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# Principal Firmware Debug & Dev Engineer

- **Company:** Microsoft
- **Location:** Redmond, WA, United States
- **Experience:** Expert
- **Salary:** $142,800.0 - $274,800.0
- **Contract:** Permanent contract
- **Skills:** Artificial Intelligence, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Online Services, C++ (Programming Language), Cloud Computing, Computer Engineering, Software Debugging, Firmware, Python (Programming Language), Microsoft Software, PCI Express, Real-Time Operating Systems, Skype for Business, Kusto Query Language, SQL Databases, Xbox Linux, Computer Network Operations, Concurrency, Information Technology, Search Engines
- **Published:** October 27, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.careerbuilder.com/job-details/principal-firmware-debug-dev-engineer-redmond-wa--2936b9c4-87c2-4eeb-afd8-cbd1b810c1c4

## About the Role

Computer Firmware, Debugging Skills, Microsoft Bing Search Engine, Microsoft Windows Azure, Microsoft Product Family, Network Operations Center, Cloud Computing, Xbox, Skype, Computer Engineering, Doctorate in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field AND 3+ years technical engineering experience OR Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field AND 6+ years technical engineering experience OR Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, 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 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., * 12+ years of technical engineering experience

 * OR Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 10+ years of technical engineering experience
 * OR Masters degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 7+ years of technical engineering experience
 * OR Doctorate degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 5+ years of technical engineering experience.
 * Experience System/Silicon debug, firmware development in C or C++ and validation using scripting for engineering automation.
 * Experience leading cross-functional silicon/system investigations and delivering firmware or debug from Power-on/Bring-up into deployed products.
 * Experience defining firmware/software diagnostics or observability and using telemetry or automated analysis to resolve complex system failures.
 * Experience with SoC architecture, platform initialization, memory subsystems, PCIe or other low-level interfaces, and OS/RTOS concepts such as scheduling, interrupts, and concurrency.
 * Experience with firmware security, error reporting, crash capture, recovery, and reliability mechanisms.
 * Experience with silicon/platform bring-up, lab debugging, and deployment of reusable diagnostics or regression coverage.
 * Experience applying Python, KQL/SQL or equivalent analysis tools, statistical methods, or AI-assisted diagnostics to fleet failure analysis, with evaluation of evidence quality and false positives.
 * Experience influencing cross-product engineering priorities, mentoring technical leaders, and turning investigation findings into firmware or platform design improvements.

Firmware Engineering IC5 - 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.

## Description

* Drives product quality from bring-up to deployment partnering with cross organizational teams.
 * Lead critical, ambiguous investigations spanning firmware, silicon, boards, OS, drivers, and fleet infrastructure; drive evidence-based root cause and corrective action.
 * Guide firmware architecture and implementation decisions that improve error reporting, crash capture, recovery, diagnosability, and reliability.
 * Establish reusable approaches for telemetry quality, failure classification, fleet-scale correlation, reproducibility, and regression prevention.
 * Lead with AI data-science-assisted debug methods, with evaluation of accuracy, false positives, engineering usefulness, and data-handling controls.
 * Define diagnostic readiness and knowledge-transfer expectations with component teams before deployment and broader fleet adoption.
 * Influence cross-team priorities and mentor engineers while remaining directly engaged in difficult technical problems.