Principal Software Engineer

Job description

Microsoft is at the forefront of a new era in productivity, and Microsoft 365 Copilot is redefining how we build and deliver AI experiences.

We are a small, focused team within MSAI Office of the CTO (OCTO) committed to driving Copilot Agility — accelerating how we innovate, build, and scale the Copilot platform across Microsoft.

We are looking for a **Principal Software Engineer** who combine deep technical experience in backend, data, and ML systems with a passion for agility and impact.

In this role, you will design and lead the development of scalable systems and tools that accelerate Copilot engineering velocity across E+D (M365 Core, OPG, GXP, etc).

You’ll work closely with partners across product, data, and infrastructure to drive scalable-impact projects such as the Copilot Data Platform, while mentoring engineers and influencing technical direction across teams.

You’ll be working in an AI-native team, leveraging AI tools throughout the software development lifecycle.

The qualified candidate is technically skilled, independent, and hands-on — someone who thrives in complex environments, ramps up quickly, and consistently delivers results.

You’ll play a key role in helping teams adopt agile development practices and accelerate AI-driven initiatives that power the next generation of Copilot experiences.

If you’re excited about improving how AI systems are built and delivered, and you want to make a visible impact on Microsoft’s Copilot platform, this is the right role for you.

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**

+ Lead architectural design and discussions for core systems and platforms that improve the agility, performance, reliability, and efficiency of Copilot development.
+ Drive identification of dependencies and development of technical design documents across products, applications, and services to ensure coherence and scalability of Copilot platform solutions.
+ Define and implement quality strategies — mentoring others in test planning, validation, and success criteria to ensure resilient and scalable-quality software and service delivery.
+ Establish and apply engineering metrics to drive quality, stability, and maintainability, while promoting established practices and reusable design patterns.
+ Lead the creation and improvement of internal tools and frameworks that enhance developer velocity, automation, and overall system effectiveness.
+ Collaborate closely with engineers, technical program managers, and partner teams across product, infrastructure, and research to deliver enterprise-grade solutions adopted at scale across E+D and Microsoft.
+ Embody our culture and values.

**Qualifications**

**Required Qualifications:**

+ Bachelor'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 equivalent experience.
+ 6+ years experience designing and leading large-scale, distributed backend, data, or ML systems in production environments.
+ Demonstrated ability to set technical direction, influence architecture, and mentor engineers to deliver scalable, maintainable, and scalable-quality systems.
+ Experience driving cross-team engineering initiatives, balancing hands-on contributions with strategic technical leadership.

**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:**

+ Experience working with SOTA AI tooling to accelerate software development lifecycle.
+ Proficiency in data platforms or ML pipelines supporting AI-driven applications.
+ Experience defining and tracking engineering metrics — including performance, reliability, observability, and agility.
+ Solid understanding of developer productivity tooling and practices that reduce cycle time and increase development velocity.
+ Proficient communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence at multiple organizational levels.
+ Passion for continuous improvement, technical innovation, and enabling teams to build better software faster.
+ Commitment to Microsoft’s values of integrity, inclusion, and a growth mindset.

Software Engineering IC6 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $163,000 - $296,400 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 $220,800 - $331,200 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

Microsoft will accept applications for the role until October 25, 2025.

#M365

#Copilot

#Agility

#AI

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer.

Consistent with applicable law, 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 and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations (https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/accessibility.html) .

Required Skill Profession

Other General