Principal Test Engineer
MicrosoftJob Title
Principal Test Engineer
Role Summary
Principal Test Engineer on the Silicon Manufacturing and Product Engineering team within Microsoft Silicon, Cloud Hardware, and Infrastructure Engineering (SCHIE). The role focuses on scan (structural) test, ATE test program development and silicon bring-up to enable manufacturing readiness and high-quality cloud hardware.
Experience Level
Senior / Principal level. Typical experience for this level is 8+ years of technical engineering experience; specific years vary by formal degree or equivalent experience.
Responsibilities
The role is responsible for test development, silicon bring-up, and supporting manufacturing readiness across chip development and production.
- Lead scan (structural) test activities: ATPG pattern integration, validation, bring-up, and post-silicon debug.
- Develop and debug ATE test programs; characterize silicon and perform yield analysis for logic defects.
- Support silicon bring-up, validation, manufacturing test readiness, and new product introduction.
- Collaborate with design, DFT, product, and manufacturing teams to close coverage and resolve test issues.
- Use scan diagnosis and failure-analysis tools to locate defects and drive yield improvement.
- Apply DFT and test methodologies including JTAG, boundary scan, at-speed testing, and scan SAF/TDF.
- Support simulation, emulation, and pattern verification workflows for scan validation.
- Document test results, escalate technical risks with supporting data, and communicate findings to stakeholders.
Requirements
Must-have technical skills, screening obligations, and desirable attributes.
- Proven experience in ATE program development, bring-up, and debug for scan/structural test.
- Hands-on knowledge of ATPG, scan pattern generation/validation, and scan fault models (stuck-at, transition).
- Experience with silicon bring-up, characterization, and debug on ATE platforms; familiarity with platforms such as Advantest 93K is a plus.
- Practical knowledge of DFT techniques, scan architecture, fault coverage targets, and defect screening methodologies.
- Ability to perform failure analysis and use diagnosis tools to identify defect locations and support yield improvements.
- Working proficiency in Linux-based environments; good unit and integration testing skills.
- Strong written and verbal communication; experience collaborating with cross-functional teams in structured development processes.
- Familiarity with probability, statistics, and basic DOE concepts.
- Willingness and ability to travel as required (listed as less than 25% in the source).
- Screening and compliance: Must pass Microsoft Cloud Background Check and provide proof of citizenship or authorized residency for assessment of eligibility to access export-controlled information.
Nice-to-have: mixed-signal IP test exposure, device physics background, experience with high-performance/AI/advanced-node SoCs, and deeper experience optimizing ATPG/test validation flows.
Education Requirements
Required: Doctorate, Master’s, or Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field, with experience thresholds tied to degree level (examples in source: PhD +3 years, MS +6 years, BS +8 years) or equivalent practical experience. Preferred qualifications raise experience thresholds (e.g., PhD +5, MS +8, BS +12) but equivalent experience is acceptable.
About the Company
Company: Microsoft
Headquarters: Redmond, Washington, United States
Microsoft is a global technology company that develops and sells software, services, devices, and solutions. Known for its Windows operating system, Office suite, and Azure cloud platform, Microsoft aims to empower individuals and organizations around the world to achieve more. The company fosters a culture of innovation and inclusion, focusing on delivering trusted experiences to customers and partners globally.
