Principal Software Engineer
 Microsoft | |
$165,600.00 - $296,400.00 / yr
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 United States, Washington, Redmond | |
 Jul 24, 2026 | |
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Overview
The Extensible Storage Engine (ESE) team is seeking an experienced software engineer to help shape the next generation of storage technologies powering Microsoft's largest and most critical services. ESE serves as a foundational storage platform for products including Microsoft 365, Microsoft Entra ID (Azure Active Directory), Cosmos DB, and other hyperscale cloud services, making storage efficiency, scalability, reliability, and cost optimization critical to Microsoft's future growth.
As storage hardware evolves toward higher-density and lower-cost media such as QLC SSDs, SMR drives, Zoned Storage, and future storage technologies, traditional database architectures face increasing challenges around write amplification, endurance, space efficiency, and performance predictability. This role will drive engineering efforts to evolve ESE for these emerging environments through a combination of architectural innovation, performance engineering, and evaluation of technologies and design patterns from modern open-source storage engines such as RocksDB, Pebble, and WiredTiger.
The successful candidate will help ensure ESE remains a world-class storage platform capable of supporting the next generation of Microsoft services while lowering infrastructure costs and improving storage efficiency across the company's cloud ecosystem. 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
Qualifications Required/minimum Qualifications:
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:
Preferred Qualifications:
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: 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. | |