Principal Software Engineer

Interested in helping shape the future of Azure's most specialized cloud offerings and infrastructure platforms? Azure Specialized delivers some of Microsoft's most demanding cloud experiences, including Azure VMware Solution (AVS), Azure Dedicated, Private Cloud Platform services, next-generation networking platforms, diagnostics systems, AI-enabled operational tooling, and large-scale distributed infrastructure.
We are seeking a Principal Software Engineer who combines deep technical expertise with strong cross-organizational leadership to help define architecture, drive strategy, and deliver highly reliable cloud services at global scale.
In this role, you will work across engineering organizations to influence platform direction, improve reliability, accelerate diagnostics, modernize operational systems, and help drive the next generation of Azure infrastructure. You will partner with engineering, product, networking, security, and operations teams to solve complex technical problems spanning distributed systems, cloud infrastructure, networking, and platform operations.

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. 
 

• Define the long-term architectural direction for Azure Specialized platform services, leading design reviews and influencing technical strategy across organizations.
• Drive engineering excellence, operational rigor, and architectural consistency while serving as a trusted technical advisor to engineering leadership and partner teams.
• Design and evolve highly available distributed cloud services, improving scalability, resiliency, observability, security, and operational efficiency.
• Partner across engineering teams to simplify and modernize cloud platform architectures, establish reusable platform patterns, and resolve complex technical challenges spanning multiple systems and stakeholders.
• Drive the strategy and evolution of diagnostic and troubleshooting platforms, applying telemetry, analytics, and artificial intelligence-assisted engineering techniques to accelerate root cause analysis and reduce customer impact.
• Improve platform supportability and issue resolution through data-driven operational insights, enabling faster identification, mitigation, and resolution of issues across Azure Specialized services.
• Lead reliability improvements for mission-critical platform services by establishing service health frameworks, Service Level Objectives, operational metrics, and governance models while reducing recurring incidents and operational risk.
• Mentor engineers, strengthen technical leadership across teams, improve engineering productivity and effectiveness, and foster a culture of technical excellence, ownership, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor'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.

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. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Master'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 Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 12+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python
  • OR equivalent experience.
• Should have 5+ years of experience in the networking & compute field.

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Software Engineering IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $142,800 - $274,800 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 $188,000 - $304,200 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.