Overview
Microsoft's Intelligent Conversations and Communications Cloud is the foundational cloud platform that powers many of Microsoft’s most critical communications, services including Microsoft Teams. IC3 services operate at global scale and are designed to deliver high availability, reliability,
security, and compliance for some of the world’s most demanding communications workloads.
We are seeking a Principal Software Engineering Manager to lead a mixed organization of Site Reliability Engineers and Software Engineers responsible for building and operating IC3 services across highly regulated and enterprise-critical environments. This role requires strong technical depth, operational judgment, and people leadership, with the ability to scale impact through others while remaining deeply connected to engineering fundamentals and service health.
As a principal-level manager, you will define and drive technical and organizational strategy, grow senior engineering leaders, and partner across engineering, security, compliance, and operations to ensure IC3 services are reliable by design. You will be accountable for delivering durable engineering systems, strong operational posture, and a healthy, high-performing organization that can sustain long-term business growth.
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 a set of Software Engineering and Site Reliability ICs, ensuring strong software engineering fundamentals, clear technical direction, and
high-quality execution across the engineering lifecycle that closes feature gaps between our cloud offerings and builds reliable, software-based systems for operational tasks.
Establish and drive technical and organizational strategy for your area, aligning engineering investments with business priorities and long-term platform goals.
Guide engineering design and architecture decisions, ensuring reliability, diagnosability, security, and compliance are embedded early and consistently.
Drive strong incident management, learning culture, and post-incident reviews, emphasizing systemic improvements and long-term resilience.
Develop senior and principal-level talent, including succession planning for managers and technical leaders.
Partner closely with product, security, compliance, infrastructure, and operations teams to deliver durable, auditable, and scalable services.
Communicate clearly and credibly with leadership, articulating risks, tradeoffs, priorities, and progress across technical and organizational dimensions.
Qualifications
Required/Minimum 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.
**Other Requirements: **
**Security Clearance Requirements: **Candidates must be able 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:
- The successful candidate must have an active U.S. Government Top Secret Clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) based on a Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) with Polygraph. Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. Failure to maintain or obtain the appropriate U.S. Government clearance and/or customer screening requirements may result in employment action up to and including termination.
- Clearance Verification: This position requires successful verification of the stated security clearance to meet federal government customer requirements. You will be asked to provide clearance verification information prior to an offer of employment.
- Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.
- 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 customer 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/Additional Qualifications **
- Master's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 8+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python OR Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 10+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python OR equivalent experience.
Software Engineering M5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $142,800 - $274,800 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 $188,000 - $304,200 per year.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay
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.**