Software Engineer - Data Platform, AI Infrastructure

We are building a large-scale, productized data platform that powers critical insights and systems across Azure-based services for AI Infrastructure. This platform will process terabytes to petabytes of data daily and is designed for reliability, scalability, and long-term evolution., As a Senior Software Engineer - Data Platform, AI Framework you will focus on building and operating the core infrastructure layer of the platform - covering orchestration, APIs, observability, and system reliability. You will work closely with data engineers and partner teams to ensure the platform is robust, standardized, and capable of supporting rapid growth.

We are looking for engineers who execute well, own systems end-to-end, and bring structure to complex problems - not just ideas.

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

• Design, build, and operate core components of a distributed data platform, including:

• Orchestration systems (e.g., Airflow or equivalent)

• Backend services and APIs (Python/FastAPI or similar)

• Monitoring, alerting, and reliability systems

• Own the end-to-end lifecycle of platform components - from design through deployment, scaling, and maintenance

• Ensure systems meet requirements for availability, performance, and data reliability at large scale

• Define and enforce standardized patterns for infrastructure, deployment, and observability across the platform

• Partner with data engineering teams to enable efficient, reliable data processing workflows

• Diagnose and resolve complex issues in distributed systems, including performance bottlenecks and failure modes

• Contribute to infrastructure-as-code and deployment systems to support reproducibility and operational excellence

• Drive continuous improvements in system robustness, cost efficiency, and operational clarity

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.

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:

• Strong programming experience in Python

• Experience building and operating large-scale distributed systems

• Hands-on experience with:

• Backend services or APIs (e.g., FastAPI, Flask, or similar)

• Cloud-based infrastructure (Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud Platform)

• Monitoring and observability systems (metrics, logging, alerting)

• Experience designing systems with reliability, scalability, and operational clarity in mind

• Proven ability to own and deliver production systems end-to-end

• Ability to break down ambiguous problems, ask the right questions, and execute effectively

• Experience with Azure technologies such as:

• ADLS Gen2 (Blob Storage)

• Synapse / Spark

• Azure Data Explorer (ADX)

• Experience with orchestration frameworks (e.g., Airflow)

• Experience with infrastructure-as-code (Bicep, ARM, Terraform, or similar)

• Familiarity with data platform concepts (data pipelines, schema evolution, data quality, etc.)

• Experience working on systems handling terabyte to petabyte-scale data

• Exposure to privacy, compliance, and secure data handling practices

#aiinfra

Software Engineering IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $119,800 - $234,700 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 $158,400 - $258,000 per year.

Microsoft is a global technology company headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Our mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. We develop, license, and support a wide range of software products, services, and devices that help individuals and businesses realize their full potential.

Our flagship products include the Microsoft 365 productivity cloud, Windows operating system, Azure cloud platform, and Dynamics 365 business applications. We are also a leader in areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, developer tools, and gaming through Xbox and Game Pass.

With operations in more than 190 countries and over 220,000 employees worldwide, Microsoft is committed to responsible innovation, inclusive economic growth, and sustainability. We work closely with governments, industries, and communities to ensure that technology serves the public good and helps address some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

As we celebrate our 50th anniversary in 2025, we continue to look forward—investing in AI, cloud, and quantum computing to shape the future of work, education, and society at large scale.