training, signal integrity, DACs, and AECs, or optical expertise in areas such as OSFP/QSFP-DD, AOCs, optical transceivers, optical link characterization, and diagnostics. * Familiarity with optical technologies such as DR4/DR8/FR4, optical link budgets, OMA, TDECQ, receiver sensitivity, LPO, LRO, CPO, or silicon photonics. * Understanding of AI workload communication patterns, network collectives, traffic profiles, and congestion behavior. * Familiarity with IEEE Ethernet, OIF, CMIS, and emerging AI networking technologies. * Experience with Linux, telemetry, diagnostics, scripting, test automation, and network qualification. * Experience with hyperscale datacenter infrastructure and hardware development from prototype through production. #azure #MAIA #AI/ML #Networking Hardware Hardware Engineering IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $119,800 - $234,700 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 $160,200 - $261,000 per year. ## Description AI Networking Architecture & System Development * Develop and integrate scale-up and scale-out networking solutions for MAIA AI training and inference systems. * Translate AI/ML workload requirements into system-level networking requirements. * Evaluate architecture tradeoffs across performance, reliability, power, scalability, serviceability, and cost. Network Hardware Integration & Bring-Up * Drive integration, bring-up, and qualification of switches, NICs, PHYs, MAC/PCS, SerDes, optics, cables, and backplane technologies. * Collaborate across silicon, firmware, hardware, software, and OS teams to resolve complex integration issues. * Partner with technology vendors, ODMs, and CMs through qualification and production readiness. AI Fabric Validation & Performance * Develop end-to-end validation strategies covering functionality, performance, scale, interoperability, reliability, and stress. * Characterize AI fabric performance including bandwidth, latency, link utilization, congestion behavior, and communication efficiency. * Develop validation methodologies for rack-scale and cluster-scale AI infrastructure. High-Speed Electrical & Optical Interconnects * Drive qualification of next-generation electrical and optical networking technologies, including high-speed SerDes, copper interconnects, optical modules, and high-density connectivity. * Evaluate technologies such as PAM4 SerDes, DAC/AEC, OSFP/QSFP-DD, advanced optical interconnects, LPO/LRO, CPO, and silicon photonics. * Analyze system-level tradeoffs across performance, power, reliability, signal/link integrity, and scalability. Debug, Telemetry & Automation * Lead root-cause analysis of complex networking issues across PHY, SerDes, MAC/PCS, switches, NICs, firmware, and system software. * Develop and improve telemetry, diagnostics, validation automation, and network health monitoring. * Use lab characterization and system telemetry to drive issues to resolution and improve platform reliability. ## Related Videos - [Building the Nervous System of AI - Michael Kagan (NVIDIA)](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/2133-building-the-nervous-system-of-ai-michael-kagan-nvidia) - [Docker network without Docker](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1418-docker-network-without-docker) - [Playing Pong on a shoulder press machine](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100140-playing-pong-on-a-shoulder-press-machine) - [Alibaba Big Data and Machine Learning Technology](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/37-alibaba-big-data-and-machine-learning-technology) - [Docker exec without Docker](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1094-docker-exec-without-docker) - [Agent Smith Gets Hardware: Autonomous IoT Hacking From Debug Port to Cloud API](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100258-agent-smith-gets-hardware-autonomous-iot-hacking-from-debug-port-to-cloud-api) ## Related Articles - [Highest Paying Tech Companies for Developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/220-highest-paying-tech-companies-for-developers) - [How Much Does a Software Engineer Make? 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