Principal Software Engineering Manager

Would you like to be at the forefront of AI and Gaming and work with state-of-the-art AI research and the top gaming studios in the world? Do you love to design and build world-changing products while leading and mentoring a team of engineers? 

As the Xbox Developer team, we build the developer tools and services that enable game creators to craft incredible experiences. Xbox is about bringing joy and community to every player on the planet. To achieve this vision, we are crafting the next era of gaming, with players and creators at the center, by empowering creators of all sizes to master the challenges of today and the emerging technologies of tomorrow. If you value dynamic and agile teams that are proactively advocating for a diverse workforce, we have a great role for you. 

We are seeking an amazing Principal Software Engineering Lead to join us in the Xbox Developer organization and lead a team to build AI solutions powering the next generation of game development tools. You will work in partnership with the Gaming AI team, building on top of their industry leading research and technology, to bring developer-accelerating product enhancements to market. You will be responsible for driving innovation and excellence in software development, and you will play a pivotal role in enabling creators to build the best games in the world. If you are passionate about leadership in cutting-edge technology and possess an effective foundation in cloud, automation, ML, and AI, we encourage you to apply. 

At Xbox, we're committed to inclusivity and diversity. Even if you don't meet all the qualifications listed, we welcome your application. Your unique perspective and potential contributions are highly valued here. 

• 10+ years of experience building production-level systems 

• 4+ years of experience leading software engineering teams 

• Experience with cloud-native software development in Python, C++, and Azure (or equivalent) 

• Familiar with AI/ML concepts and technologies 

• Demonstrated strengths in communication, problem-solving, design, and execution 

• Ability to lead through example and influence 

• Experience in building new products or features from the ground up 

• Proficiency in DevOps practices and related tools 

• Ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced work environment 

• Experience with the game development industry and game studio workflows 

• Experience with LLMs, SLMs, RAG, and/or Semantic Kernel 

• Experience deploying, scaling, and managing containerized applications in Azure 

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.

• Hands-on leadership of a team of product-focused software developers 

• Work effectively across organizational, time zone, and geographic boundaries 

• Drive scalable AI solutions that accelerate game development 

• Work across research, data science, and product management teams to ensure successful customer-centric solutions 

• Craft clean, efficient, and maintainable code across a range of technologies, including but not limited to Python, PowerShell, C#, and C++ 

• Drive for quality in everything you do and continuously improve the systems on which you work 

• Give and receive feedback in the spirit of continual growth and improvement 
• Contribute to an inclusive, creative, high-performance team culture