Principal Software Engineer

The Windows Developer Platform team is responsible for creating the foundational capabilities that allow developers to build rich and modern applications for Windows. The team's work has a profound impact, influencing the daily computing experience of more than a billion users around the globe. This role offers the unique opportunity to shape next-generation platform capabilities, collaborate across engineering teams, and contribute significantly to the ongoing evolution of the Windows app platform. 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. Extensive experience designing, delivering, and maintaining large scale or mission critical software systems. Deep proficiency in systems programming with languages such as C, C ++, C #, or equivalent. Demonstrated ability to create and communicate architectural strategies that guide multiyear engineering investment. Solid cross-org leadership skills with the ability to influence without authority and align diverse stakeholders around shared outcomes. Expertise in structuring complex problems, evaluating tradeoffs, and driving clarity in ambiguous technical spaces. Advanced understanding of AI systems include model capabilities, retrieval augmentation, evaluation frameworks, optimization patterns, and responsible AI principles. Proven track record of mentoring senior engineers, elevating design quality, and developing next generation technical leaders. Exceptional communication and storytelling skills with the ability to connect deep technical concepts to business and platform goals. 10 or more years of experience shipping commercial software or platform technologies on a scale. Experience shaping developer platform architecture, application frameworks, operating system components, or large-scale distributed systems. Experience building or integrating AI powered platform capabilities, intelligent developer tools, or semantic interaction layers. Solid history of setting engineering standards, improving organizational architecture health, and driving long term technical investments. Demonstrated success influencing product direction across multiple engineering groups or organizations. Define long term architectural direction for major areas of the Windows developer platform, ensuring durability, clarity, and alignment with strategic product goals. Lead complex technical efforts that span multiple teams, ensuring cohesive design, high reliability, and forward looking extensibility. Provide deep technical leadership for critical platform components and represent the area in cross org technical forums and design reviews. Anticipate platform needs, identify capability gaps, and guide teams toward innovative and scalable solutions. Use customer signals, telemetry, and ecosystem insights to shape strategic decisions that improve product reliability, developer experience, and platform adoption. Drive the integration of AI native patterns across the engineering lifecycle, including AI powered developer workflows, semantic tooling, and intelligent platform capabilities. Mentor senior and mid level engineers, elevate design quality, and model a culture of technical excellence, accountability, and inclusion. Influence engineering processes, tooling, and standards across partner teams to improve velocity, quality, and consistency.