Are you interested in leading a team to build a world-class deployment system to manage hyperscale environments? Do you want to revolutionize application and infrastructure deployment with simplification? Are you looking to use AI at scale to transform and optimize deployment at scale? Do you want to have direct and immediate impact on a large number of M365 services used by millions of people across the world, hundreds of thousands of commercial organizations, and government agencies? Do you want to be part of a fun and inclusive work environment?
We are looking for a Principal Software Engineer to join our team. On the Substrate Deployment Team, we are responsible for deploying changes to hundreds of thousands of servers across all our datacenters. Our team builds the platform that not only provides a scalable, efficient, and cost-effective deployment solution for high-scale services, but also leverages AI-driven innovation to improve deployment reliability, automation, and operational excellence. We manage infrastructure throughout the application lifecycle to make the experience seamless for our customers.
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.
Responsibilities
Work with engineers, product managers, and partner teams to deliver experiences with the right overall design and architecture, leveraging AI where it can meaningfully improve deployment efficiency, reliability, and customer outcomes.
Provide mentorship and coaching to engineers both in, and beyond, your team, including the adoption of modern AI-powered development practices and tools.
Own and deliver complete features across the development lifecycle, including design, architecture, implementation, testability, debugging, shipping, and servicing.
Drive innovation through automation and AI-powered solutions to improve deployment intelligence, operational efficiency, and service reliability at hyperscale.
Ensure your team delivers clean, well-thought-out code with an emphasis on quality, performance, simplicity, durability, scalability, maintainability, and effective use of AI-assisted engineering practices.
Qualifications
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.
- 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.
- Proficiency in AI-native development — working within Agent Harnesses (GitHub Copilot CLI, Coding Agents), authoring Markdown specs/ADRs and YAML configs as Agent-consumable inputs, orchestrating multi-step Agentic workflows across the SDLC, and reviewing Agent-generated code and PRs with production-grade rigor.
- Fundamentals in data structures, algorithms, object-oriented design, and scalable systems.
- Experience building, testing, debugging, and maintaining production-quality software, following established engineering practices as well as leveraging large language models (LLMs).
- Problem-solving and technical judgment skills, with the ability to design scoped solutions, debug complex issues, and improve service performance.
- Experience with cloud platforms and distributed/service-oriented architecture.
- Experience with reliability, monitoring, and performance optimization practices.
- Experience in driving AI (LLM/ML) based engineering solution.
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 related technical field AND 6+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python OR equivalent experience.
- Master's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 8+ years technical engineering experience OR Bachelor's Degree AND 12+ years technical engineering experience OR equivalent experience.
- Proficiency in AI-native development: Agent Harnesses (GitHub Copilot CLI, Coding Agents), authoring Markdown specs/ADRs and YAML configs, orchestrating multi-step agentic workflows, and reviewing agent-generated code and PRs.
- Fundamentals in data structures, algorithms, object-oriented design, and scalable systems.
- Experience building, testing, debugging, and maintaining production-quality software and leveraging large language models (LLMs).
- Experience with cloud platforms and distributed/service-oriented architecture.
- Experience with reliability, monitoring, and performance optimization practices.
- Experience in driving AI (LLM/ML) based engineering solutions.
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.
Microsoft Insights
What We Do
At Microsoft, our mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Our mission is grounded in both the world in which we live and the future we strive to create. Today, we live in a mobile-first, cloud-first world, and the transformation we are driving across our businesses is designed to enable Microsoft and our customers to thrive in this world.
