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Principal Software Engineer - Windows App and Windows Platform

Microsoft· Software Engineering
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Redmond, WA$142.8k - $274.8kfull-timePosted 1mo ago

About the role

Principal engineer leading architecture and technical strategy for Windows App and native Windows platform, focusing on Windows App, Windows OS integration, and cloud-backed experiences across Windows, Windows 365, and Azure Virtual Desktop.

Responsibilities

  • Define and drive the long-term architecture and technical strategy for major areas of Windows App and its native Windows platform, using modern C++ and C# where appropriate and integrating deeply with Win32, WinRT, COM, Windows services, and operating-system APIs.
  • Lead the design and delivery of high-impact, cross-cutting scenarios spanning connection setup, session lifecycle, authentication, OS integration, reliability, performance, and security.
  • Architect secure, scalable, and maintainable systems that span processes, threads, services, client applications, SDK boundaries, and cloud-backed experiences.
  • Lead investigations of the most complex engineering issues using debuggers, dumps, traces, logs, and telemetry, including problems involving concurrency, memory, networking, latency, compatibility, and operating-system integration.
  • Drive multi-team execution from customer and business outcomes through architecture, design, implementation, validation, deployment, experimentation, monitoring, and live-site response; identify risks and make clear technical tradeoffs.
  • Build alignment across Windows, Windows 365, Azure Virtual Desktop, identity, security, design, and product teams, influencing partner roadmaps, interfaces, and end-to-end engineering decisions.
  • Establish and evolve engineering standards for performance, reliability, accessibility, security, testability, operational excellence, and long-term maintainability across the client platform.
  • Develop technical leaders, mentor senior engineers, lead architecture and design reviews, and create clarity in ambiguous or cross-organization problem spaces.

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.
  • Microsoft Cloud Background Check requirement (pass upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter).

Skills

Required:Architecture leadershipC++ and C#Windows OS integration
Nice to have:Remote desktop / VDI technologiesSecurity and identityPerformance and reliabilityWindows App SDK / WinUI / XAML / WebView2Telemetry and live-site operationAI-assisted engineering tools

Benefits

  • Benefits and compensation information available at the Microsoft careers pay page. See provided link for details.
Last updated Oct 2, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

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