Principal Software Engineer

Microsoft Start Content Ecosystem & Growth (CE&G) team is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to join their mission of building a content powerhouse that serves 100M+ daily active users. This role is crucial in leading platform efforts for CE&G, focusing on providing safe, high-quality, and engaging content through advanced AI and LLM-based techniques.

As a Principal Software Engineer, you'll be at the forefront of developing complex distributed software systems that directly impact billions of MS Start users. The role combines technical leadership with hands-on engineering, requiring expertise in cloud solutions and scalable architecture. You'll work with 7000+ active brands worldwide, transforming content corpus beyond news to cover diverse niche topics.

The position offers competitive compensation ranging from $137,600 to $267,000 per year (higher in SF Bay Area and NYC), along with comprehensive benefits including healthcare, educational resources, and investment options. This is an on-site role in Redmond, WA, with 0-25% travel required.

The ideal candidate will bring 6+ years of technical engineering experience, strong leadership capabilities, and a proven track record in building scalable distributed systems. You'll be joining a culture that values customer and partner obsession, innovation, and quality, working with cutting-edge technologies including AI and LLMs to ensure trust and safety in content delivery.

This role offers an opportunity to shape the future of content delivery across major Microsoft products like Windows, Edge, Super app, Skype, and Outlook, while working with a team that embraces a growth mindset and values collaboration. The position requires both technical excellence and the ability to mentor and guide other engineers, making it perfect for someone who wants to combine technical leadership with hands-on development.