Principal Software Engineer - Finance Data & Experiences

Overview Are you passionate about AI, data, and transformative user experiences? Do you bring energy, curiosity, and a strong sense of ownership to your work? The Finance Data & Experiences (FD&E) organization is on a mission to redefine how Microsoft measures, monitors, and optimizes its global businessand were looking for top talent to join us. This is a unique opportunity to lead with bold ideas, apply cutting-edge technology, and work across Finance, Sales, Marketing, Business Operations, and Product Engineering to deliver high-impact business solutions. The right candidate will thrive in fast-paced, cross-functional environments, bring fresh thinking to complex problems, and be eager to learn, taking ownership of end-to-end processes and outcomes. Join us and be part of a team thats pushing the boundaries of innovation, taking risks, and implementing AI to drive business excellence. At FD&E, we foster a culture of customer centricity, innovation, agility, and transparencyand were building a team thats ready to help Microsoft chart its next chapter in AI-driven business excellence. As a Principal Software Engineer with a strong emphasis on artificial intelligence, you will improve AI tools and practices throughout the software development lifecycle. You will lead architecture discussions for complex products, ensuring high-quality test strategies and extensible code across teams. You will mentor engineers on identifying dependencies and applying coding patterns, lead debugging efforts, and develop automation that targets zero-touch production deployments. You will ensure compliance through audit trails and maintain an understanding of security, privacy, and regulatory standards. You will proactively adopt new AI trends and Responsible AI practices, share knowledge with peers, and collaborate closely with partner teams to ensure seamless integration and live-site readiness. Your work will shape the future of AI-driven solutions, balancing innovation with robustness, security, and scalability. 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 architecture discussions and design complex AI-driven products, ensuring design choices meet performance, scalability, resiliency, and security requirements. Mentor engineers and create comprehensive test strategies that incorporate AI-powered automation and security testing to ensure high-quality, reliable software solutions. Drive integration and collaboration across teams to manage dependencies, security compliance, and performance for AI-enhanced systems. Establish and enforce security best practices, including proactive deployment gates and AI safety features, and ensure robust security monitoring and incident response. Innovate and implement automation in production and deployment, targeting zero-touch rollouts for AI-based solutions. Improve and leverage AI tools throughout the software development lifecycle, embedding Responsible AI practices and driving adoption of AI advancements within teams. Lead live-site support, debugging, telemetry integration, and continuous improvement of AI systems to ensure robust performance and customer satisfaction. Qualifications Required 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. Preferred 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 12+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python OR equivalent experience. Experience with AI capabilities such as Azure OpenAI, Cognitive Services, and machine learning models, including driving the design, integration, and execution of AI-enabled solutions across programs to enhance system intelligence, improve productivity, and deliver measurable business impact. Software Engineering IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $139,900 - $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. Insights from previous hires Top skills: Communication, Analytics, Big Data, Automation, Strategy, Science, Media, Marketing, Engineering, Computer Science Common previous titles: Software Engineer II, Principal Software Engineer, Principal Software Development Engineer, Principal SWE, Software Engineer, Tech, Cloud Solution Architect, Senior Software Engineer, Senior Solution Engineer, Senior Architect