Principal Software Engineer

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the way developers build software. At Microsoft, we’re combining the power of .NET, world-class developer tools, and cutting-edge AI to reimagine the entire development experience — from the first line of code to deployment in the cloud. Our goal is to create smarter, faster, and more intuitive tools that help millions of developers turn ideas into reality. If you’re excited about pushing boundaries with GitHub Copilot, Model Context Protocol (MCP) tools, and AI-assisted development, this is your opportunity to make a global impact.

Within the Developer Division, the Languages, Frameworks, and Tools group at Microsoft is responsible for delivering best-in-class developer support for C++, Java, .NET (C#, Visual Basic, and F#), Python, Rust, and Go. We believe software development is rapidly evolving in the age of Artificial Intelligence, and we are building the future of platforms and tools for this new era.

We  are seeking  a Principal Software Engineer who is an innovator, early adopter of AI-powered development tools such as GitHub Copilot integration, Model Context Protocol (MCP) tools, and also actively exploring how Large Language Models (LLMs) can enhance their effectiveness and impact. From desktop to cloud, our tools enable millions of developers to deliver high-quality software with greater speed and confidence.

As part of the .NET Tools team, you will help empower developers worldwide with essential tools to build, debug, deploy, and host applications across platforms. We operate at the intersection of modern programming languages like C# and the .NET platform, delivering rich developer experiences through Visual Studio and VS Code with seamless integration to GitHub and Azure.

This is a high-impact opportunity to shape the next generation of developer productivity tools, influence technical strategy, and mentor engineers while contributing code at scale. You will work closely with the .NET community, the broader AI developer ecosystem, and partners across Visual Studio, VS Code, GitHub, and Azure to redefine what is possible in the developer experience. Read more about the Developer Division here: https://aka.ms/DevDivCareers. Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more, and we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive.

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. 

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or a related technical field AND 6+ years of technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python
  • OR equivalent experience
• 4+ years of experience designing, building, and operating production-grade software and tools at scale
• 6+ months of experience applying AI technologies (such as large language models or code generation tools) in software development workflows, including tasks like static analysis, automated documentation, or test generation.

Other Requirements:

• The ability to meet Microsoft, customer, and/or government security screening requirements is 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:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 10+ years of technical engineering experience
  • OR Master’s Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 8+ years of technical engineering experience
  • OR equivalent experience
• 1+ years of experience applying AI or ML to enhance developer productivity through techniques such as automated testing, documentation, telemetry, or static analysis
• Experience with C# and the .NET ecosystem, including .NET Core, ASP.NET Core, and Roslyn
• Experience building tooling and extensions for Visual Studio and/or Visual Studio Code
• Experience leading distributed teams and shipping developer-focused features on Azure (e.g., App Service, Functions, SQL, Key Vault, Application Insights)
• Hands-on experience with modern web frameworks such as Blazor, React, or Angular and front-end technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, TypeScript)
• Demonstrated ability to enhance engineering systems, developer speed, and product quality at scale.

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

• Microsoft posts positions for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

#DevDiv #DDJL #CoreAI

• Partner with stakeholders to define user scenarios and system requirements for developer tools.
• Lead architecture, design, and technical direction for large-scale developer tooling systems and platforms.
• Write high-quality, extensible, and maintainable code while modeling and mentoring best coding practices across teams.
• Drive optimization, refactoring, reuse, and diagnostics to improve code quality, performance, and ROI.
• Lead design and review of testing strategies, with strong coverage across unit, integration, and system tests.
• Mentor others on design patterns, telemetry integration, and verification strategies.
• Set high standards for code reviews, diagnosability, and maintainability across the org.
• Apply AI techniques (e.g., GitHub Copilot, LLMs) to enhance developer workflows such as code generation, testing, or debugging.
• Contribute to automation, deployment safety, observability, and compliance practices for tools and internal platforms.
• Identify and fill gaps in developer tooling by building or adopting scalable and reusable solutions.
• Stay current with new technologies, industry trends, and best practices, and share knowledge across the team.
• Lead cross-functional planning, estimation, and execution of high-impact technical initiatives.
• Engage directly with customers and partner teams (e.g., GitHub, Azure) to align product capabilities with developer needs.