The Windows Cloud Experiences team builds the Windows App, the unified client for connecting to Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, and remote PCs. We create secure, reliable, and high-performance client experiences that bring together native Windows capabilities and cloud-powered services across devices and form factors.
We are looking for a principal engineer who combines deep Windows systems expertise with broad architectural leadership. You will turn complex operating-system, networking, identity, remoting, performance, and reliability challenges into a coherent technical strategy for Windows App. This role is centered on native Windows client and platform engineering, with impact that spans multiple teams and partner organizations.
As a Principal Software Engineer on Windows App, you will set the technical direction for critical areas of the native Windows client and lead architecture from customer scenarios through implementation, release, and live-site operation. You will work across application, platform, and service boundaries to make remote Windows experiences secure, responsive, dependable, and deeply integrated with the operating system.
You will operate as a technical leader across teams, creating clarity in ambiguous problem spaces, aligning engineering investments with the product vision, and guiding durable decisions in complex codebases. You will grow other technical leaders through design guidance, architecture reviews, debugging support, and mentoring.
Responsibilities
- Define and drive the long-term architecture and technical strategy for major areas of Windows App and its native Windows platform, using modern C++ and C# where appropriate and integrating deeply with Win32, WinRT, COM, Windows services, and operating-system APIs.
- Lead the design and delivery of high-impact, cross-cutting scenarios spanning connection setup, session lifecycle, authentication, OS integration, reliability, performance, and security.
- Architect secure, scalable, and maintainable systems that span processes, threads, services, client applications, SDK boundaries, and cloud-backed experiences.
- Lead investigations of the most complex engineering issues using debuggers, dumps, traces, logs, and telemetry, including problems involving concurrency, memory, networking, latency, compatibility, and operating-system integration.
- Drive multi-team execution from customer and business outcomes through architecture, design, implementation, validation, deployment, experimentation, monitoring, and live-site response; identify risks and make clear technical tradeoffs.
- Build alignment across Windows, Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, identity, security, design, and product teams, influencing partner roadmaps, interfaces, and end-to-end engineering decisions.
- Establish and evolve engineering standards for performance, reliability, accessibility, security, testability, operational excellence, and long-term maintainability across the client platform.
- Develop technical leaders, mentor senior engineers, lead architecture and design reviews, and create clarity in ambiguous or cross-organization problem spaces.
Qualifications
Required/Minimum 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:
- Deep expertise in Windows systems technologies such as Win32, WinRT, COM, RPC, Windows services, inter-process communication, and core Windows APIs.
- Expertise in remote desktop, virtualization, or virtual desktop infrastructure technologies such as RDP, Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, Citrix, VMware Horizon, HDX, or ICA.
- Experience setting architecture for networking, authentication, and identity in Windows clients, including Microsoft Entra ID, MSAL, or Web Account Manager.
- Experience leading the design and debugging of multi-process, multi-threaded, performance-critical native systems, including memory, concurrency, latency, compatibility, and reliability concerns.
- Experience influencing the architecture of Windows App SDK, WinUI, XAML, WebView2, MSIX, or related Windows client technologies.
- Experience building and operating secure, accessible client software at enterprise scale, using telemetry and live-site insights to guide architectural investments.
- Experience with device, input, display, audio/video, or peripheral integration for remote or virtualized scenarios.
- Experience using AI-assisted engineering tools responsibly to improve development, testing, debugging, or engineering productivity.
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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.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related technical field
- 6+ years of technical engineering experience with coding in languages such as C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python
- Equivalent experience may substitute for the bachelor's degree and experience requirement
- Ability to pass the Microsoft Cloud Background Check upon hire or transfer and every two years thereafter
- Deep expertise in Windows systems technologies including Win32, WinRT, COM, RPC, Windows services, inter-process communication, and core Windows APIs
- Expertise in remote desktop, virtualization, or virtual desktop infrastructure technologies
- Experience setting architecture for networking, authentication, and identity in Windows clients
- Experience leading design and debugging of multi-process, multi-threaded, performance-critical native systems
- Experience influencing the architecture of Windows App SDK, WinUI, XAML, WebView2, MSIX, or related Windows client technologies
- Experience building and operating secure, accessible client software at enterprise scale using telemetry and live-site insights
- Experience with device, input, display, audio/video, or peripheral integration for remote or virtualized scenarios
- Experience using AI-assisted engineering tools responsibly to improve development, testing, debugging, or productivity
Microsoft Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Microsoft and has not been reviewed or approved by Microsoft.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Pay is presented as broadly competitive overall, with clear role/level/location variation and an emphasis on using posted ranges and band information for apples-to-apples comparisons.
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Retirement Support — Retirement benefits are described as a standout, highlighted by a strong 401(k) match structure and immediate vesting, plus additional plan features for tax-advantaged saving.
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Parental & Family Support — Family-oriented benefits are portrayed as a meaningful strength, with substantial paid parental leave and added supports like back-up care and adoption/surrogacy assistance.
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