Software Engineer II - Backend

Mid • Hybrid • On-site

$100,600 - $199,000/yr

Redmond, WA

Overview

Microsoft Teams is the fastest-growing product in Microsoft’s history, empowering over 330 million users globally to connect and collaborate. The Teams Core Services team builds and operates the foundational backend systems that power these experiences — from global user communication to secure tenant separation and cloud compliance. As part of our team, you’ll help build reliable, scalable services that support hyper-growth, specialized cloud environments, and enterprise-grade collaboration scenarios.

As a Software Engineer II - Backend, you will design, develop, and operate backend services that scale to serve millions of users across diverse environments. You’ll work on service fundamentals such as availability, performance, and resilience, while also participating in AI-assisted engineering efforts that improve developer workflows and productivity. This opportunity will allow you to expand your cloud systems expertise, contribute to a high-scale platform, and build alongside mentors in a collaborative, fast-paced environment.

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.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 2+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python
- OR equivalent experience.
Experience with distributed systems in a cloud environment (Azure or AWS or GCP).

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:

Master's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 2+ 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 4+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python
- OR equivalent experience.
Familiarity with AI-assisted tools that enhance engineering productivity and service operations
Ability to work independently on scoped tasks and collaborate effectively with a global, cross-functional team

Software Engineering IC3 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $100,600 - $199,000 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 $131,400 - $215,400 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

Microsoft will accept applications for the role until July 5, 2025.

#cloud #distributed system #microservices #Kubernetes #backend #webservice #AI #storage

Responsibilities

Build Reliable Services: Write clean, maintainable code and participate in code reviews to uphold service quality, performance, and resilience. Apply best practices for debugging, reliability, and observability.
Service Design and Implementation: Collaborate with team members to design scalable backend components and microservices. Document design decisions and implement well-tested features aligned with service reliability and performance goals.
AI-Assisted Engineering Productivity: Contribute to initiatives that improve developer workflows and service health through AI-driven diagnostics, automation, and tooling.
Live Site Ownership: Participate in live site operations through on-call rotations. Monitor system health, troubleshoot incidents, and contribute to root cause analyses and long-term reliability improvements.
Cross-Team Collaboration: Work closely with engineers, TPMs, and stakeholders across different geographies to align on technical decisions, feature delivery, and integration points.
Growth and Learning: Continuously improve your skills through mentorship, self-directed learning, and contributions to team-wide knowledge sharing and process refinement.

Microsoft

Microsoft is a global technology company that focuses on empowering every person and organization to achieve more. With a mission to deliver the core infrastructure and foundational technologies for Microsoft's online businesses, including Bing, MSN, Office 365, Xbox Live, Teams, OneDrive, and the Microsoft Azure platform, the company is dedicated to powering the 'Intelligent Cloud' mission. Microsoft values respect, integrity, and accountability, and fosters a culture of inclusion where employees can thrive. The company is committed to continuous improvement and collaboration to drive innovation and provide high-quality results to customers. With a diverse and inclusive workforce, Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer.