The Principal Software Engineer role at Microsoft Azure focuses on providing technical leadership for the database layer of an Azure service built on Azure SQL. This position emphasizes database reliability, performance, and operational excellence, requiring collaboration with software engineers, SREs, and architects. Success is measured by service-level impact and long-term reliability outcomes. The role involves shaping the design, operation, and evolution of databases at scale.

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 6+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python.
• Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements.

• Own the availability, durability, and performance of large-scale Azure SQL databases supporting a production Azure service.
• Lead deep performance tuning efforts, including query plan analysis and indexing strategies.
• Diagnose and resolve complex issues such as deadlocks and resource contention.
• Partner with software engineers and architects to influence how the service uses Azure SQL.
• Lead the design and execution of safe, automated schema changes and data migrations.
• Define and evolve deep Azure SQL telemetry to identify reliability risks.
• Serve as the database technical authority during live-site incidents.
• Identify and reduce database technical debt to improve maintainability.

• 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.