Principal Software Engineer

Would you like the satisfaction that comes with keeping every person and organization on the planet protected and productive each month through delivering high quality Windows updates? Do you aspire to explore and realize your full engineering and leadership potential? Do you thrive in a high-performing, diverse team that values camaraderie and passion for development? If your answer is "yes," then you will want to join our team! 

We are the Windows Servicing & Delivery Team, a crucial part of Microsoft's Windows & Devices strategy.  Our responsibility includes making engineering changes to the Windows Operating System and creating infrastructure to support delivery of the updates to over 1.5 billion active Windows devices worldwide, every month. 

This role offers the opportunity to operate on a massive scale, protecting billions while also supporting new business growth across the company. You will have the chance to influence the roadmap of new and existing features in Windows and the delivery pipeline.

We are looking for a highly skilled technology leader with a strong background in software architecture, design, and development. The ideal candidate should be adept at navigating complex and ambiguous problems to deliver high-quality solutions for our customers and partners. This role requires someone who is comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment, making decisions, leading from the front, and building strong relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. 

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.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science, Engineering, or a related field. 
• 15+ years of experience in software architecture, design, and development. 
• Strong knowledge of software development methodologies, tools, and processes. 
• Experience in managing highly complex, large-scale software engineering projects 
• Experience with OS Internals and system programming 
• Experience in cloud computing platforms, AI/ML and Data Engineering. 
• Knowledge of security best practices and experience implementing secure software solutions.
• Familiarity with DevOps practices and tools, such as CI/CD pipelines, containerization, and infrastructure as code. 
• Experience with performance tuning and optimization of software systems. 
• Experience in building solutions to improve engineering efficiency.

Preferred Qualifications

• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to think critically and creatively. 
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams. 
• Proven track record of delivering high-quality software solutions on time and within budget. 
• Experience in collaborating with geographically distributed partner teams.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request via the Accommodation request form.

Benefits/perks listed below may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you work.

• Be responsible for the engineering deliverables impacting billions of Windows customers. 

• Provide technical leadership and guidance to development teams, ensuring best practices and high standards of software quality. 

• Evaluate and recommend new technologies, tools, and processes to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the team. 

• Collaborate closely with senior executives at Microsoft, leaders from product engineering, security services, and other business units to understand their needs and translate them into technical requirements and solutions for shared success. 

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including engineering, product management, and operations, to define and implement architectural solutions that meet business requirements. 

• Conduct code reviews and provide feedback to ensure adherence to architectural standards and best practices. 

• Mentor and coach senior engineers, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement. 

• Ensure the scalability, performance, and security of the software systems developed by the WSD team.