M

Microsoft

Builds workplace software, PCs and cloud services

Principal Data Scientist

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/23/2026
$130.9k - $303.6k/yr
Expert
Bachelor's
Redmond, WA, USA+3 moreMore locations: Fargo, ND, USA | Las Colinas, Irving, TX, USA | Charlotte, NC, USA
In PersonU.S. citizenship is required.
Data & AnalyticsData Science
No H1B Sponsorship
US Citizenship Required

About the job

Requirements
  • A bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field and 10 or more years of technical support, technical consulting, or information technology experience, or equivalent experience.
  • Expert-level causal inference, including choosing, applying, and critiquing experimental and observational methods such as difference-in-differences, instrumental variables, propensity or matching methods, uplift, and synthetic control.
  • Advanced statistics, including inference, uncertainty quantification, and Bayesian and frequentist approaches.
  • End-to-end machine learning modeling, robust validation, and production deployment expertise.
  • Experience evaluating large language models or AI agents, including building rigorous evaluation frameworks, benchmarking, and measuring quality, safety, and reliability at scale.
  • Experience leading impactful experimentation programs.
  • Experience using causal machine learning libraries such as DoWhy, EconML, and CausalML at scale.
  • Technical leadership and mentorship experience.
  • Ability to translate complex analyses into data stories through enhanced visualizations using Python libraries such as matplotlib, seaborn, and plotly, or other tools.
  • Expert proficiency in Python or R and SQL.
  • Ability to meet Microsoft, customer, and/or government security screening requirements, including verification of U.S. citizenship due to citizenship-based legal restrictions.
  • Preferred: a bachelor's degree in Computer Science or Information Technology, or a related field, and 15 or more years of technical support, technical consulting, or information technology experience, or equivalent experience.
Responsibilities
  • Lead the design and analysis of large-scale experiments and observational studies, selecting and defending the appropriate causal inference approach for each problem.
  • Develop and productionize advanced machine learning and causal models that drive strategic decisions.
  • Establish team best practices for experimentation, statistical rigor, and model validation.
  • Influence metric definitions, measurement strategy, and roadmap through data-driven insight.
  • Mentor associate data scientists and review analyses for methodological soundness.
  • Communicate complex results and trade-offs to senior stakeholders.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience evaluating large language models or AI agents, including building rigorous evaluation frameworks, benchmarking, and measuring quality, safety, and reliability at scale.
  • Experience leading impactful experimentation programs.
  • Experience using causal machine learning libraries such as DoWhy, EconML, and CausalML at scale.
  • Technical leadership and mentorship experience.
  • Ability to translate complex analyses into data stories through enhanced visualizations using Python libraries such as matplotlib, seaborn, and plotly, or other tools.
  • Expert proficiency in Python or R and SQL.

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

Get referred to Microsoft

See people who can refer or advise you

Simplify Jobs

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.

Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?

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%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

0%
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.