Principal Software Engineer

The PAVE (Platform, Validation and Engineering) team as part of the Windows Servicing and Delivery (WSD) organization at Microsoft plays a critical role in the development and distribution of Windows media to a diverse range of customers. This includes generating operating system and container images for OEMs, enterprises, and cloud platforms such as Azure and other clouds. The PAVE team is also responsible for Windows Validation and enhancing Engineering Productivity across the WSD organization. PAVE is hiring a Principal Software Engineer to join the team and drive innovation which will impact millions of customers globally.

As a Principal Software Engineer, you will collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to deliver impactful design improvements that align with Microsoft's long-term strategies for Windows Servicing & Delivery. You will help build common frameworks that can be leveraged across the PAVE charters, as well as with other teams working on similar initiatives within Microsoft. You will be a critical part of PAVE’s mission to ensure that the media powering Windows updates is reliable, secure, and adaptable to the needs of various 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.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 6+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including C, C++, C#, Kusto, SQL or Python
  • OR equivalent experience.
• Experience with Azure cloud platform, and building cloud-based solutions that integrate with on-premise and hybrid environments.
• Experience with designing and implementing high-performance frameworks and solutions which scale across multiple teams and products.
• Experience working with media image formats such as ISO, VHD, VHDX, WIM, ESD, and containers, and the services that generate and manage these formats.

Other Requirements

Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements that 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.

Additional or Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 10+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including C, C++, C#, Kusto, SQL or Python
  • OR Master's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 8+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including C, C++, C#, Kusto, SQL or Python
  • OR equivalent experience.
• Experience with AI/ML solution development.

Software Engineering IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $137,600 - $267,000 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 $180,400 - $294,000 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 30, 2024.

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.  We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. 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.

• Lead the design, development, and optimization of core frameworks that support both the Media and Validation charters within PAVE.
• Collaborate with teams across Windows Servicing & Delivery to ensure alignment with strategic goals, ensuring seamless integration of media creation, validation, and productivity solutions.
• Develop and maintain high-quality, scalable services for producing media images such as ISO, VHD, VHDX, WIM, and container formats that are utilized by OEMs, enterprises, Azure, and other cloud environments.
• Drive engineering productivity enhancements by identifying opportunities for process automation, tooling improvements, and cross-team collaboration.
• Work closely with stakeholders in Windows, Azure, OEMs, and enterprise customers to understand requirements and deliver solutions that meet their evolving needs.
• Mentor and guide junior engineers, fostering a culture of collaboration and excellence across the PAVE team.