Software Engineering II

Microsoft Azure offers customers a scalable, on-demand infrastructure and platform to build, host, and operate services across a global network of datacenters. At the heart of this ecosystem is the Azure Core platform, which manages the health and lifecycle of millions of virtual machines, containers, and the underlying host infrastructure.

We are part of the PilotFish team within Azure Core, responsible for building distributed, high-scale foundational services that power the core of the Compute platform. Our systems enable other infrastructure components to operate with high performance and scalability. Today, our platform manages over 1 million servers worldwide, serving first-party customers.

As a fast-growing infrastructure organization, we deliver critical production scenarios while also incubating new ideas. As a Software Engineer II, you will gain deep insights into how large-scale distributed systems and cloud platforms are architected. You’ll have the opportunity to work end-to-end on features—from prototyping and design to development, testing, and release—while accelerating your career growth through hands-on experience with customer-focused scenarios.

We are especially looking for individuals who are passionate about cloud hardware management. As part of the Cloud Hardware Acceleration team, we are responsible for new Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) onboarding, firmware management, and Azure Platform Dynamic Name Service (APDNS) service locator. Candidates should be willing to learn and comfortable working with Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), Baseboard Management Controller (BMC), Network Interface Card (NIC), disk, and Cerberus firmware management, and be eager to learn how blades interact with rack manager, Top of Rack (ToR) switch, and management switch. Willingness to work in lab environments as needed is a plus.

At Microsoft, our mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. We embrace a growth mindset, foster innovation, and collaborate to achieve shared goals. Every day, we live our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive.

By applying to this U.S. based position, while remote work is possible, relocation does not apply/is not provided for the role.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related technical field AND 2+ years of software engineering experience
  • OR equivalent experience.
• 1+ year(s) experience developing in object-oriented programming languages such as C or C++.
• 1+ year(s) of proficiency working with cloud hardware systems, including firmware management, and platform management.
• 1+ year(s) of experience contributing to scalable infrastructure services or distributed systems.

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:

• 1+ year(s) experience in cloud hardware management, including firmware management, rack architecture, and platform components.
• 1+ years of hands-on experience working in lab environments with hardware systems.
• 1+ years of demonstrated flexibility in task ownership and a proactive approach to learning, problem-solving and knowledge sharing, with a willingness to take on challenges and contribute across a broad range of technical areas.
  

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 October 8, 2025.

#azurecorejobs

• Collaborates with stakeholders to define user requirements and translate them into actionable feature specifications.
• Identifies dependencies and contributes to design documentation with minimal oversight.
• Develops and implements code for services and features, leveraging reusable components where applicable.
• Breaks down complex tasks into manageable work items and provides accurate estimations.
• Serves as a Designated Responsible Individual (DRI), monitoring system health and resolving basic service interruptions.
• Stays current with advancements to improve availability, reliability, observability, and performance of infrastructure services.
• Applies expertise in cloud hardware management, including firmware management,  APDNS service locator, and Domain Name System (DNS) records management, to support scalable infrastructure.

Other

• Embody our Culture and Values