Principal Software Engineering Manager - Halo Studios

Microsoft•Redmond, WA

About The Position

Halo Studios is shaping the future of the blockbuster Halo series with Unreal Engine. As part of Xbox Game Studios, the Halo franchise spans games, novels, comics, licensed collectibles, apparel, and more—united by a vision of heroism, mystery, and wonder. With multiple projects underway, join our team as we forge the next generation of experiences in our award-winning sci-fi universe. We are seeking a Principal Engineering Manager to lead the AI Workflow Innovation team. This leader will define and execute strategies that modernize creative and operational processes, empower teams through smarter tools, and provide architectural guidance to our CI/CD build and automation systems. The Workflow Innovation team focuses on making development faster, more connected, and more efficient—streamlining pipelines, reducing repetitive tasks, and enabling creators to focus on what they do best: building incredible games. Scope & Focus Areas: Creative Workflow Optimization: Introduce and responsibly operationalize tools that accelerate art, animation, narrative, and design workflows—helping creators deliver high-quality content while maintaining full creative control. Studio Workflow Intelligence: Develop systems and automation that simplify daily operations, connect dispersed data, and allow teams to interact with information naturally through chat, search, and voice. CI/CD and Workflow Architecture: Partner with build and automation teams to establish scalable architectures, improve job orchestration, and enhance diagnostics for better development velocity and reliability. Data Integration & Platform Foundations: Build and maintain internal platforms that unify data across tools and systems (e.g., Jira, Confluence, SharePoint) into a secure, queryable environment. Governance & Responsible Adoption: Collaborate with Infrastructure, Security, and Operations to ensure new technologies are integrated responsibly and aligned with studio policies.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 6+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, or Python OR equivalent experience.

Nice To Haves

Master'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 Bachelor'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 equivalent experience.
Demonstrated record of improving workflows, pipelines, or tooling in ways that materially accelerate development, reduce repetitive work, or increase team productivity.
Deep technical foundation in systems architecture, workflow automation, or data integration, including experience designing or integrating platforms that span multiple tools or services.
Demonstrated ability to translate strategic studio needs into scalable, maintainable, and user-friendly engineering solutions.
Experience leading engineers or driving technical direction while partnering closely with creative, technical, and operational teams (e.g., art, design, production, tools, or operations).
Experience evaluating or integrating capabilities from modern cloud platforms—such as orchestration, managed services, or intelligent platform features—to improve development workflows or reduce operational friction.
Experience integrating next-generation tooling or automation frameworks, such as AI-assisted authoring, search, or diagnostic systems.
Familiarity with Unreal Engine pipelines, Perforce automation, asset workflows, and large-scale content build systems.
Experience leading large-scale workflow or platform modernization efforts across distributed or multidisciplinary organizations.
Background in game development, creative technology, or complex content-production environments.

Responsibilities

Define and drive the vision for workflow innovation that accelerates creative and operational processes.
Provide architectural leadership and partner with CI/CD and automation teams to align initiatives with scalable, performant systems.
Develop and maintain platforms and automation that unify data, enhance collaboration, and reduce repetitive effort.
Design and deliver tools and frameworks that augment content creation and studio operations.
Partner with cross-discipline leaders to embed new technologies responsibly within studio systems and workflows.
Mentor and grow a small engineering team focused on integration, automation, and data-driven decision-making.
Evaluate, pilot, and operationalize emerging technologies for creative and operational use cases.
Establish technical standards and best practices for scalability, maintainability, and ethical use.
Collaborate with Microsoft Gaming teams to ensure alignment and shared learning.

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