Overview

You’re joining Core AI, the team at the forefront of redefining how software is built and experienced. We create the foundational platforms, services, and developer experiences that power next-generation applications using Generative AI, enabling developers and enterprises to unlock the full potential of AI to build intelligent, adaptive, and transformative software.

As a Principal Software Engineer on the Agentic Core Services Team, you will own the design and architecture of cloud-native, distributed platforms that power agentic applications at scale. You’ll lead initiatives to improve service reliability and developer agility, ensuring our infrastructure meets enterprise-grade guarantees for performance, resiliency, and security. You will influence how developers interact with our platform—from programming models and user experiences to the orchestration of agent-based AI applications—while driving technical strategy and mentoring other engineers. This role offers the opportunity to integrate cutting-edge AI research, including multi-modal capabilities (text, audio, video), into real-world agentic applications and shape the future of intelligent software 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. In alignment with our Microsoft values, we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment for all employees to positively impact our culture every day.

Responsibilities

• Own the architecture and design of complex, distributed systems that power agentic applications at scale, ensuring performance, resiliency, and security across cloud-native environments.
• Lead technical strategy and drive improvements in service reliability and developer agility, influencing platform direction and enabling faster innovation for enterprise-grade AI solutions.
• Mentor and guide engineers, providing technical leadership through design reviews, code reviews, and architectural decisions that raise the bar for quality and maintainability.
• Collaborate across teams and disciplines to integrate multi-modal AI capabilities (text, audio, video) into agentic applications, ensuring seamless developer experiences and compliance with Microsoft standards.
• Establish and enforce best practices for coding, testing, and operational excellence, including security, observability, and telemetry for large-scale distributed systems.
• Drive cross-team initiatives and resolve complex dependency challenges, ensuring end-to-end reliability and scalability for mission-critical services.

Qualifications Required/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.

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:

• Experience managing managers or multiple engineering teams in a global environment.
• Demonstrated expertise in solving complex technical challenges in one or more domains such as distributed systems, AI/ML infrastructure, developer platforms, or cloud services.
• Experience engaging with customers during integration or deployment phases, with a focus on delivering value and incorporating feedback into product evolution.

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:
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay

This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.