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Principal Software Engineer

Microsoft

Principal Software Engineer

full-timePosted: Aug 12, 2026Updated: Aug 27, 2026US

Job Description

OverviewMicrosoft is a company where passionate innovators come to collaborate, envision what can be and take their careers further. This is a world of more possibilities, more innovation, more openness, and the sky is the limit thinking in a cloud-enabled world.Microsoft’s Azure Data engineering team is leading the transformation of analytics in the world of data with products like databases, data integration, big data analytics, messaging & real-time analytics, and business intelligence. The products our portfolio include Microsoft Fabric, Azure SQL DB, Azure Cosmos DB, Azure PostgreSQL, Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Service Bus, Azure Event Grid, and Power BI. Our mission is to build the data platform for the age of AI, powering a new class of data-first applications and driving a data culture.Within Azure Data, the databases team builds and maintains Microsoft's operational Database systems. We store and manage data in a structured way to enable multitude of applications across various industries. We are on a journey to enable developer friendly, mission-critical, AI enabled operational Databases across relational, non-relational and OSS offerings.Azure DocumentDB is a fully managed, open source, MongoDB compatible document database service designed for modern, cloud native applications. Built on the open source DocumentDB engine and backed by the power of Azure, it delivers predictable low latency performance, flexible data modeling and seamless horizontal, vertical, and storage scaling.We are hiring a Principal Software Engineer with deep expertise in database internals and systems design to help extend PostgreSQL to power large scale document workloads. As part of the DocumentDB engine team, you will design and develop foundational features across the query, indexing subsystem and storage layer to power mission critical workloads running on Azure.We do not just value differences or different perspectives. We seek them out and invite them in so we can tap into the collective power of everyone in the company. As a result, our customers are better served.ResponsibilitiesLead deep work on PostgreSQL internals (index access methods, operator classes) to design, implement and evolve indexing strategies for largescale unstructured / semi-structured data.Extend PostgreSQL’s query engine by analyzing execution plans, introducing BSON aware operators, custom scan nodes and new cursor/continuation semantics to match NoSQL query needs and ensure efficient execution at scale.Design and tune index pruning strategies that keep large tables and indexes lean without regressing query performance.Collaborate across the PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and Linux Foundation hosted DocumentDB communities to share vision, align on roadmap priorities, and contribute features that advance the open source DocumentDB engine.Profile and analyze distributed system to identify performance bottlenecks.Work across team and organizational boundaries to drive clarity and alignment.Conduct and participate in design/code reviews and help shape and steer the team coding guidelines.Embody our culture and valuesQualificationsRequired 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 PythonOR equivalent experience.Other Requirements: Ability 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:Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter. Preferred Qualifications:Experience with internals of PostgreSQL or similar Enterprise Database Management system, including Storage Engine and High Availability.Experience building Distributed Systems with strong guarantees.5+ years of experience in designing, developing and shipping system level features in a large-scale cloud application or a backend distributed system.OR 3+ years of experience developing and maintaining high-performance libraries or software engineering with a focus on large distributed systems involving concurrency, storage systems or databases.#azdat #azuredata #documentdb #postgresql #postgres #databases Software Engineering IC5 - 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-payThis 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.

Locations

  • US

Salary

142,800 - 274,800 USD / yearly

Skills Required

  • coding in languages includingintermediate
  • internals of PostgreSQLintermediate
  • Distributed Systems with strong guaranteesintermediate
  • designingintermediate

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 PythonOR equivalent experience. (experience, 6 years)
  • Ability 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: (experience)
  • Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter. (experience)

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience with internals of PostgreSQL or similar Enterprise Database Management system, including Storage Engine and High Availability. (experience)
  • Experience building Distributed Systems with strong guarantees. (experience)
  • 5+ years of experience in designing, developing and shipping system level features in a large-scale cloud application or a backend distributed system.OR 3+ years of experience developing and maintaining high-performance libraries or software engineering with a focus on large distributed systems involving concurrency, storage systems or databases. (experience, 5 years)
  • Software Engineering IC5 - 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. (experience)
  • 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 (experience)
  • This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. (experience)

Responsibilities

  • Lead deep work on PostgreSQL internals (index access methods, operator classes) to design, implement and evolve indexing strategies for largescale unstructured / semi-structured data.
  • Extend PostgreSQL’s query engine by analyzing execution plans, introducing BSON aware operators, custom scan nodes and new cursor/continuation semantics to match NoSQL query needs and ensure efficient execution at scale.
  • Design and tune index pruning strategies that keep large tables and indexes lean without regressing query performance.
  • Collaborate across the PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and Linux Foundation hosted DocumentDB communities to share vision, align on roadmap priorities, and contribute features that advance the open source DocumentDB engine.
  • Profile and analyze distributed system to identify performance bottlenecks.
  • Work across team and organizational boundaries to drive clarity and alignment.
  • Conduct and participate in design/code reviews and help shape and steer the team coding guidelines.
  • Embody our culture and values

Benefits

  • general: Flexibility: Balance what matters—your work, your life, and your team—through trust, autonomy, and shared accountability
  • general: Growth: Stretch your skills, expand your impact, and grow with support that meets you where you are
  • general: Wellbeing: Support for your body, mind, and financial future—so you can stay energized and do your best work
  • general: Community PCS: Find your people, build your network, and feel supported every step of the way

Travel Requirements

Less than 25%

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