Senior Mechanical Engineer, AI Systems
Microsoft
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Austin, TX · Posted November 10, 2026
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Where Austin, TX ranks
Where Austin, TX placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #1Best cities for professional services pay after cost of living$168k · of 25
- #1Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Southwest493 jobs · of 38
- #1Best cities for pay after cost of living in the Southwest$168k · of 15
- #1Best cities for pay after cost of living in Texas$168k · of 8
- #1Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Southwest1,931 openings · of 33
- #1Best all-round cities for mid-career professionals in the Southwest92 / 100 · of 15
Rankings about data & analytics jobs
- Best cities for data and analytics jobs #1 New York (1,713 openings)
- Best cities for data and analytics pay after cost of living #1 Foster ($232k)
- Most requested AI skills in data and analytics jobs #1 Machine learning engineering (17.1%)
- AI tools named most often in data and analytics jobs #1 Databricks (7.6%)
- Employers with the most data and analytics jobs #1 Amazon (711 roles)
Data & Analytics jobs · Top Data & Analytics employers · All rankings
Pay compared with the market
This listing does not state pay. Across 80 open senior mechanical engineer listings that state pay, the middle half runs $150,000 to $173,000 and the median is $164,000.
Listed pay is what employers advertise, not what people are paid.
Senior Mechanical Engineer salaries by state · Check your own pay
How AI is used in this kind of work
AI use among mechanical engineers is little observed so far. Measured exposure for mechanical engineers: 8% (little observed).
Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.
Microsoft has filed 2 layoff notices in the last twelve months, covering 882 workers, most recently September 2026. These are public filings with state labor departments, and an open role can sit alongside them. See the filings
Skills this job asks for
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About the job
Overview
Microsoft Silicon, Cloud Hardware, and Infrastructure Engineering (SCHIE) is the team behind Microsoft’s expanding Cloud Infrastructure and responsible for powering Microsoft’s “Intelligent Cloud” mission. SCHIE delivers the core infrastructure and foundational technologies for Microsoft's over 200 online businesses including Bing, MSN, Office 365, Xbox Live, Teams, OneDrive, and the Microsoft Azure platform globally with our server and data center infrastructure, security and compliance, operations, globalization, and manageability solutions. Our focus is on smart growth, high efficiency, and delivering a trusted experience to customers and partners worldwide and we are looking for engineers to help achieve that mission.
Our Mechanical Engineering team is responsible for developing the server, rack, and infrastructure platforms that power Microsoft's global cloud and AI services. We partner closely with electrical, thermal, manufacturing, reliability, quality, supply chain, and datacenter operations teams to deliver innovative, reliable, and scalable hardware solutions from concept through deployment.
The Senior Mechanical Engineer will contribute to the design and deployment of future high density, liquid-cooled systems in Azure datacenters. More specifically, this role will be heavily engaged in rack and subsystem integration development. Ideal candidates will have an understanding/application experience of PLM/E2E processes, Dwg/BOM Management, and general architectural/execution processes.
#SCHIE
Responsibilities
Responsibilities:
Lead Mechanical Design: Take ownership of mechanical design projects from concept to completion, leading/collaboration with a team of engineers to develop innovative solutions for cloud-based hardware infrastructure
Specification Development: Create interface control documents and product specifications to clearly communicate design intent
Design and Prototyping: Design mechanical components, systems, and assemblies using CAD software and create prototypes for testing and validation at the rack, system, and component levels
Performance Optimization: Conduct mechanical analysis, structural simulations, and tests to optimize mechanical system performance, reliability, cost, and thermal management, ensuring efficient operation and meeting industry standards
Design Review and Documentation: Conduct design reviews, generate engineering documentation, develop test plans and reports, and ensure compliance with regulatory and safety standards
Collaboration and Leadership: Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to ensure seamless integration of mechanical systems, provide technical guidance and mentorship to other engineers, and foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement
Vendor Management: Collaborate with external vendors and suppliers to source components, lead design strategy, ensure robust performance prediction, review manufacturing processes, and ensure adherence to quality standards
Sustainable Design: Evaluate and select mechanical design materials and design strategy with keen focus on sustainable materials with respect to their mechanical properties and re-use of common parts across generations
Emerging Technologies: Stay abreast of the latest trends, advancements, and best practices in mechanical engineering, cloud infrastructure, and data center technologies, and propose innovative ideas to enhance our hardware offerings
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering, or related field OR Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 4+ years related technical engineering experience OR Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, or related field AND 6+ years related technical engineering experience OR equivalent experience.
Other Requirements:
Ability to meet Microsoft, customer, and/or government security screening requirements is required for this role. These requirements include, but are not limited to, the following specialized security screening:
Microsoft Cloud Background Check. This position is required to pass the Microsoft Cloud Background Check upon hire or transfer and every two years thereafter.
Preferred Qualifications:
Proven metal forming/tooling experience on rack scale assemblies
Proficiency in CAD software (e.g., PTC Creo,) understanding of mechanical design principles, fluid dynamics, heat transfer, manufacturing processes, and validation.
Familiarity or direct design experience with cloud infrastructure, data center operations, and related technologies, such as server racks, power distribution, cooling systems, and cable management.
Experience with liquid cooled AI or HPC systems.
Experience with development of specifications, interface control documents, and managing design requirements.
Proven analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify and resolve mechanical design issues and optimize system performance.
Mechanical 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 $160,200 - $261,000 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
This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.
Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.