Principal Software Engineer

Microsoft Corporation • Mountain View, CA • 4h ago

Overview

We are looking for a Principal Software Engineer to lead the design and development of next-generation agent architectures, model deployment systems, and training infrastructure for large-scale AI systems.

In this role, you will partner closely with applied scientists, product teams, and platform engineers to build robust, scalable, and production-grade systems that power intelligent, agentic experiences. You will play a critical role in shaping how large language models are trained, deployed, and orchestrated to deliver real-world impact.

This is a high-impact, cross-functional role requiring deep technical expertise, strong system design skills, and the ability to drive end-to-end execution across modeling and infrastructure.

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.

Responsibilities

Lead agent architecture design for LLM-based systems, including multi-agent orchestration, tool use, and planning frameworks

Own model deployment infrastructure , enabling reliable, scalable, and low-latency serving of large models across diverse scenarios

Drive improvements in model training infrastructure , including data pipelines, training workflows, and evaluation systems

Partner with applied scientists to bridge modeling and production , ensuring efficient iteration from research to deployment

Design and implement end-to-end systems spanning retrieval, reasoning, execution, and feedback loops

Optimize systems for latency, cost, reliability, and quality at scale

Establish best practices for experimentation, evaluation, and monitoring of AI systems in production

Mentor engineers and contribute to technical strategy and roadmap for AI platform and agent systems

Qualifications

Required 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.

Preferred Qualifications:

8+ years of experience in software engineering, with a strong focus on distributed systems and large-scale infrastructure

Proven experience designing and building production-grade systems for ML/AI or data platforms

Solid programming skills in languages such as Python, C++, Java, or similar

Experience with model serving, distributed training systems, or large-scale data pipelines

Deep understanding of system design, scalability, and reliability principles

Ability to work across disciplines and drive execution in ambiguous, fast-moving environments

GXP

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. (https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/accessibility.html)

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