Microsoft’s headquarters.

Microsoft has quietly opened a small office in Silverdale, Wash. a town of close to 20,000 across Puget Sound from Seattle.

Nathan Evans. (Kitsap Economic Development Alliance Photo)

The Tacoma News Tribune first spotted a sign for the Microsoft office at Creekside Office Park in Silverdale. The Puget Sound Business Journal reports that Microsoft set up the office, which could hold approximately 20 people, primarily to recruit Nathan Evans, formerly the chief technology officer at Applied Technical Systems.

Evans preferred to stay on his turf, the Business Journal reported, rather than making what would surely be a brutal commute to Microsoft HQ in Redmond from Silverdale. Evans is deeply entrenched in his community as a member of the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance’s Board of Directors and bringing a Microsoft office to his backyard both makes his ride to work easier and represents an economic development win for the area.

A Microsoft spokesman confirmed that the company has set up an office in Silverdale, but would not give further details.

Evans’ Microsoft title is principal software architect. According to his LinkedIn bio, he is working on big data visualization and he is a fan of “applications that put humans first (beautiful, usable, fast, resilient).”

Like what you're reading? Subscribe to GeekWire's free newsletters to catch every headline

Job Listings on GeekWork

Find more jobs on GeekWork. Employers, post a job here.