The Principal Software Engineer / Architect role at Microsoft focuses on defining the future of the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) platform, which secures identities, services, devices, and communications. This position is critical in building a highly secure and resilient platform that manages the complete lifecycle of public and private certificates. The role involves driving cryptographic agility and embedding security principles into every layer of the platform. The ideal candidate will be a technical leader passionate about creating innovative security solutions that empower users and developers.

• Bachelor'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 equivalent experience.
• Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as C#, Rust, Go, Java or C++.
• Experience with cloud platforms such as Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.

• Define and drive the technical vision for Microsoft’s Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) platform.
• Partner closely with engineering, product management, and security teams to modernize and secure certificate lifecycle management.
• Architect and build resilient, highly scalable, low-latency services that establish trust boundaries.
• Enable cryptographic agility across Microsoft’s ecosystems.
• Design secure, reliable, observable, and reusable platform capabilities that support identity and authorization services.
• Leverage telemetry and data to guide architectural decisions and improve platform performance.
• Champion engineering excellence through robust system design and operational best practices.
• Write clean, maintainable, and high-quality code that meets security and performance requirements.
• Improve service reliability, test coverage, and overall service health.
• Collaborate across Microsoft to deliver secure-by-default solutions.

• Employees at Microsoft are often offered comprehensive, “world-class” benefits—including health and mental-wellness programs, competitive pay with bonuses and stock awards, and retirement/savings options. Time-off and flexibility are common, with generous vacation and holidays, parental and caregiver leave, and flexible work schedules, alongside learning support, employee resource groups, product discounts, and matching-gifts/volunteering programs. Specific benefits can vary by region.