Principal Engineer Jobs at Microsoft with Visa Sponsorship
Principal Engineer roles at Microsoft sit at the top of the individual contributor track, requiring deep technical leadership across large-scale systems and cross-functional teams. Microsoft has a well-established sponsorship process for this level, supporting multiple work visa pathways for qualified engineering candidates.
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As Microsoft continues to push the boundaries of AI, we are on the lookout for seasoned engineering leaders to help shape the future of our AI products and organization. Our vision is bold and broad — to build systems that have true artificial intelligence across agents, applications, services, and infrastructure. It's also inclusive: we aim to make AI accessible to all — consumers, businesses, developers — so that everyone can realize its benefits.
Microsoft AI (MAI) is seeking an experienced Senior Engineering Leader to build, scale, and run a high-performing engineering organization responsible for Copilot AI Evaluation. This is a role for a proven people leader who has built and managed multi-team organizations — someone who has hired and developed engineering managers, set organizational strategy, and delivered large-scale technical programs across multiple workstreams. You will own the engineering vision for LLM evaluation at Copilot, partnering directly with senior Eng and Product leadership to define priorities, drive execution, and raise the bar on engineering excellence. We are looking for a leader who combines deep technical judgment with a passion for growing people and building high-trust, high-velocity teams.
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.
Starting January 26, 2026, MAI employees are expected to work from a designated Microsoft office at least four days a week if they live within 50 miles (U.S.) or 25 miles (non-U.S., country-specific) of that location. This expectation is subject to local law and may vary by jurisdiction.
Responsibilities
- Build and lead a multi-team engineering organization (30+ engineers across multiple teams), including hiring and developing engineering managers who lead their own teams.
- Set the technical and organizational strategy for Copilot AI Evaluation and response quality, aligning with MAI's broader product and engineering vision.
- Partner with senior Eng and Product leadership (Partner+ level) to define priorities, influence roadmaps, and drive cross-organizational initiatives.
- Own end-to-end delivery of evaluation platforms, novel evaluation techniques, and agentic solutions for measuring and improving Copilot quality at scale.
- Recruit, develop, and retain world-class engineering talent — building a culture of technical excellence, accountability, and continuous learning.
- Drive operational rigor: establish engineering processes, quality bars, and delivery cadences that enable predictable, high-quality execution across multiple concurrent workstreams.
- Navigate ambiguity and make high-judgment tradeoff decisions on technology, staffing, and investment priorities in a fast-moving AI landscape.
- Foster a diverse, inclusive team culture where engineers at all levels can do their best work and grow their careers.
- Embody our Culture and Values.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- 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
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical discipline AND 12+ years of technical engineering experience, including 6+ years of engineering management experience with direct reports who are themselves people managers (managing managers).
- Master's Degree or PhD in Computer Science or related technical field AND 15+ years of engineering experience, including 8+ years of people management experience.
- Demonstrated track record of building and scaling engineering organizations (hiring teams from scratch, structuring orgs, growing managers).
- Experience delivering large-scale software systems in AI, machine learning, or related fields.
- Experience managing organizations of 30+ engineers across multiple teams and workstreams.
- Deep expertise in LLM evaluation, AI quality measurement, or ML infrastructure at scale.
- Track record of partnering with senior leadership (VP/CVP level) to set strategy and drive cross-organizational programs.
- Experience recruiting and developing senior engineering talent (principal engineers, engineering managers) in a competitive market.
- Proven ability to operate effectively in fast-paced, ambiguous environments — comfortable making decisions with incomplete information and course-correcting quickly.
- Strong technical judgment: ability to evaluate architectural tradeoffs, assess technical risk, and guide teams toward sound engineering decisions without needing to write the code yourself.
- Experience leading distributed or multi-site engineering teams.
Compensation
- Software Engineering M5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $139,900 - $274,800 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $188,000 - $304,200 per year.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay
- Software Engineering M6 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $163,000 - $296,400 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $220,800 - $331,200 per year.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay
This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.
Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process.
Overview
As Microsoft continues to push the boundaries of AI, we are on the lookout for seasoned engineering leaders to help shape the future of our AI products and organization. Our vision is bold and broad — to build systems that have true artificial intelligence across agents, applications, services, and infrastructure. It's also inclusive: we aim to make AI accessible to all — consumers, businesses, developers — so that everyone can realize its benefits.
Microsoft AI (MAI) is seeking an experienced Senior Engineering Leader to build, scale, and run a high-performing engineering organization responsible for Copilot AI Evaluation. This is a role for a proven people leader who has built and managed multi-team organizations — someone who has hired and developed engineering managers, set organizational strategy, and delivered large-scale technical programs across multiple workstreams. You will own the engineering vision for LLM evaluation at Copilot, partnering directly with senior Eng and Product leadership to define priorities, drive execution, and raise the bar on engineering excellence. We are looking for a leader who combines deep technical judgment with a passion for growing people and building high-trust, high-velocity teams.
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.
Starting January 26, 2026, MAI employees are expected to work from a designated Microsoft office at least four days a week if they live within 50 miles (U.S.) or 25 miles (non-U.S., country-specific) of that location. This expectation is subject to local law and may vary by jurisdiction.
Responsibilities
- Build and lead a multi-team engineering organization (30+ engineers across multiple teams), including hiring and developing engineering managers who lead their own teams.
- Set the technical and organizational strategy for Copilot AI Evaluation and response quality, aligning with MAI's broader product and engineering vision.
- Partner with senior Eng and Product leadership (Partner+ level) to define priorities, influence roadmaps, and drive cross-organizational initiatives.
- Own end-to-end delivery of evaluation platforms, novel evaluation techniques, and agentic solutions for measuring and improving Copilot quality at scale.
- Recruit, develop, and retain world-class engineering talent — building a culture of technical excellence, accountability, and continuous learning.
- Drive operational rigor: establish engineering processes, quality bars, and delivery cadences that enable predictable, high-quality execution across multiple concurrent workstreams.
- Navigate ambiguity and make high-judgment tradeoff decisions on technology, staffing, and investment priorities in a fast-moving AI landscape.
- Foster a diverse, inclusive team culture where engineers at all levels can do their best work and grow their careers.
- Embody our Culture and Values.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- 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
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical discipline AND 12+ years of technical engineering experience, including 6+ years of engineering management experience with direct reports who are themselves people managers (managing managers).
- Master's Degree or PhD in Computer Science or related technical field AND 15+ years of engineering experience, including 8+ years of people management experience.
- Demonstrated track record of building and scaling engineering organizations (hiring teams from scratch, structuring orgs, growing managers).
- Experience delivering large-scale software systems in AI, machine learning, or related fields.
- Experience managing organizations of 30+ engineers across multiple teams and workstreams.
- Deep expertise in LLM evaluation, AI quality measurement, or ML infrastructure at scale.
- Track record of partnering with senior leadership (VP/CVP level) to set strategy and drive cross-organizational programs.
- Experience recruiting and developing senior engineering talent (principal engineers, engineering managers) in a competitive market.
- Proven ability to operate effectively in fast-paced, ambiguous environments — comfortable making decisions with incomplete information and course-correcting quickly.
- Strong technical judgment: ability to evaluate architectural tradeoffs, assess technical risk, and guide teams toward sound engineering decisions without needing to write the code yourself.
- Experience leading distributed or multi-site engineering teams.
Compensation
- Software Engineering M5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $139,900 - $274,800 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $188,000 - $304,200 per year.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay
- Software Engineering M6 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $163,000 - $296,400 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $220,800 - $331,200 per year.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay
This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.
Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process.
See all 76+ Principal Engineer at Microsoft jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Principal Engineer Jobs at Microsoft Jobs
Align your portfolio to Microsoft's scope
Principal Engineer roles at Microsoft expect evidence of technical influence at scale, driving architecture decisions across multiple teams or products. Document systems you've designed that served millions of users or reduced significant operational complexity before applying.
Target teams with active LCA filings
Search DOL's LCA disclosure data to identify which Microsoft divisions are actively filing for Principal Engineer titles. Azure, Microsoft 365, and AI Platform teams have historically shown consistent sponsorship activity at senior individual contributor levels.
Understand Microsoft's visa ladder for this level
At the Principal Engineer level, Microsoft commonly sponsors H-1B and can pursue EB-2 or EB-3 green card pathways. If you're Australian, the E-3 is a faster on-ramp. Ask your recruiter which petition type Microsoft's immigration team plans to file before accepting an offer.
Prepare for a long interview loop early
Microsoft's Principal Engineer loop typically spans five to seven rounds covering system design, coding, and cross-group collaboration. Visa processing timelines through USCIS can add months after an offer, so starting interview prep well before your current status expires is critical.
Negotiate your start date around H-1B cap dates
If you need a cap-subject H-1B, USCIS registration opens in March with an October 1 start date. Confirm with Microsoft's recruiting team whether your role qualifies for a cap-exempt filing through a related research entity, which removes the lottery dependency entirely.
Use Migrate Mate to filter open roles by sponsorship
Finding Principal Engineer openings at Microsoft that explicitly support visa sponsorship is faster when you filter by role and visa type. Use Migrate Mate to surface active listings matched to your visa category without manually screening hundreds of job postings.
Principal Engineer at Microsoft jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Principal Engineer at Microsoft JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Does Microsoft sponsor H-1B visas for Principal Engineers?
Yes, Microsoft sponsors H-1B visas for Principal Engineers. At this seniority level, the role typically qualifies as a specialty occupation with a clear degree requirement in computer science, engineering, or a related technical field. Microsoft works with an in-house immigration team to manage the petition process, and sponsorship is generally offered as part of the offer package for international candidates.
How do I apply for Principal Engineer jobs at Microsoft?
Applications go through Microsoft's careers portal, where Principal Engineer roles are listed under the engineering job family. You can also browse verified sponsorship-friendly openings on Migrate Mate, which filters roles by visa type and seniority. Referrals from current Microsoft engineers can move your resume to the top of the queue at this level, where hiring managers weight internal recommendations heavily.
Which visa types does Microsoft commonly use for Principal Engineers?
Microsoft most commonly files H-1B petitions for Principal Engineers, with H-1B1 available for Chilean and Singaporean nationals and E-3 for Australian citizens. For long-term permanent residency, Microsoft typically sponsors EB-2 or EB-3 green card petitions through the PERM labor certification process. The right pathway depends on your nationality, current status, and how quickly you need work authorization.
What qualifications does Microsoft expect for a Principal Engineer role?
Microsoft's Principal Engineer level, roughly equivalent to Level 65 on their internal band, expects a bachelor's or master's degree in computer science or a closely related field plus extensive experience leading large-scale technical architecture. Beyond credentials, interviewers assess your ability to drive technical direction across multiple teams, influence without authority, and solve ambiguous engineering problems. Depth in distributed systems, cloud infrastructure, or AI platform development is frequently relevant.
How long does the visa sponsorship process take for a new Microsoft hire?
If you're already in valid H-1B status with another employer, Microsoft can file an H-1B transfer and you're authorized to work as soon as USCIS receives the petition. For new H-1B filings subject to the annual cap, expect the process to take several months from registration in March to an October 1 start date. E-3 consular processing for Australian nationals typically takes two to six weeks from interview date to visa issuance.
See which Principal Engineer at Microsoft employers are hiring and sponsoring visas right now.
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