Principal Software Development Engineer

  • Microsoft
  • Redmond, Washington
  • Full Time

Microsoft Silicon, Cloud Hardware, and Infrastructure Engineering (SCHIE) is the team behind Microsoft’s expanding Cloud Infrastructure and responsible for powering Microsoft’s “Intelligent Cloud” mission. SCHIE delivers the core infrastructure and foundational technologies for Microsoft's over 200 online businesses including Bing, MSN, Office 365, Xbox Live, Teams, OneDrive, and the Microsoft Azure platform globally with our server and data center infrastructure, security and compliance, operations, globalization, and manageability solutions. Our focus is on smart growth, high efficiency, and delivering a trusted experience to customers and partners worldwide and we are looking for passionate engineers to help achieve that mission.

As Microsoft's cloud business continues to grow the ability to deploy new offerings and hardware infrastructure on time, in high volume with high quality and lowest cost is of paramount importance. To achieve this goal, the System Software Engineering team is instrumental in defining and delivering operational measures of success for hardware manufacturing, improving the planning process, quality, delivery, scale and sustainability related to Microsoft cloud hardware. We are looking for engineers with a dedicated passion for customer focused solutions, insight and industry knowledge to envision and implement future technical solutions that will manage and optimize the Cloud infrastructure. We are looking for a Principal Software Development Engineer to join the team.

Why Join AHSI at Microsoft?

At AHSI, you’ll work on cutting-edge technologies that underpin Microsoft’s global cloud infrastructure. You’ll be part of a collaborative, inclusive, and innovative team where your contributions directly impact the performance and reliability of Azure’s hardware systems.

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.

The Azure Hardware System Infrastructure (AHSI) team is looking for a highly motivated and experienced Principal Software Development Engineer to join our mission of building robust, high-performance system software. This role is for engineers with 6+ years of experience in system software development and a passion for solving complex problems at the intersection of hardware and software.

Responsibilities

  • Design, implement, and maintain system-level software components, including device drivers and multithreaded services for Windows and/or Linux platforms.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams including hardware, firmware, and platform teams to define and deliver integrated solutions.
  • Drive code quality through rigorous testing, code reviews, and continuous integration practices.
  • Investigate and resolve complex system-level issues, including performance bottlenecks, concurrency bugs, and hardware-software integration challenges.
  • Embody our culture and values.

Minimum Qualifications

  • 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#, Java, JavaScript, or Python
    • OR equivalent experience.
  • Proficient in C and/or C++ with deep knowledge of OS internals, concurrency, and performance tuning.
  • Proficient in debugging and problem-solving skills across hardware and software boundaries.
  • Experience leading cross-functional initiatives and mentoring engineers in the team.

Other Requirements:

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

Preferred Qualifications:

  • 8+ years of experience in system software development with a proven track record of delivering complex system-level software.
  • Experience working with SoC platforms, PCIe, or other hardware interfaces.
  • Exposure to secure coding practices and system-level security concepts.
  • Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and automated testing frameworks.
  • Contributions to open-source or internal platform libraries and tools.
  • Proficient communication and leadership skills.
  • Experience influencing architecture and long-term technical strategy.
  • Track record of driving engineering excellence and innovation.
  • Hands-on experience in Embedded Linux
Software Engineering IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $139,900 - $274,800 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 $188,000 - $304,200 per year. Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: US corporate pay information | Microsoft Careers Microsoft will accept applications for the role until July 27th, 2025.

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

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.

#SCHIE #azurehwjobs

Job ID: 485795722
Originally Posted on: 7/17/2025

Want to find more Technology opportunities?

Check out the 149,744 verified Technology jobs on iHireTechnology