Principal Software Engineer

Microsoft•Redmond, WA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Microsoft Content team powers AI-driven experiences for more than 1B users across Copilot, Bing, Edge, Windows, and Xbox. This role seeks a Principal Software Engineer to define and lead the technical direction for the next generation of intelligent, large-scale content platforms. The individual will be responsible for shaping multi-year technical strategy, driving architectural coherence across organizations, and building foundational systems for multiple product surfaces. This includes leading the design and evolution of distributed backend systems, cloud-native infrastructure, and data platforms operating at global scale with strict requirements for availability, latency, security, and cost efficiency. These systems must be designed for long-term extensibility and operational excellence. The role also involves guiding the integration of LLM-powered capabilities into production systems, defining patterns for retrieval, orchestration, evaluation, and responsible AI, ensuring these capabilities are deeply embedded, reliable, and scalable. Exceptional technical judgment, the ability to operate in highly ambiguous spaces, and a track record of influencing across teams and organizations are required. The Principal Software Engineer will collaborate closely with engineering leaders, product leaders, and applied scientists to align technical investments with long-term business outcomes. Microsoft's mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more, fostering a culture of inclusion, respect, integrity, and accountability. Microsoft AI (MAI) employees within a 50-mile commute of a designated U.S. office or 25-mile commute of a non-U.S. country-specific location are expected to work from the office at least four days per week, starting January 26, 2026.

Requirements

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.
Proven track record of architecting and delivering large-scale distributed systems or platforms used by millions of users.
Deep expertise in backend systems, cloud-native architecture, and service-oriented or microservices-based design.
Experience owning and evolving production systems with high availability, low latency, and solid operational rigor.
Solid fundamentals in system design, distributed systems, data modeling, and performance optimization.
Demonstrated ability to drive technical strategy and influence across multiple teams or organizations.
Experience leading complex, ambiguous, and high-impact technical initiatives end-to-end.

Nice To Haves

Master's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 12+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python OR Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 15+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python OR equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

Define and drive long-term technical strategy for large-scale distributed systems and platforms spanning multiple teams and organizations.
Establish architectural principles, patterns, and standards that ensure consistency, scalability, and maintainability across services.
Lead the design of system-of-systems architectures, integrating services, data, and AI capabilities into cohesive platforms.
Make high-impact technical decisions that balance innovation, risk, cost, and long-term sustainability.
Architect and evolve backend services, APIs, data infrastructure, and platform capabilities that operate at global scale.
Ensure systems meet stringent requirements for availability, latency, throughput, security, privacy, and cost efficiency.
Drive operational excellence through observability, resiliency design, incident management, and continuous improvement.
Identify and eliminate systemic inefficiencies across services, infrastructure, and development workflows.
Define how LLMs and intelligent systems are integrated into core platform architecture (not as isolated features).
Establish patterns for retrieval, grounding, orchestration, memory, and tool use in production systems.
Lead the design of evaluation frameworks for quality, safety, latency, reliability, and business impact.
Ensure responsible AI practices, including safety, privacy, and governance, are embedded into system design.
Influence technical direction across teams, organizations, and partner groups without direct authority.
Drive alignment between engineering, product, and applied science on platform strategy and execution.
Lead complex, multi-team initiatives from concept through delivery, ensuring clarity, momentum, and results.
Represent technical strategy and progress to senior leadership.
Raise the engineering bar across the organization through design reviews, technical mentorship, and standards setting.
Act as a role model for deep technical rigor, high-quality execution, and end-to-end ownership.
Mentor senior engineers and emerging leaders, helping grow the next generation of technical talent.
Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.