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Principal Software Engineer
full-timeRedmond$139k - $274k

Summary

Location

Redmond

Salary

$139k - $274k

Type

full-time

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About this role

Overview

Security represents the most critical priorities for our customers in a world awash in digital threats, regulatory scrutiny, and estate complexity. Microsoft Security aspires to make the world a safer place for all. We want to reshape security and empower every user, customer, and developer with a security cloud that protects them with end to end, simplified solutions. The Microsoft Security organization accelerates Microsoft’s mission and bold ambitions to ensure that our company and industry is securing digital technology platforms, devices, and clouds in our customers’ heterogeneous environments, as well as ensuring the security of our own internal estate. Our culture is centered on embracing a growth mindset, a theme of inspiring excellence, and encouraging teams and leaders to bring their best each day. In doing so, we create life-changing innovations that impact billions of lives around the world.

Microsoft Graph is the gateway to the data and intelligence that powers Microsoft 365, relied upon by millions of developers and enterprises to build connected, intelligent experiences. As organizations modernize productivity, collaboration, and identity across clouds and devices, Microsoft Graph provides a unified API surface that brings together people, relationships, files, insights, and organizational context. Our ambition is to enable every developer and customer to harness this rich, real‑time fabric of data securely and responsibly, unlocking new scenarios and accelerating digital transformation. The Microsoft Graph organization drives this mission by scaling a reliable, privacy‑first platform, advancing the underlying data models and APIs, and innovating so that our customers and partners can build solutions that reach billions of users. Our culture emphasizes growth mindset, technical excellence, and clarity of purpose - empowering teams to deliver high‑impact capabilities for the global ecosystem that depends on Microsoft Graph every day.

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
  • Architect Microsoft Graph API patterns grounded in OData, defining contracts for versioning, errors, throttling, and long‑term platform evolution.
  • Govern the end‑to‑end API review process, ensuring consistent quality bars, efficient approvals, and alignment with Graph reliability, privacy-first principles, and ecosystem needs.
  • Represent Microsoft in the OData Technical Committee, driving protocol improvements, shaping standards, and bringing external perspectives back into Graph platform design.
  • Champion AI‑assisted API design, introducing techniques, tooling, and automation that raise quality, reduce review friction, and scale API onboarding.
  • Drive developer experience excellence across permissions, compliance, telemetry, and consistency, ensuring APIs are predictable, intuitive, and maintainable at global scale.
  • Influence company‑wide architecture decisions, setting direction for Graph’s platform strategy and guiding workloads to adopt shared models and patterns.




Qualifications

Required/minimum 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 Python
    • OR equivalent experience.

Qualifications - 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 background and Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.
 
 
Additional or preferred qualifications
  • 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.
  • Expertise in API architecture: HTTP, OData, versioning strategies, error models, consistency patterns, and lifecycle management for large platforms.
  • Ability to drive architecture governance, set quality bars, and influence engineering decisions across partner teams.
  • Practical proficiency with AI‑assisted engineering workflows




Software Engineering IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $139,900 - $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.

Other facts

Tech stack
API Architecture,OData,Versioning Strategies,Error Models,Consistency Patterns,Lifecycle Management,AI-Assisted Engineering,Coding,C,C++,C#,Java,JavaScript,Python,Technical Engineering,Governance

About Microsoft

Microsoft is a leading technology company that develops, licenses, and supports a wide range of software products, services, and devices. It is known for its software products like Windows, Office, and Azure, as well as its hardware products such as Surface devices and Xbox gaming consoles.

Team size: Over 100
LinkedIn: Visit
Industry: Technology

What you'll do

  • Architect Microsoft Graph API patterns and govern the end-to-end API review process. Influence company-wide architecture decisions and drive developer experience excellence.

Our culture

  • Diversity and inclusivity
  • Accountability
  • Continuous learning
  • Teamwork
  • Transparency
  • Trust

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Microsoft pay for a Principal Software Engineer?

Microsoft offers a competitive compensation package for the Principal Software Engineer role. The salary range is USD 140k - 275k per year. Apply through Clera to learn more about the full compensation details.

What does a Principal Software Engineer do at Microsoft?

As a Principal Software Engineer at Microsoft, you will: architect Microsoft Graph API patterns and govern the end-to-end API review process. Influence company-wide architecture decisions and drive developer experience excellence..

Why join Microsoft as a Principal Software Engineer?

Microsoft is a leading Technology company. Their culture emphasizes Diversity and inclusivity and Accountability. The Principal Software Engineer role offers competitive compensation.

Is the Principal Software Engineer position at Microsoft remote?

The Principal Software Engineer position at Microsoft is based in Redmond, Washington, United States. Contact the company through Clera for specific work arrangement details.

How do I apply for the Principal Software Engineer position at Microsoft?

You can apply for the Principal Software Engineer position at Microsoft directly through Clera. Click the "Apply Now" button above to start your application. Clera's AI-powered platform will help match your profile with this opportunity and guide you through the application process. You can also learn more about Microsoft on their website.