The Principal Applied AI Engineering Manager will lead a high-performing AI engineering pod focused on developing and shipping production agentic AI services for Azure. This role involves overseeing the engineering execution of next-generation AI agents, ensuring quality and reliability while driving measurable business impact. The manager will foster an inclusive culture, mentor engineers, and set technical direction for the team. This position directly influences the customer experience for millions of Azure users.

• Master's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field and 8+ years of technical engineering experience, or Bachelor's Degree and 12+ years of experience.
• 8+ years in software engineering or applied AI roles, with 3+ years in people management.
• Strong proficiency in Python and C# with hands-on experience in building production AI/ML systems.
• Experience with LLM-based systems and cloud platforms, particularly Azure.
• Ability to meet Microsoft security screening requirements.

• Build and lead the AI engineering pod by hiring, coaching, and developing a team of Applied AI Engineers.
• Own engineering execution for agentic AI services from specification to deployment.
• Set technical direction and engineering standards for the AI engineering pod.
• Ensure production health and reliability of deployed AI agents.
• Build and maintain evaluation systems to validate agent correctness and safety.
• Influence product and platform roadmaps by partnering with various teams.
• Drive measurable business impact by owning key performance indicators.
• Ensure responsible AI practices are embedded in all agent systems.
• Develop engineering talent by mentoring engineers on applied AI engineering craft.

• 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.