Principal Hardware Engineer

Design, develop, automate, and maintain CDL test suites covering functionality, performance, reliability, error handling, recovery, power, security, interoperability, and fleet-specific scenarios. Analyze fleet learnings, field incidents, and validation escapes to identify coverage gaps, reproduce failures in the lab, and continuously improve validation methodologies and test coverage. Validate storage and PCIe solutions across component, subsystem, and platform levels, including firmware, driver, hardware, and system interactions. Lead cross-functional technical discussions with storage architecture, platform, firmware, driver, reliability, and datacenter engineering teams to resolve complex storage and PCIe issues. Drive qualification readiness for next-generation HDD, SSD, NVMe, and PCIe Switch technologies, ensuring solutions meet Azure reliability, performance, security, compatibility, and serviceability

requirements. Influence validation standards and supplier methodologies, while mentoring engineers and providing technical leadership in storage and PCIe validation. Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 7+ years technical engineering experience OR Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 8+ years technical engineering experience OR equivalent experience 8+ years of experience working with enterprise storage technologies, including HDDs, SSDs, SAS, SATA, PCIe or NVMe devices, with demonstrated expertise in storage architecture, performance, reliability, and failure analysis. 5+ years of experience leading development of validation strategies, qualification programs, test methodologies, or automated test frameworks for hardware products. Proven experience leading cross-functional technical initiatives and influencing product quality, validation

requirements, or engineering roadmaps across suppliers, partners, and internal engineering organizations. Meaningful hands-on experience working with server platforms and storage subsystems. Understanding of SSD/HDD/PCIe architecture, storage fault modes, error handling, and recovery mechanisms. Familiarity with industry-standard PCIe and PCIe Switch architecture, protocols, topology, and error handling. Hands-on experience debugging and analyzing PCIe/PCIe Switch errors and interoperability issues. Windows/Linux driver or kernel development/debugging experience using C/C++. Exposure to SSD firmware development, firmware validation, and firmware/host interaction.