Principal Software Engineering Manager

We are looking for a Principal Software Engineering Manager to help lead the delivery of the next generation of the M365 Copilot Platform. In this role, you will own the technical direction and execution of critical platform investments, including core runtime capabilities, real-time multimodal orchestration, long-running task durability, and self-serve partner tooling that unlocks safe, rapid innovation across the Copilot ecosystem.

As a Principal Software Engineering Manager, you will lead and grow a team of engineers while remaining deeply engaged in technical decision-making. You will set architectural direction, drive design reviews, and ensure high-quality execution across platform services that other agents and teams depend on. You will partner closely with PM and cross-functional stakeholders to translate platform strategy into clear roadmaps, deliverables, and outcomes that scale across first-party, flagship, and third-party agents.

In this role, you are expected to bring a deep understanding of distributed systems and platform design, and apply those principles to build high-quality, observable, and resilient services. You will ensure the platform adheres to M365 Core engineering standards, is delivered with the right guardrails, and continuously earns customer trust through reliability and correctness.

This role offers the opportunity to operate at the core of M365, where your leadership directly shapes how Copilot agents are built, deployed, and scaled across the ecosystem. The problem space spans runtime and orchestration, real-time multimodal systems, API and protocol design, and developer experience-at a scale where your decisions have broad and lasting impact.

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., Collaborate with engineers, product managers, designers, and partner teams to deliver a set of features with the right overall design and architecture.

• Drive cross-org alignment through partnerships and co-development following the "One Microsoft" philosophy.
• Ensure the output of your team with an emphasis on quality, performance, simplicity, durability, scalability, and maintainability.
• Build, grow, and retain a team of high-performance Software Engineers by delivering on the Model, Coach, and Care core priority for Managers at Microsoft.
• Foster a culture where everyone can bring their full and authentic self to do our best work and thrive.

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 8+ 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 Qualification:

• 1+ years developing AI-powered applications or integrating AI/ML features into product features.
• 4+ years experience as an engineering manager, or a technical lead with a passion for coaching and mentoring others.
• Experience in building web applications using React, TypeScript, GraphQL, or Relay.
• Experience leveraging AI to increase engineering velocity and quality.
• Proven ability to manage cross-functional and cross-org partnerships with product, research, design, and eng teams.
• Demonstrated ability to balance short-term execution with long-term technical vision.
• Proven ability to cultivate a collaborative and inclusive org culture, fostering knowledge sharing and growth within the team.
• Passion for staying updated with the latest advancements in Generative AI and cloud technologies.
• Master's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 8+ 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 12+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python
• OR equivalent experience.

Software Engineering M6 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $165,600 - $296,400 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 $220,800 - $331,200 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.