Senior Software Engineer
Content + Source + Freshness • 14 Dec 2025 • 95% confidence
Offer value
High value based on competitive salary and the opportunity to engage in impactful kernel development for advanced technologies.
- Salary range: $119,800 - $234,700/year
- Opportunity to lead kernel development for new silicon
- Engagement in significant projects that influence future technology
- Requires deep technical background in kernel and driver systems
Pros
- Competitive salary range ($119,800 - $234,700/year)
- Work on innovative kernel and driver technologies
- Collaboration with hardware and software engineering teams on key projects
Cons
- Higher technical requirements may limit candidate pool
- Remote work flexibility is not fully available
- Intense project demands may require strong dedication
Who it's for
Senior • Hybrid (0-25% in-office)
Good fit
- Senior engineers with experience in Linux kernel development
- Candidates passionate about hardware enablement
- Individuals looking for opportunities to work on cutting-edge technology
Not recommended for
- Entry-level engineers without relevant experience
- People seeking only remote positions
- Candidates without strong teamwork abilities
Motivation fit
Key skills
About the job
Senior Software Engineer
Multiple Locations, United States
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Overview
As a Senior Software Engineer, you will lead the design, development, and validation of the Linux kernel for silicon and platform enablement initiatives.
You will have end-to-end ownership of the kernel and driver stack supporting Maintenance Operating System (MOS), new silicon bring-up, and graphics processing unit (GPU) enablement for vendors such as NVIDIA and AMD across the product portfolio. This role requires expertise in low-level system bring-up, including the use of application programming interfaces (APIs) and frameworks such as Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) and Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) to support hardware initialization and platform configuration.
Deep technical knowledge of Linux kernel internals, driver development, and build and release automation within enterprise and high-performance computing (HPC) environments is essential for success in this position.
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.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 4+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python
- OR equivalent experience.
- 2+ years experience in Kernel bring-up and platform enablement
- 1+ years experience in GPU driver development and integration
- 2+ years experience in C / C++ kernel-space programming, Git-based source management and release branching, RPM packaging, spec file authoring, and build automation.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science
- OR related technical field AND 8+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript,
- OR Python
- OR Master's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 6+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python
- OR equivalent experience.
- 1+ years experience with multi‑kernel maintenance (e.g., LTS, HWE, feature branches).
- 1+ years experience with MOFED/InfiniBand stacks and RDMA drivers.
- 1+ years experience to containerized workloads and GPU virtualization.
Software Engineering IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $119,800 - $234,700 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $158,400 - $258,000 per year.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay
Microsoft will accept applications for the role until November 11, 2025.
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Responsibilities
- Lead kernel integration and validation for new silicon platforms, from early board bring‑up through full feature enablement.
- Architect and maintain the Maintenance OS (MOS) kernel, ensuring long‑term stability, security, and compatibility across multiple hardware generations.
- Own the end‑to‑end lifecycle of GPU drivers (NVIDIA, amdgpu, ROCm), including:Integration of out‑of‑tree (OOT) kernel drivers DKMS packaging, build, and version‑tracking, Compatibility validation against kernel and firmware baselines
- Define and manage build and release pipelines for kernel RPMs, driver SRPMs, and signing workflows. Collaborate with hardware, platform, and firmware teams to validate kernel features tied to new silicon capabilities (PCIe, CXL, IOMMU, NUMA, etc.).
- Own spec files, RPM packaging, and associated CI/CD automation for kernel and driver deliverables.
- Conduct deep‑dive debugging across the full stack — from kernel to device firmware — to resolve performance, stability, or bring‑up issues.
- Drive engagement with upstream Linux communities to upstream or align kernel changes where feasible.
