Principal Software Engineer Manager

Overview

Are you an engineering leader with a passion for applying state-of-the-art AI innovations to augment human creativity? Join the PowerPoint team as we redefine presentation creation experiences with cutting-edge technologies.

Located in Mountain View, California, we're pushing the limits of generating modern artifacts that are intent-first, powered by complex ML pipelines to generate and edit these artifacts in PowerPoint. Our creation experiences empower millions of information workers to craft world-class presentations that boost productivity and inspire creativity.

As a Principal Software Engineer Manager, you will lead a team of talented engineers in an exciting, fast-paced environment, collaborating closely with product, design, and ML teams across Microsoft. You will drive innovation in AI-powered creation experiences, ensuring technical excellence while fostering a culture of inclusion, growth, and collaboration.

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 and grow a high-performing engineering team focused on building AI-first creation experiences in PowerPoint.
• Define technical strategy and architecture for scalable, reliable, and performant services integrated with Generative AI models.
• Partner with product, ML, and design teams to deliver end-to-end solutions, from ideation to production, using modern AI tools and frameworks.
• Drive operational excellence through telemetry, data-driven decisions, and rapid experimentation.
• Mentor and develop engineers, fostering a growth mindset and inclusive culture.
• Ensure engineering excellence in code quality, security, and compliance.

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 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:

• 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.
• 3+ years managing teams.
• Customer-obsessed mindset with passion for product impact.
• Solid collaboration skills and ability to influence across organizational boundaries.
• Proven experience building and shipping scaled production services powered by AI models.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams through complex technical challenges and deliver impactful products.
• Experience using modern AI tools for ideation, coding, analysis, and workflow optimization.

Software Engineering M5 - 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:


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.