Principal Software Engineer/Researcher

Core AI is at the forefront of Microsoft’s mission to redefine how software is built and experienced. We are responsible for building the foundational platforms, services, programming models, and developer experiences that power the next generation of applications using Generative AI. Our work enables developers and enterprises to harness the full potential of AI to create intelligent, adaptive, and transformative software.  

The Future of Scalable Software Engineering (FoSSE) team’s objective is to build capabilities to enable AI-enabled modernization of very large code bases on a large scale and with very high quality. 

Job Purpose Overview 

In this role, you will help define the future of software development. You will help build and combine static analysis and ML tools to help AI handle the scale of large code bases. You will work with state-of-the-art LLMs and reasoning models, very large code bases, and use data from pull requests, static analysis warnings reports, and developer feedback from AI recommendations to build AI agents that scale. 

You will grow by developing both static analysis and ML based techniques that are needed to build coding agents that scale to large code bases. 

You will be onsite 3 days a week and learn and grow through working with talented colleagues. 

Standard Company, Culture, Candidate Value Proposition – Use the following: 

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more, and we’re dedicated to this mission across every aspect of our company. Our culture is centered on embracing a growth mindset and encouraging teams and leaders to bring their best each day. Join us and help shape the future of the world. 

Required Qualifications: 

• PhD in Computer Science AND 7+ years experience or Master’s Degree with 9+ years of   experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python 

• OR equivalent experience 

• Experience designing, building, and operating production-grade software and services at scale, with a proven track record of delivering high-impact solutions. 

• Strong communication and collaboration skills. Track record of impactful teamwork, including mentoring junior engineers.  

• Track record of creating and supporting a culture of constant learning and growth mindset. 

• Experience in designing and developing LLM-based tools to do transformations on large code bases with high quality. Deep knowledge of compiler and static analysis techniques as well as ML and data-driven techniques to analyze large code bases 

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.

Coding 

Creates and implements code for a product, service, or feature, reusing code as applicable. Writes and learns to create code that is extensible and maintainable. Considers diagnosability, reliability, and maintainability with few defects, and understands when the code is ready to be shared and delivered. Applies coding patterns and best practices to write code. 

Design 

Contributes to the identification of dependencies, and the development of design documents for a product area with little oversight. Helps to identify other teams and technologies that will be leveraged, how they will interact, and when one's system may provide support to others. Contributes to determining back-end dependencies associated with product, application, service, or platform functionality for product features. Understands downstream effects of solutions and work provided. Helps to identify areas of dependency and overlap with other teams or team members and drives coordination. 

Machine Learning  

Knowledge and implementation of an application of artificial intelligence (AI) that provides systems the ability to automatically learn and improve from experience without being explicitly programmed. 

Data Analysis 

The ability to systematically gather information from a variety of sources, analyze information, identify implications of data, draw conclusions, generate alternatives and solutions, and evaluate the consequences of choosing each alternative using quality metrics and data.  

Algorithm Design and Implementation 

The ability to design, analyze, implement, optimize, profile and experimentally evaluate computer algorithms. Includes knowledge of practical applications of algorithms in software engineering. 

Systems Thinking 

The ability to analyze and recognize how a system's parts interrelate and how sub-systems work over time within the context of larger systems. This includes the ability to view systems with a broad perspective and identify overall structures, patterns, and cycles. 

Engineering Excellence 

Applies modern best practices using AI to rapidly and reliably build code. Builds knowledge, shares new ideas, and shares pinpoints of engineering tool gaps to improve software developer tools to support other programs, tools, and applications to create, debug, and maintain code for complex product features.