Principal Software Engineering Lead

Redmond, WA, United States

On Team Xbox, we aspire to empower the world’s 3 billion gamers to play the games they want, with the people they want, anywhere they want. Gaming, the largest and fastest growing category in media & entertainment, represents an important growth opportunity for Microsoft. We are leading with innovation, as highlighted by the PC Game Pass subscription, bringing Xbox to new devices with Cloud Gaming, and new game content from Activision Blizzard King, creating exciting new possibilities for players.

The Xbox Experiences and Platforms team is home to the engineering work that makes this vision possible, building the developer tools and services that enable game creators to craft incredible experiences, the commerce systems that connect publishers with their audience and help gamers engage with their next favorite games, the platforms on which those games play at their best, and the experiences that turn every screen into an Xbox.

Our Experiences Engineering team is looking for a Principal Software Engineering Lead to spearhead the development of our future gaming experiences platform. This platform will leverage scalable web technologies to enhance Xbox experiences across Consoles, PCs, Handhelds, Mobile devices, Smart TVs, and Web browsers. In this pivotal role, you will lead a diverse team of engineers and collaborate closely with program managers and designers. Together, you will craft cutting-edge technologies that enable Team Xbox to deliver captivating and seamless gaming experiences to players everywhere.

In your capacity as Principal Software Engineering Lead, you and your team will engage in both web and native codebases to develop new platform features and deliver innovative gaming experiences directly to our users. By working alongside other developers within the team, your insights will influence new requirements and best practices, enhancing platform capabilities and our agility in development.

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

Responsibilities will include:

Technical Leadership:

Provide technical guidance and leadership to a team of highly skilled software engineers, specializing in modern web technologies such as JavaScript and TypeScript, fostering an environment of innovation and high-performance.

Mentor team members using both formal training sessions and on-the-job coaching, promoting continuous professional growth and adherence to best software development practices.

Code Reviews and Standards:

Actively participate in code reviews, ensuring that coding standards are upheld, and that code is optimized for diagnosability, reliability, and maintainability.

Facilitate a culture of high-quality software creation through rigorous review processes and collaborative coding practices.

Operational Excellence:

Oversee the operation of live services, utilizing analytics to monitor system performance and identify areas for improvement. Manage and refine the on-call rotation system to ensure rapid and efficient problem resolution.

Talent Development and Recruitment:

Drive recruitment efforts to attract top talent and foster an inclusive team culture that values diversity and open collaboration.

Develop existing team members through targeted training and career development opportunities, ensuring a pipeline of leadership and technical expertise.

Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration:

Work closely with program managers and UX/UI designers to ensure a seamless integration of technical, aesthetic, and functional aspects in product development. Drive the strategy for a design-oriented engineering culture, translating design visions into technically feasible solutions that enhance user interaction and satisfaction.

Innovation in Service Deployment and Maintenance:

Innovate and streamline the deployment and maintenance processes to enhance the reliability and efficiency of services with minimal manual intervention.

Lead initiatives to improve system architecture and development practices that cater to the needs of a dynamic and scalable web platform.

Impact and Learning Orientation:

Remain highly motivated and eager to make a measurable impact on the platform and its user base.

Embrace a learning mindset, continuously seeking new technologies and methods to enhance team performance and product quality.

Embody our Culture (https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/culture) and Values (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/about/corporate-values)

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, or related technical discipline AND 6+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript or TypeScript

OR equivalent experience.

4+ years experience in proven track record of developing, deploying, and maintaining high-performance, scalable web applications.

4+ years proficiency experience in modern web development frameworks such as Remix, Next.js, React, Vue, Svelte, or Angular.

2+ years people management experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

Additional Programming Proficiencies: Experience with C++, Objective-C, and Java is highly valued, especially in contexts requiring integration with native codebases.

Cloud Technologies: Experience with modern cloud services and understanding their integration into scalable web applications.

Advanced Web Development: Proficient in using React and TypeScript for building and shipping web applications.

Design Acumen:

A keen understanding of product design, user interface design, and visual design principles.

Ability to collaborate effectively with designers to implement aesthetically pleasing and functionally rich user experiences.

Experience in creating interfaces that are intuitive and accessible across various device form factors.

Gaming Industry Insight:

Technical knowledge of gaming-related challenges, such as responsive UX design and multi-platform compatibility.

Experience with navigational inputs tailored to various devices, including gamepads, touch interfaces, and traditional mouse/keyboard setups.

Innovative Thinking: A history of applying innovative solutions to enhance product functionality and user experience across diverse platforms.

4+ years people management experience.

We welcome gamers and non-gamers alike, and actively seek out new perspectives to make our products better for everyone. Come join Experiences on Team Xbox and help define what’s next for Gaming!

Software Engineering M5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $137,600 - $267,000 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 $180,400 - $294,000 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

Microsoft will accept applications for the role until June 29, 2024.

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Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with applicable law, 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 and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations (https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/accessibility.html) .