[Skip to main content](#main-content) [OpenNash Jobs](https://jobs.opennash.com/) [Hiring report](/reports/hiring/) · [All Microsoft jobs](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/microsoft/) · [Search jobs](/search/) Microsoft # Principal Firmware Architect United States, Washington, Redmond, North Carolina, Raleigh, California, Mountain View Senior individual contributor Software Engineering Listed on Microsoft’s official careers site. Posted October 16, 2026. Check that it is still open and apply there. [Apply on Microsoft’s careers site →](https://apply.careers.microsoft.com/careers/job/1970393556939491) [OpenNash Jobs](https://jobs.opennash.com/) / [Microsoft](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/microsoft/) / Principal Firmware Architect ## Job description Provide firmware requirements and architectural guidance to hardware teams, including silicon design, board design, and platform integration teams. Create firmware architecture and requirements that align with Azure features, service needs, and platform roadmap priorities. Define and maintain firmware subsystem interfaces, dependencies, and design principles for first party silicon programs. Partner with silicon architects, board engineers, and firmware developers to ensure firmware requirements are feasible, testable, and complete. Develop security requirements and threat models for firmware features, platform capabilities, and cross-domain interfaces. Drive architecture reviews and technical decisions for firmware capabilities across boot, platform initialization, manageability, security, telemetry, and recovery flows. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure firmware designs support reliability, performance, security, and operational excellence at cloud scale. Influence design tradeoffs early in the product cycle to reduce integration risk and improve long-term firmware maintainability. Support validation planning by defining expected firmware behavior, feature coverage, and acceptance criteria for platform bring-up and release readiness. Diagnose complex architecture and integration issues across silicon, board, and firmware boundaries. Doctorate in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field AND 3+ years technical engineering experience OR Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field AND 6+ years technical engineering experience OR Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field AND 8+ years technical engineering experience OR equivalent experience. Strong coding experience in C, C++, Rust, or similar low-level programming languages used for firmware and embedded systems. Demonstrated experience defining firmware architecture and requirements for complex hardware platforms. Experience working with silicon design teams, board design teams, or other hardware engineering partners. Experience translating product or cloud service requirements into firmware specifications and technical design decisions. Experience writing, debugging, and reviewing code for boot firmware, embedded runtime, or platform initialization components. Ability to communicate effectively across technical and non-technical audiences and influence cross-functional partners. 10+ years of experience in firmware, embedded systems, or hardware platform architecture. Experience with Python or other scripting languages used for automation, validation, and tooling. Experience working in pre-silicon environments. Experience with boot firmware, platform initialization, recovery, telemetry, security, and manageability features. Experience with RTOS-based firmware development. Familiarity with hardware interfaces and protocols such as PCIe, I3C, I2C, SPI, and USB. Experience working with Azure service teams and aligning platform firmware to service requirements. Strong understanding of hardware/software co-design and feature bring-up on custom silicon platforms. Experience influencing architecture across multiple engineering teams and product groups. Experience performing low-level debugging, performance analysis, and root cause analysis in code spanning silicon and board boundaries. Experience with firmware validation, platform debugging, and root cause analysis across silicon and board boundaries. Proven ability to operate in ambiguous environments and drive clear technical direction. ## At a glance - Posted by the employer: Oct 16, 2026 - First seen by OpenNash: Aug 21, 2026 - Last checked: Oct 18, 2026 - Listed for: 58 days - Location: United States, Washington, Redmond, North Carolina, Raleigh, California, Mountain View[Apply on Microsoft’s careers site →](https://apply.careers.microsoft.com/careers/job/1970393556939491) ## More jobs at Microsoft ### [Backend Software Engineer](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/microsoft/jobs/8d87de29b261313ed137/) Czech Republic, Multiple Locations ### [Business Program Manager - Capacity Automation & Backend Tools](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/microsoft/jobs/e7256a1bba75b9768669/) United States, Washington, Redmond, Multiple Locations ### [Compiler Software Engineer](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/microsoft/jobs/15ff463d0aab951e2430/) Czech Republic, Multiple Locations ### [Compute Orchestration & Scheduling](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/microsoft/jobs/4f9579253f46f9720723/) United Kingdom, London ### [Consultant Apps - (AI + Full stack)](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/microsoft/jobs/984a165109f6966fc5a6/) India, Telangana, Hyderabad, Karnataka, Bangalore, Uttar Pradesh, Noida ## Similar jobs at other companies ### [Sr. Principal System Architect - OpenBMC Firmware](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/jabil-circuit/jobs/b6250e7d5de74d1095cd/) Jabil Circuit · Austin, TX ### [Principal Firmware Architect - Hyperscale & AI Rack-Based Compute Systems](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/sanmina-sci/jobs/28449c6e75d08d62913d/) Sanmina-SCI · Georgetown, Texas, United States ### [Distinguished Technologist - Principal Architect, Platform Security and Firmware Systems](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/hp/jobs/091bd4f0b9b2e4e239ad/) HP · Spring, Texas, United States of America ### [Principal Cybersecurity Architect](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/jpmorganchase/jobs/448762f1db99918b3da3/) JPMorganChase · Columbus, OH, United States ### [Principal Radar Systems Architect](https://jobs.opennash.com/companies/lockheed-martin/jobs/3110ad621e0460909baf/) Lockheed Martin · Moorestown, NJ [Software Engineering jobs](/functions/software-engineering/) OpenNash lists jobs from employers’ own careers sites and does not handle applications. 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