The Windows + Devices Fundamentals team is responsible for the reliability, compatibility, performance, battery life, and sustainability of Windows devices. Our work spans hardware and OEM partners, the operating system, and application layers – helping protect, manage, and enhance the fundamentals of the Windows ecosystem.
We are seeking a self-driven Senior Software Engineer to shape the next generation of Windows device optimizations. As advances in AI, silicon, and software create new opportunities, you will help make exceptional device fundamentals a defining feature of Windows PCs.
This role is ideal for an engineer who enjoys solving complex systems problems, pursuing technical excellence, and delivering innovations that improve how people live, work, and play.
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
- Analyze telemetry and trace data to characterize software and hardware behavior on individual devices and at scale.
- Diagnose complex system issues using low-level debugging and performance-analysis tools.
- Identify optimization opportunities and lead the design and architecture of improvements.
- Implement changes across hardware, operating-system, and application layers.
- Deliver robust, high-quality solutions while balancing performance, reliability, maintainability, and architectural consistency.
- Use data to prioritize engineering investments and make decisions in ambiguous problem spaces.
- Collaborate with internal teams, OEMs, and hardware partners to deliver improvements across the Windows ecosystem.
Technologies
- The team works with technologies including:
- C, C++, C#, Python, scripting and automation tools
- WinDbg, Windows Performance Analyzer, and ETW tracing
- Cosmos, Kusto, Asimov, and Azure-based trace-processing systems
- Power BI, statistics, and large-scale telemetry analysis
- Machine learning and AI models
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related technical discipline and 7+ years of software engineering experience using languages such as C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python
- OR equivalent practical experience.
- Experience with operating-system architecture or system-level development.
- Knowledge of Windows internals, performance analysis, or power optimization.
- Experience working across hardware, firmware, operating-system, and application boundaries.
- Familiarity with large-scale telemetry, statistical analysis, or Azure data platforms.
- Experience influencing architecture and technical direction across multiple teams.
- 2+ years of systems-analysis experience, with an emphasis on low-level debugging.
- Experience diagnosing and optimizing system performance.
- Demonstrated success developing and delivering highly reliable systems.
- Solid software design, programming, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to navigate ambiguity and prioritize engineering investments using data.
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 discipline, or equivalent practical experience
- 7+ years of software engineering experience using languages such as C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python
- Experience with operating-system architecture or system-level development
- Knowledge of Windows internals, performance analysis, or power optimization
- Experience working across hardware, firmware, operating-system, and application boundaries
- Familiarity with large-scale telemetry, statistical analysis, or Azure data platforms
- Experience influencing architecture and technical direction across multiple teams
- 2+ years of systems-analysis experience emphasizing low-level debugging
- Experience diagnosing and optimizing system performance
- Demonstrated success developing and delivering highly reliable systems
- Solid software design, programming, and problem-solving skills
- Ability to navigate ambiguity and prioritize engineering investments using data
- Ability to meet Microsoft, customer, and/or government security screening requirements
- Pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire or transfer and every two years thereafter
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.








