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Job Details
Posted date: Oct 01, 2026
There have been 3200 jobs posted with the title of Principal Software Engineer all time at Microsoft.There have been 3200 Principal Software Engineer jobs posted in the last month.
Category: Software Engineering
Location: Redmond, WA
Estimated salary: $223,500
Range: $142,800 - $304,200
Employment type: Full-Time
Work location type: 3 days / week in-office
Role: Individual Contributor
Description
OverviewAzure Local is a globally distributed team responsible for the expanding development and operation of Microsoft’s Azure platform by extending Azure’s cloud capabilities to on-premises, multi-cloud, and edge environments.
Bring the power of Azure to the places where customers need it most through the Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) product on Azure Local. On the Azure Local AKS team, you'll build the Kubernetes and cloud infrastructure that enables customers to run modern applications on Azure Local, across their datacenters and edge locations. You'll collaborate with engineers across Azure to make complex distributed systems reliable, secure, and easier to operate.
As a Principal Software Engineer on the Azure Local AKS team, you'll design and deliver software that automates how AKS clusters are provisioned, upgraded, and managed on Azure Local. You'll own features from design through production, shape architectural decisions, and mentor fellow engineers while solving challenging problems in networking, virtualization, and cluster lifecycle management. This opportunity will allow you to deepen your expertise in Kubernetes and distributed systems, strengthen your technical leadership, and develop a practical understanding of customers' cloud needs. This role offers a hybrid work arrangement, combining in-office collaboration with the flexibility to work from home.
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
Partners with appropriate stakeholders to determine user requirements for a set of scenarios.Leads identification of dependencies and the development of design documents for a product, application, service, or platform.Leads by example and mentors others to produce extensible and maintainable code used across products.Leverages subject-matter expertise of cross-product features with appropriate stakeholders (e.g., project managers) to drive multiple group's project plans, release plans, and work items.Holds accountability as a Designated Responsible Individual (DRI), mentoring engineers across products/solutions, working on-call to monitor system/product/service for degradation, downtime, or interruptions.Proactively seeks new knowledge and adapts to new trends, technical solutions, and patterns that will improve the availability, reliability, efficiency, observability, and performance of products while also driving consistency in monitoring and operations at scale and shares knowledge with other engineers.
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 PythonOR 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:
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science OR related technical field AND 10+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, GoLang, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, OR PythonOR 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 PythonOR equivalent experience.Experience in building, shipping and operating reliable on-premise cloud infrastructureAbility to engage in site-reliability engineering practices  Knowledge of secure development practices and maintaining project compliance Advanced knowledge of Kubernetes and Linux Operating SystemsExperience with Kubernetes Cluster API (CAPI) and ProvidersExperience in one or more of the following Areas: Microsoft Azure core services Networking, Storage, and Compute (including virtualization) Platform Monitoring, Logging and Alerting  CI/CD (Continuous Integration/ Continuous Delivery) to automate delivery stages with pipelines and control promotion with quality gates Linux Operating systems Kubernetes Cluster API (CAPI) and Providers
Software Engineering IC5 - 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.