The Job

Principal Modeling Architect

Technology, Data & Digital · Software & Web Development · Embedded Systems · Software Engineering

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In short

Microsoft Azures Firmware Center of Excellence is seeking a Principal Modeling Architect to define the future of pre-silicon software development for custom silicon. This cross-program technical leader will establish scalable architecture and engineering patterns for high-fidelity virtual platforms, enabling firmware, OS, and platform development before hardware is available. The role involves influencing silicon architecture, solving complex system-level challenges, and mentoring engineers.

Responsibilities

  • Develop firmware and software before hardware exists.
  • Influence silicon architecture and platform strategy across Azure hardware programs.
  • Solve the organization's hardest modeling, firmware, bring-up, and system integration problems.
  • Work across multiple programs as a trusted technical leader.
  • Shape Microsoft's future virtual platform and hybrid development strategy.
  • Build reusable solutions that enable firmware, validation, architecture, and platform teams to move faster.
  • Lead resolution of complex system-level challenges spanning virtual platforms, firmware, silicon architecture, validation infrastructure, software enablement, and hybrid execution environments.
  • Define architectural direction for SystemC/TLM-based virtual platforms supporting multiple generations of Azure silicon.
  • Identify technical risks, technology gaps, and scaling challenges across programs, then drive practical solutions.
  • Establish engineering standards, modeling practices, reusable frameworks, debug strategies, and validation approaches.
  • Define reusable platform capabilities across Azure hardware initiatives.
  • Influence silicon architecture, firmware readiness, validation methodologies, and platform bring-up strategy.
  • Drive alignment across architecture, design verification, firmware, operating system, emulation, prototyping, and platform teams.
  • Design and develop SystemC/TLM-2.0 models for complex SoC subsystems.
  • Develop and debug low-level firmware and validation software running on virtual platforms.
  • Support firmware bring-up activities including UEFI, Windows Boot, PCIe initialization, platform enumeration, early driver enablement, and operating system integration.
  • Debug complex interactions spanning hardware, firmware, operating systems, virtualization environments, simulation infrastructure, host systems, and modeling frameworks.
  • Analyze and optimize simulation performance, scalability, usability, and debug productivity.
  • Contribute to architectural integration of virtual platforms with emulation and prototyping systems.
  • Help define Microsoft's long-term hybrid development strategy.
  • Partner with DV, firmware, architecture, and platform teams to determine where virtual models, emulation, FPGA prototyping, and hybrid flows provide the most value.
  • Mentor engineers through design reviews, architecture guidance, technical coaching, and hands-on problem solving.
  • Prototype, prove, and de-risk complex solutions before transitioning ownership to development teams.
  • Build organizational capability by enabling engineers to understand, maintain, and extend solutions.
  • Raise engineering quality by promoting reusable, maintainable, scalable solutions.

Requirements

  • 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.
  • Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements.
  • Pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.

Desired Qualifications

  • Doctorate in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field and 5+ years technical engineering experience with coding OR Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field and 8+ years technical engineering experience with coding OR Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field and 12+ years technical engineering experience with coding OR equivalent experience.
  • 3+ years experience leading technical projects beginning-to-end.
  • Experience with SystemC and TLM-2.0 modeling.
  • Experience with Synopsys Virtualizer, Arm Fast Models, Cadence Helium, or similar virtual platform technologies.
  • Experience developing or debugging firmware, bootloaders, device drivers, platform software, PCIe firmware, UEFI, Windows Boot, Linux Boot, or silicon bring-up activities.
  • Experience with SoC architecture, interconnects, IP integration, PCIe, USB, memory subsystems, boot flows, or platform services.
  • Experience optimizing simulation performance, scalability, and debug productivity in simulation or system environments.
  • Experience with hybrid, emulation, or prototyping environments including ZeBu, HAPS, Palladium, Protium, or similar platforms.
  • Experience defining reusable platform architecture, modeling frameworks, reusable IP libraries, or engineering standards across multiple programs.
  • Demonstrated ability to solve ambiguous, high-impact technical problems and influence technical direction across organizations without direct authority.
  • Strong intuition for hardware/software interactions, system performance bottlenecks, and practical engineering tradeoffs.
  • Passion for mentoring engineers, transferring knowledge, and building organizational capability beyond a single project.
  • Experience developing complex software systems using C/C++.
  • Experience in firmware, systems software, silicon development, virtual platforms, or pre-silicon development environments.
  • Experience working across hardware, firmware, and software boundaries.
  • Experience leading technical projects from architecture through delivery.
  • Strong debugging, root-cause analysis, and technical problem-solving skills.

Benefits

  • Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation.
  • Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer.
#hardware#firmware#modeling#architecture#azure#silicon#pre-silicon#virtualization#systemc#tlm#embedded
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Company

Microsoft

Job Posted

3 weeks ago

Employment Type

Full Time

WorkMode

Hybrid

Experience Level

Senior

Locations

United States

Qualification

Doctoral, Master, Bachelor

Applicants

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