Principal Software Engineering Manager

Overview

Help build the backbone of Microsofts cloud at global scale. Azure Fleet Resource Lifecycle Management powers the cloud infrastructure that enables Azure services to reliably acquire, manage, and optimize resources across Microsofts worldwide datacenter footprint. You will join a team at the center of Azures growth, driving the platforms and services that support billions of customer workloads and some of the most demanding cloud infrastructure challenges in the industry. Working alongside talented engineers and leaders, you will influence the future of Azure infrastructure while delivering solutions that improve reliability, efficiency, and scale for customers around the world.

As a Principal Software Engineering Manager, you will lead a team of engineers responsible for designing, building, and operating highly scalable distributed systems that power Azures infrastructure resource lifecycle management platform. You will drive technical strategy, architecture, execution, and operational excellence for mission-critical cloud services while partnering across organizations to deliver solutions that have broad impact across Azure infrastructure. You will balance people leadership, technical leadership, and business impact, helping your team innovate and execute in a highly collaborative environment.

This opportunity will allow you to lead large-scale technical initiatives that shape the future of Azure infrastructure and cloud operations. Grow your organizational leadership and influence by driving strategy and execution across multiple engineering teams and stakeholders. Also deepen your expertise in hyperscale distributed systems, cloud infrastructure, reliability engineering, and resource management platforms.

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, inspire, and develop a high-performing engineering team through coaching, mentoring, and talent growth.
• Own the delivery and operational excellence of critical platform services that support Azure infrastructure at global scale.
• Drive architecture, technical direction, and engineering best practices for large-scale distributed systems.
• Partner closely with engineering, product, and business stakeholders across Azure to define strategy, prioritize investments, and deliver customer-focused outcomes.
• Lead complex cross-organizational initiatives that span multiple teams and have significant business impact.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure engineering solutions meet the highest standards for scalability, reliability, security, observability, and operational excellence.
• Build organizational capability by growing technical leaders, strengthening team health, and establishing sustainable execution models.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelors 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++, Java, Go, 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:

• Masters 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++, Java, Go, or Python.

• OR Bachelors 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++, Java, Go, or Python.

• OR equivalent experience.

• 10+ years of software engineering experience designing, building, and operating large-scale distributed systems and cloud services.

• 3+ years of engineering management experience leading and developing software engineering teams.

• Experience building and operating cloud-native services, distributed systems, infrastructure platforms, resource management systems, or datacenter-scale services.

• Demonstrated success driving cross-organizational collaboration, influencing partner teams, and aligning diverse stakeholders toward common objectives.

• Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills with the ability to manage ambiguity and drive execution.

#azurecorejobs

Software Engineering M5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $142,800 - $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.