Principal Software Architect

Microsoft runs on trust.  Earning and keeping that trust has never been more important.   In Customer Security and Trust (CST), program managers, engineers, analysts, investigators, data scientists, attorneys, and business professionals are responsible for some of the most exciting projects at Microsoft focused on protecting our customers. 

The Cybersecurity & Trust Engineering  (CSTE) team in CST is the central driving force of Engineering and Cybersecurity initiatives for CST and for Microsoft Corporate, External and Legal Affairs (CELA) as a whole. The Technology and Product Strategy team within CSTE is entrusted with defining the Technical Direction, Roadmap, Goals, and Product Strategy for CST and CELA at large. We are Architects, Engineers, and Product Managers who work across the company and with external agencies to ensure that CSTE can plan for and support our Engineering and Cybersecurity efforts within CELA. 

The CSTE function is actively seeking a Principal Software Architect with a background in Software Development, Software and System Architecture, and Cybersecurity. The candidate will have proven experience with Azure, software and architectural disciplines, a solid foundation in security focused engineering, while demonstrating a commitment to teamwork, integrity, and accountability. This individual will possess the insight to understand business functions and requirements, collaborate across different teams and stakeholders, to effectively design innovative working applications while adeptly managing competing priorities. 

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.

Required/Minimum Qualifications 

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, or related technical discipline AND 6+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to C#,C++, and JavaScript. 
• OR equivalent experience. 

• 5+ years of experience designing, building and supporting highly scalable, highly available and fault tolerant workloads in Azure, AWS, or GCP. 

• 5+ years of Engineering leadership experience in delivering complex, time sensitive initiatives across organizational boundaries. 

Other Qualifications: 

• Citizenship & Citizenship Verification: This position requires verification of U.S citizenship due to citizenship-based legal restrictions. Specifically, this position supports United States federal, state, and/or local United States government agency customers and is subject to certain citizenship-based restrictions where required or permitted by applicable law. To meet this legal requirement, citizenship will be verified via a valid passport, or other approved documents, or verified US government clearance. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• 3+ years of hands-on experience in Cybersecurity.  
• 4+ years of experience with agile delivery methodologies using Azure DevOps. 
• 2+ years of experience with Cloud Security and Controls
• Experience with deploying cloud security guardrails and controls  
• Experience with one or more programming or query languages (PowerShell, Python, Javascript, SQL).   
• Excellence in written and verbal communication and ability to partner for success across all levels of organization and technical depths.  
• Understanding of the Software development ecosystem; from inception to delivery.  
• Proven track record of improving reliability, availability, and performance of cloud services.  
• Experience developing and maintaining large scale distributed systems.  
• 5+ Experience in containerization, serverless, micro services and Kubernetes (ex. AKS, ARO, Docker)  
• 5+ years of Expertise in Azure (ex. API manager, Networking, Event Grid, Front Door, Logic Apps, ADLS, Data Explorer, Cosmos). 
• 2+ years of experience in Open AI/ML services is a plus.
• Proven experience with real time or near real time data ingestion and analysis technologies (ex. Azure Event Hub, Stream Analytics, Data Explorer) 
• Expertise in bringing together diverse stakeholders and perspectives, aligning goals between business and technology, and driving focused results with significant impact. 
• Analytical skills with a systematic and structured approach to software design.  
• Effective written and verbal communication skills. 
• Experience working with distributed systems in a cloud environment.  

Software Engineering IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $137,600 - $267,000 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 $180,400 - $294,000 per year.

Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:    

Microsoft will accept applications for the role until February 7, 2025.

#CELA

• Lead the requirements, analysis, and development efforts for Engineering projects, solving complex business problems while leveraging Azure technologies and Agile Scrum methodology. 

• Effectively manage tradeoffs between cost, schedule, roadmaps and business impact, incorporate seasoned and up-to-date expertise in Quality, Cybersecurity, distributed services, infrastructure, and components, partner with and influence a multi-disciplinary stakeholder group to envision and formalize effective engineering system and solution architecture and deliver accurate design specifications.  

• Collaborate with Architects and Engineers to define and prioritize workstreams as appropriate across functional areas and drive the adoption and implementation of cohesive architecture patterns, designs, and best practices; perform technical architecture reviews and support security and risk assessment as a trusted advisor. 

• Spearhead the development and evolution of architectural patterns for resilient, scalable and secure cloud services and solutions for CST and the CELA department  

• Partner across CELA, Cloud + AI (C+AI), Experiences + Devices (E+D), Microsoft Security, other Microsoft Departments and teams to ensure coordinated management engineering dependencies, and to continuously foster alignment of long-term vision for system integration that drives and elevates Trust across Microsoft.  

• Maintain in-depth knowledge of software industry and cross-company best practices, technologies, architectures, and emerging technologies, and how these can apply to our product, business, service, and technology stack.   

• Manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously, prioritize workload effectively, and thrive in a dynamic environment.  

• Embody our and