Principal Software Engineer

Microsoft
$165,600.00 - $296,400.00 / yr
United States, Washington, Redmond
Aug 10, 2026
Overview Are you passionate about Windows apps and the developer ecosystem? Do you have a deep understanding of what it takes to build, publish, and grow successful apps? Are you excited about working at the intersection of product strategy, developer engagement, and platform innovation? The Microsoft Store team is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to grow the Windows developer ecosystem and increase the number of high-quality applications on Windows and in the Microsoft Store. As a member of the Microsoft Store leadership team, you will define and execute our developer and independent software vendor (ISV) engagement strategy. You will work with developers, strategic partners, and Microsoft engineering teams to strengthen the app ecosystem, remove barriers to adoption, bring innovation through AI, influence platform capabilities, and help developers succeed on Windows. You will also apply your technical expertise to guide application architecture and identify opportunities for new services, Software Development Kits (SDKs), Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), and tools. Where needed, you will lead or contribute directly to the design and development of these capabilities. At Microsoft, our mission-to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more-guides how we partner with customers to deliver trusted, impactful solutions. With a growth mindset culture, we innovate responsibly and measure success by shared progress-people, teams, and customers. Join us to do meaningful work that changes the world and helps shape what's next for everyone. Responsibilities Build trusted relationships with developers, ISVs, and Microsoft product teams, helping them publish and grow successful applications on Windows. Lead complex technical engagements across application architecture, distribution, commerce, analytics, and lifecycle management. Design and build developer-facing services, SDKs, APIs, and tooling that simplify app development, increase platform adoption, and help developers succeed on Windows. Represent the voice of the developer ecosystem by translating customer feedback, market trends, and industry insights into platform strategy, product investments, and roadmap priorities. Own ambiguous, cross-team initiatives from discovery and technical strategy through implementation, launch, and measurement, creating clarity across organizational boundaries and ensuring solutions meet high standards for quality, security, reliability, and maintainability. Define success measures for developer engagements and platform initiatives, use feedback and data to evaluate outcomes, and apply those learnings to improve future investments and developer experiences. Qualifications Required Qualifications Bachelor'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 equivalent experience. Preferred Qualifications: 10+ years of experience in Windows Application development. Experience with cross platform app development or mobile app development. Experience submitting apps to the Microsoft Store, anda deep understanding of Windows app development and related tools. Experience leading technical projects end-to-end. Experience working with engineering systems tooling, build tooling, and software release branch management. Effective communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with multiple internal and external executive stakeholders. Demonstrated ability to advocate for developer communities and drive engagement across diverse developer ecosystems. Ability to work with teams which are globally distributed across time zones. Long term strategic thinking and solid problem-solving skills. Leadership skills to foster a culture of innovation and high performance. #W+DJOBS Software Engineering IC6 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $165,600 - $296,400 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 $220,800 - $331,200 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.