Principal Software Engineer

Microsoft CoreAI is at the forefront of developing a new AI-first app stack, focusing on empowering developers to shape the future with Artificial Intelligence. The AI Knowledge team within Azure Foundry is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to join their innovative efforts in building knowledge understanding and retrieval systems for the Microsoft platform.

The role involves working on cutting-edge technologies including internet-scale vector and hybrid search, state-of-the-art transformer-based ranking models, and unstructured content understanding. You'll be part of a team pushing the boundaries of knowledge retrieval performance, particularly focusing on RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) systems and complex data handling for future applications and agents.

As a Principal Engineer, you'll help define technical strategy for information retrieval in agent-focused scenarios, design and implement prototypes, write production-grade code, and integrate new solutions with existing Microsoft systems. The position requires extensive experience in knowledge graphs, semantics, and related domains, combined with strong coding abilities and business acumen.

The role offers competitive compensation with a base pay range of $161,600 - $286,200 per year (higher in SF Bay Area and NYC), along with comprehensive benefits including healthcare, educational resources, and investment options. Microsoft provides a collaborative environment where innovation and growth mindset are valued, supporting a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive.

This position offers flexible work arrangements with up to 100% work from home options and minimal travel requirements (0-25%). You'll be joining a team that values technical expertise, self-initiative, and collaborative problem-solving, working on projects that directly impact Microsoft's AI infrastructure and developer tools.