Overview

The Windows + Devices Fundamentals team is responsible for the reliability, compatibility, performance, battery life, and sustainability of Windows devices. Our work spans hardware and OEM partners, the operating system, and application layers – helping protect, manage, and enhance the fundamentals of the Windows ecosystem.

We are seeking a Principal Software Engineering Manager to lead a team shaping the next generation of Windows device optimizations. As advances in AI, silicon, and software create new opportunities, you will define strategy, grow engineering talent, and drive execution that makes exceptional device fundamentals a defining feature of Windows PCs.

This role is ideal for an experienced engineering leader who combines deep systems expertise with a passion for developing people, setting clear technical direction, and delivering innovations that improve how people live, work, and play.

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 the team in using telemetry, experimentation, and trace analysis to understand software and hardware behavior, identify systemic opportunities, and measure impact at scale.
Provide technical leadership for complex, cross-stack investigations involving low-level debugging, performance analysis, reliability, and power optimizations.
Define the technical strategy and roadmap for Windows Fundamentals improvements, guiding architecture and aligning investments with customer and business priorities.
Manage the design and delivery of solutions spanning hardware, firmware, operating-system, service, and application layers.
Establish a high engineering bar for quality, security, reliability, performance, maintainability, and operational excellence, while ensuring predictable execution.
Use data and customer insights to make portfolio tradeoffs, resolve ambiguity, manage risk, and hold the team accountable for measurable outcomes.
Recruit, coach, and retain a diverse team of engineers while building trusted partnerships with Windows teams, OEMs, silicon vendors, and hardware partners across the ecosystem.

Technologies

The team works with technologies including:

C, C++, C#, Python, scripting and automation tools
WinDbg, Windows Performance Analyzer, and ETW tracing
Cosmos, Kusto, Asimov, and Azure-based trace-processing systems
Power BI, statistics, and large-scale telemetry analysis
Machine learning and AI models

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

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 of people-management experience leading software engineers, including coaching, performance management, and career development.
Experience leading the design, development, and optimization of complex system software or platform capabilities.
Demonstrated success building teams and delivering highly reliable products or services at scale.
Deep technical judgment in software architecture, systems design, debugging, and engineering tradeoffs.
Ability to set strategy, navigate ambiguity, prioritize investments using data, and influence decisions across organizational boundaries.
Experience leading teams responsible for operating-system architecture, system-level development, or platform engineering.
Deep knowledge of Windows internals, performance, reliability, or power optimization.
Experience driving initiatives across hardware, firmware, operating-system, service, and application boundaries.
Experience using large-scale telemetry, experimentation, statistical analysis, or Azure data platforms to guide product and engineering decisions.
Track record of influencing architecture, product strategy, and execution across multiple teams and senior stakeholders.

#WDJOBS, #WSSIJOBS

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.

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.