Overview

CoreAI is at the forefront of Microsoft’s mission to redefine how software is built and experienced. We are responsible for building the foundational platforms, services, programming models, and developer experiences that power the next generation of applications using Generative AI. Our work enables developers and enterprises to harness the full potential of AI to create intelligent, adaptive, and transformative software.

CoreAI Cloud Foundation team is part of broader Azure organization with a mission to empower developers to quickly build and manage highly scalable distributed applications on Azure. The team is responsible for some of the most popular and fastest growing Azure services like Azure Container Apps, Azure SRE Agent, Azure App Service (WebApps), Azure Functions, Azure API Management, and Azure Logic Apps. These services cater to thousands of developers across the globe to develop and manage Web, Mobile, API, Event-Driven and IoT applications, as well as hosting next-gen AI workloads. Besides serving a multitude of industry sectors, our platform hosts mission critical applications for many Fortune 500 companies.

Bringing simplicity to our customers creates challenging engineering opportunities in areas like scalability, high-density, multi-tenancy, high availability, user experience and developer tools.

As a Software Engineer on the CoreAI Cloud Foundation team, you will build and ship features for large-scale distributed cloud services, owning them from design through production. This opportunity will allow you to deepen your expertise in distributed systems, build strong skills in running live cloud services, and become adept at using AI tools across the software development lifecycle. This is a hybrid role: you will work onsite at least three days a week, with the flexibility to work from home the rest of the week.

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 and deliver new services, features and developer tools that define how applications are developed and hosted on Azure.
Write high-quality code for open source and platform components in a variety of programming languages, working independently and as part of a collaborative team.
Own features from design through implementation to production on large-scale distributed systems that are key to Microsoft's cloud strategy.
Support your features through an on-call rotation: monitor systems, mitigate and resolve incidents, and investigate the root causes of outages.
Create and update operating procedures and troubleshooting guides for services that span many regions and time zones.
Partner with teams across Microsoft to learn and integrate their technologies, and use AI tools and practices responsibly across the software development lifecycle.
Embody our culture and values.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, or related technical discipline with proven experience coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python OR equivalent experience

Other Requirements:

Security Clearance Requirements: Candidates must be able 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:

The successful candidate must have an active U.S. Government Top Secret Clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) based on a Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) with Polygraph. Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required pre-offer and post-hire for this role. Failure to maintain or obtain the appropriate U.S. Government clearance and/or customer screening requirements may result in employment action up to and including termination.

Clearance Verification: This position requires successful verification of the stated security clearance to meet federal government customer requirements. You will be asked to provide clearance verification information prior to an offer of employment.

Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.

Citizenship & Citizenship Verification: This position requires verification of U.S. citizenship due to citizenship-based legal restrictions. Specifically, this position supports United States federal, state, and/or local United States government agency customer and is subject to certain citizenship-based restrictions where required or permitted by applicable law. To meet this legal requirement, citizenship will be verified via a valid passport, or other approved documents, or verified US government Clearance

Preferred Qualifications:

Hands on experience with distributed systems and services in the cloud.

Experience working in a services environment and/or building developer tools

Proven ability tracking complex technical issues for running online services.

Experience with .NET based systems is a plus.

Experience using Linux, Docker, Kubernetes is a plus.

Experience using public cloud services including Azure, AWS or Google Cloud.

Software Engineering IC2 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $85,400 - $168,100 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 $111,100 - $183,700 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.

About the company

Microsoft builds workplace software, operating systems and cloud infrastructure for consumers, businesses and government agencies, from small organizations to global enterprises. Microsoft 365 combines Word and Excel with Teams communication and Copilot AI features, while Windows runs PCs and Surface supplies the company's own computers. Azure rents computing capacity, storage and databases to build and run web applications. Microsoft also sells Xbox consoles and games, collecting revenue through software licenses, subscriptions, usage charges and product sales. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Redmond, Washington

Founded

1975

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

US corporate staff receive education support: eligible, approved graduate coursework qualifies for up to $10,000 annually.
Cloud demand expands: July 2026 results showed Azure and other cloud services revenue grew 43% year-over-year in fiscal Q4.
Investment has an earnings cushion: July 2026 results reported $155.2 billion consolidated operating profit for fiscal 2026.

What critics are saying

Performance reviews include security: every Microsoft employee must discuss their security contribution with their manager.
Office flexibility depends on the role: Microsoft's postings specify requirements ranging from fully remote to fully on-site.
Cloud capacity faces local limits: Microsoft describes power-grid delays and water constraints affecting US datacenter expansion.

What makes Microsoft unique

Hybrid customers stay within reach: Azure Arc manages servers across customer datacenters and competing clouds.
Developer reach extends beyond Azure: Microsoft's GitHub hosts code collaboration alongside AI coding tools.
Professional data widens its business: Microsoft owns LinkedIn's recruiting, advertising and workplace-learning network.

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Benefits

Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401(k) Company Match
Professional Development Budget
Conference Attendance Budget
Flexible Work Hours
Remote Work Options

Growth & Insights and Company News

6 month growth

1 year growth

2 year growth

Yahoo Finance

Oct 27th, 2026

Microsoft offers buyouts to 60,000 staff as $175B AI spending raises questions

Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 employees, more than a quarter of its global workforce, as it tries to control costs and fund its artificial intelligence (AI) push. The offer covers eligible staff at level 70 and below in the US, Canada, India, and the UK. Microsoft forecasts about $175 billion in capital expenditures and finance leases for the 2026 calendar year. Staff working on Copilot and AI experiences are eligible, as are those in finance, human resources, Xbox, and Windows + Devices. Sean Campbell, chief executive officer of Cascade Insights, says Microsoft is falling behind in the AI race. He says a buyout could suit workers who want to reach the job market before their peers. The offer follows an earlier buyout to about 9,000 US employees and roughly 4,800 job cuts in July.

The Register

Oct 27th, 2026

Microsoft chief executive Nadella's pay slips 6% to $90.6M despite $331.8B record revenue

Microsoft chief executive officer Satya Nadella's pay fell 6% to $90.6 million for fiscal 2026, according to the company's proxy statement. It included a $2.5 million base salary, $77.6 million in stock awards, and $10.3 million in incentive pay. The drop came despite a record year. Revenue rose 18% to $331.8 billion, and operating profit reached $155.237 billion, above his $130.96 billion target. Stock awards vest at different rates each year. Chief financial officer Amy Hood received $33.7 million, up from $29.5 million. Microsoft added 88 datacenters, reached 30 million paid Copilot seats, and returned $43.8 billion to shareholders. Investors vote on executive pay at the annual meeting on December 8. Last year, 91% voted in favour.

Associated Press

Oct 27th, 2026

MT Newswires' real-time financial news now live in Microsoft Copilot via MCP

MT Newswires, a financial news provider, has made its real-time newsfeed available inside Microsoft Copilot through a Model Context Protocol (MCP) integration. It announced the move on October 27, 2026. Users can access company news, earnings, macroeconomic analysis, and sector insights within Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams. Responses link to their sources, so users can trace outputs back to original reporting rather than generic AI summaries. The integration needs no coding to activate. It is available today across Copilot, with availability in Copilot Studio. "Our clients don't want another platform to check — they want answers where they're already working," said Weston Walker, global head of sales and partnerships at MT Newswires. The company's MCP server is also available in Anthropic's Claude and Perplexity Computer.

CNBC

Oct 26th, 2026

Microsoft offers buyouts to around 60,000 employees across four countries

Around 60,000 Microsoft employees across four countries are eligible for a new buyout program, a person familiar with the matter said. The company announced the programme on Monday. Victoria Greene, chief investment officer at G Squared Private Wealth, joined "The Exchange" to discuss Microsoft stock in light of the news.

Fortune

Oct 26th, 2026

Xbox's new pay-as-you-go cloud gaming, from $4 for 10 hours, angers gamers over rising costs

Xbox has launched Cloud Playtime, a pay-as-you-go option that lets Game Pass subscribers buy extra cloud gaming hours once they hit their cap. Ten extra monthly hours cost $4, 25 hours cost $8, and 50 hours cost $12. Game Pass subscribers already pay between $10 and $23 a month for five to 15 hours of cloud gaming. Xbox introduced the cap in September; the service had been unlimited when it launched in 2020 as a cheaper alternative to buying games. Some gamers have criticised the change. YouTuber Yong Yea said the extra fees undermine cloud gaming's affordability argument. The move comes as Xbox cut 20% of its workforce, about 3,200 roles, amid slumping revenue from falling hardware sales and Game Pass subscription losses.

Microsoft

Software Engineer

About the job

About the company

Get referred to Microsoft

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

What critics are saying

What makes Microsoft unique

Benefits

Growth & Insights and Company News

6 month growth

1 year growth

2 year growth