Principal Optical Network Engineer - Azure Fiber

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At Microsoft, our mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more, with Azure serving as the physical platform that underpins this mission. Azure Fiber is a critical component of Azure, dedicated to the design, buildout, and operations of the Global Optical Network. This network is the lifeline of connectivity, enabling seamless interaction with Azure and services like Teams, Xbox, Office, Bing, and OpenAI’s ChatGPT across the globe. With a focus on Hollow Core Fiber (HCF) and cable, Azure Fiber is preparing for exponential growth driven by continued Cloud success and new Artificial Intelligence (AI) demands, ensuring that every Microsoft customer can rely on our infrastructure for high-quality, secure, and reliable connectivity to all Microsoft services.

As a Principal Optical Network Engineer, you will lead the design, development, and integration of next-generation optical network infrastructure, incorporating cutting-edge hollow-core and solid-core fiber technologies to meet the growing capacity and performance demands of AI-driven applications. You will be responsible for innovating deployment and operational strategies to ensure a highly available, scalable, and resilient network, while collaborating with cross-functional teams to evolve global operations and develop advanced automation platforms. This role requires deep technical expertise and a forward-thinking approach to deliver high-performance optical solutions that align with the future of AI networking.

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.

Required/Minimum Qualifications:

• 9+ years technical experience in network design, development, and automation
  • OR Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or related field AND 6+ years technical experience in network design, development, and automation.
  • OR Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field AND 4+ years technical experience in network design, development, and automation
  • OR Doctorate Degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field AND 3+ years technical experience in network design, development, and automation.

Other Requirements:

• 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.

Additional or Preferred Qualifications:

• 15+ 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 12+ years technical experience in network design, development, and automation
  • OR Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology,
  • OR related field AND 8+ years technical experience in network design, development, and automation
  • OR Doctorate Degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology,
  • OR related field AND 5+ years technical experience in network design, development, and automation. 3+ years experience delivering network designs into production and experience with live site accountability for a network. 1+ year(s) experience developing
• Experience with hollow core or multi core fiber and cables.
  
• 5+ years of technical experience with a focus on optical transceiver design, validation, and testing utilizing coherent, direct-detection, and WDM technologies
  
• Deep understanding of fiber network technologies, including both solid core and hollow core fiber, and familiarity with network design, deployment, and operations.
• Experience with DevOps practices and principles, and the ability to foster a culture of continuous improvement.

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• Technology Integration: Oversee the integration of cutting-edge hollow core fiber technologies into the network infrastructure, ensuring technical challenges are addressed with innovative solutions.
• Design and Engineer Solutions: Develop and implement scalable network solutions to meet the growing demands of our infrastructure.
• Automation: Develop software solutions to automate operational processes and explore innovative approaches to reduce manual effort through AI and software solutions.
• Operational Excellence: Lead mission-critical operations for both solid core and hollow core fiber networks, ensuring they meet the highest standards of reliability and efficiency. Turn operational hurdles into product improvements.
• Customer-First Approach: Embody and promote a customer-first mentality within the team, ensuring all projects and operations enhance customer satisfaction and service quality.
• Continuous Improvement and Trend Adaptation: Keep up with optical networking and AI advancements. Incorporate new knowledge and technologies to enhance the performance and reliability of AI-optimized optical networks.
• Collaboration and Communication: Work closely with business partners and other teams across Azure to ensure 24x7 coverage of the operations of our dark fiber assets.