Cloud Network Engineer II

The HPC/AI (High performance Computing and Artificial Intelligence) team is on a mission to build the next-generation distributed AI supercomputer, enabling breakthroughs in artificial intelligence by delivering unmatched computational power, scalability and reliability. We design and develop cutting-edge infrastructure that supports high-performance AI model training at scale, laying the foundation for innovations that redefine what AI can achieve.

You will help in the delivery and operations of the network infrastructure and tooling that powers the next generation of large-scale AI and HPC networking systems. In this role, you will manage AI network fabric that are critical for achieving ultra-low latency, high throughput, strong reliability and petabyte-scale efficiency in distributed AI workloads.

As a Cloud Network Engineer II on the HPC & AI Infrastructure team, you’ll work at the intersection of AI supercomputing and large-scale networking, shaping how advanced AI models are trained and deployed in the cloud. Your contributions will directly impact the reliability and performance of massive distributed clusters, leveraging high-speed fabrics (e.g., InfiniBand, RoCE) and accelerated compute platforms (e.g., NVIDIA, AMD GPUs).

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

• Develop a technical roadmap and servicing protocols/procedures for BackEnd Network infrastructure
• Create and propose technical solutions when faced with a new complex systems design or process issue, where little or no precedent exists
• Provide technical expertise as a network engineer to perform root cause analysis of service interrupting incidents; develop and implement strategies to prevent recurrence
• Effectively apply influence strategies and negotiation skills to impact decisions and make trade-offs based on TCO and risk
• Drive continuous improvements of the networking service, drive automation to manage the scale and continue to optimize the efforts through appropriate tooling and automation
• As an engineer be a subject matter expert in more than one of the following: network operating systems, network automation in python, BGP, cloud-scale operations, MPLS, large-scale testing, OpenConfig, Streaming Telemetry or some other super useful thing for building and operating the most reliable network
• Serve as a Designated Responsible Individual (DRI) for networking services and tooling-monitoring production systems, responding to incidents, coordinating root-cause analysis, and driving long-term improvements in observability and operational readiness.
• Stay ahead of emerging trends in AI infrastructure, HPC fabrics (InfiniBand, NVLink, etc.), and software-defined networking, integrating best practices into development workflows and driving innovation in system scalability, reliability, and performance.

• Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field AND 1+ year(s) technical experience in network design, development, and automation OR Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field AND 2+ years technical experience in network design, development, and automation 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., * Doctorate Degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field OR Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field AND 3+ years technical experience in network design, development, and automation OR Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field AND 5+ years technical experience in network design, development, and automation OR equivalent experience.
• 6+ years of experience troubleshooting and producing designs that leverage protocols such as OSPF, ISIS, BGP, MPLS, LDP, VRF, etc.
• 4+ years of experience troubleshooting production datacenter Ethernet networks, including switch, port, transceiver, fiber, and physical-layer failures.
• 3+ years of experience troubleshooting high-speed optical connectivity using telemetry such as optical power, BER, FEC, CRC, lane-level status, and link-flap data.
• 2+ years of experience operating or supporting large-scale AI, HPC, or cloud network fabrics using BGP, RoCE, ECMP, or leaf-spine architectures.
• 1+ year(s) experience delivering network designs into production and experience with live site accountability for a network.
• CCNP/CCIE/JNCI certification.

Cloud Network Engineering IC3 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $102,100 - $202,200 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 $133,800 - $219,200 per year.