Principal Software Engineer

Principal Software Engineer – Advanced Autonomy And Applied Robotics

Microsoft's Discovery and Quantum (MDQ) division develops and delivers advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI), cloud capabilities, and strategic technologies to help solve the world’s major challenges. From accelerated scientific discovery through advanced AI, to breakthroughs in quantum computing, to unique AI and edge platforms for bio-intelligence and biosecurity, and to advanced robotics and AI capabilities to accelerate positive impact in the physical world, joining MDQ means building the future, partnering with high-paced innovators, and working in an exhilarating, impact-focused environment.

Within MDQ’s Office of the CTO, our mission spans advancing how intelligent systems perceive, reason, and act in the physical and digital worlds. We are transforming robots from tools into teammates, empowered by next-generation AI models and grounded in trustworthy autonomy principles. Our goal is to create seamless collaboration among humans, robots, and AI agents to accelerate relevance to real-world applications such as scientific discovery and commercial scenarios. Through this convergence of AI and robotics, we are positioning Microsoft at the forefront of a new era where agentic AI and embodied systems work alongside humans to achieve breakthroughs in productivity, physical tasks, and scientific exploration.

As a Principal Software Engineer – Advanced Autonomy and Applied Robotics, you will help define and build the next-generation platform that powers human–robot–AI collaboration and AI-driven discovery and development. In this role, you will architect, rapidly prototype, and build software and infrastructure that power intelligent and adaptive AI systems at the forefront of AI technologies, spanning cloud-to-edge orchestration, perception and planning pipelines, mission-planning and execution frameworks, and multi-agent and tool development and evaluation. You will apply cutting-edge agent frameworks, robotics tools and middleware, and multi-agent coordination algorithms to develop robust, extensible platforms that advance cross-domain applications in research, industry, and beyond.

Beyond technical execution, the position demands leadership in engineering excellence—mentoring peers, driving best practices, and influencing cross-team collaboration. An effective contributor thrives in dynamic environments, balancing innovation with operational rigor through effective deployment automation, experimentation, and incident response. A growth mindset and commitment to continuous learning are vital, including staying current on emerging technologies such as AI-driven development and test automation, ensuring solutions remain cutting-edge, resilient, and aligned with organizational goals.

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees, we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day, we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.