Senior Software Developer Jobs at Microsoft with Visa Sponsorship
Senior Software Developer jobs at Microsoft span cloud infrastructure, AI platforms, enterprise software, and developer tooling. The company has an established immigration program that supports multiple work visa categories, making it a realistic target for international engineers who need sponsorship to work in the United States.
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Overview
Microsoft Research (MSR) is a multidisciplinary global organization working to create scientific knowledge and deliver innovation that leads to positive human impact at scale. To envision and build the future, we work with our scientific, engineering, academic and business partners to use Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to impact economics, health and society.
The Microsoft Research Americas Engineering team supports several MSR labs (Redmond, New England, New York City, and Montreal) and seeks an innovative and experienced Senior Research Software Engineer on the Agentic Experiences team to drive and contribute to a variety of research projects in various stages of research and productization. You will help deliver quality engineering solutions engaging in AI-native development methods, automation, and agentic workflows to design, build, evaluate, and ship software across Microsoft Research. You will collaborate with other engineers, researchers, and product teams to create innovative vision and drive high quality execution for high-impact and high-scale reach across all of Microsoft’s portfolio, from core models, health, social and economics, coding and development, vision and graphics, systems and networks, and more. You will also be able to contribute to the shape our engineering culture, strategy, and execution, as well as modernize AI engineering practices all in support of accelerating our collective impact across Microsoft Research Americas, Microsoft and beyond.
At Microsoft, our mission—to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more—guides how we partner with customers to deliver trusted, impactful solutions. With a growth mindset culture, we innovate responsibly and measure success by shared progress—people, teams, and customers. Join us to do meaningful work that changes the world and helps shape what’s next for everyone.
Responsibilities
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Individual Contributor (IC) Development: Independently design and build software using appropriate artificial intelligence (AI) tools, frameworks and practices across the software development lifecycle (SDLC) in a disciplined manner. Apply innovative AI agentic tooling and workflows for efficient code generation, evaluation, debugging, and refinement. Contribute to all layers of code and infrastructure to bring scientific experiments from prototypes to reliable and scalable products ready for adoption across Microsoft.
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Coding and Design: Owns or collaborates with other engineers on the architecture of solutions, with minimal technical oversight. Applies appropriate coding patterns and best practices (e.g., leveraging state-of-the-art generative artificial intelligence [GenAI], approaches to source code organization, naming conventions). Proactively considers diagnosability, reliability, testability, and maintainability when reviewing code, and understands when code is ready to be shared or delivered.
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Engineering Excellence: Leads by example within the team to produce extensible, maintainable, well-tested, secure, and performant code that adheres to design specifications. Take responsibility for the content of their AI-generated requirements, design documents, code, and other assets, assisting other members of the team to do the same.
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Cross-Project Collaboration: Seek connections between MSR projects, design and develop “better together” systems, architectures, and implementations that align key research in support of facilitating new research as well as product transfers. Build partnerships to align engineering efforts with research priorities and Microsoft’s broader innovation agenda.
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Technical Leadership: Collaborate with MSR Americas engineering leadership to contribute to a cohesive engineering vision. Navigate ambiguity in a dynamic research environment, using tangible intermediate milestones to realize long-term vision.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 4+ years technical engineering experience coding in languages including, but not limited to, Python, Rust, C#, C++, Java, JavaScript OR equivalent experience.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master's Degree and/or PhD in Computer Science or related technical field AND 7+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, Python, Rust, C#, C++, Java, JavaScript
- OR 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, Python, Rust, C#, C++, Java, JavaScript
- OR equivalent experience.
- 2+ years technical leadership experience, defining milestones and helping an engineering team execute on their deliverables
- Demonstrated experience on an engineering team within a research or innovation setting, with responsibilities spanning prototypes to production.
- Experience with Microsoft AI stack, including but not limited to Azure/AI Platform and Copilot based experiences and tools.
- Experience contributing to or delivering AI powered products at scale
- Experience with early stage or first generation product development
Compensation
- The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $119,800 - $234,700 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 $158,400 - $258,000 per year.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
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.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Senior Software Developer Jobs at Microsoft
Align your GitHub portfolio with Azure
Microsoft's engineering teams run heavily on Azure, .NET, and TypeScript. Before applying, make sure your public projects or portfolio demonstrates hands-on experience with those ecosystems. Reviewers notice when your work reflects the stack they actually ship.
Target teams with active LCA filings
Search DOL's OFLC disclosure data for Microsoft Labor Condition Applications by job title and worksite location. This tells you which engineering teams are actively hiring sponsored roles and which office locations are processing the most petitions right now.
Prepare your degree equivalency documentation early
Microsoft's Senior Software Developer roles require a relevant bachelor's degree. If your credentials are from outside the U.S., get a foreign credential evaluation completed before your first interview round so it's ready when the offer comes.
Clarify your visa category at the offer stage
Microsoft sponsors H-1B, E-3, and EB-2 or EB-3 pathways depending on your nationality and experience level. When you receive an offer, ask the recruiter specifically which visa the team is filing and confirm whether the timeline aligns with your current status expiration.
Use Migrate Mate to find open sponsored roles
Microsoft posts Senior Software Developer roles across multiple teams simultaneously, and not all listings signal sponsorship availability equally. Use Migrate Mate to filter for Microsoft openings that are actively sponsoring your visa category and skip the listings that don't.
File during H-1B cap season if you need a new visa
If you're outside the U.S. or not currently in H-1B status, USCIS only accepts new cap-subject H-1B petitions in March for an October 1 start. Build your Microsoft interview timeline to have an offer finalized before late February so your employer can register you in the lottery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Microsoft sponsor H-1B visas for Senior Software Developers?
Yes, Microsoft sponsors H-1B visas for Senior Software Developer roles. Microsoft is a well-established H-1B sponsor with a dedicated immigration team that works with employees through the petition process. If you're subject to the annual cap and lottery, your offer timeline needs to align with USCIS's registration window each March for an October 1 start date.
How do I apply for Senior Software Developer jobs at Microsoft?
Apply through Microsoft's official careers portal or find verified sponsored openings on Migrate Mate, which filters roles by visa type so you can focus on positions where sponsorship is available for your situation. The interview process typically includes a recruiter screen, a technical phone round, and a full-day virtual or onsite loop covering system design, coding, and behavioral interviews.
Which visa types does Microsoft commonly use for Senior Software Developer roles?
Microsoft sponsors H-1B visas for most international Senior Software Developers. Australian citizens can pursue the E-3 visa, which has no lottery and a straightforward consular process. For permanent residence, Microsoft supports EB-2 and EB-3 Green Card sponsorship through the PERM labor certification process, typically after you've been with the company for a period of time.
What qualifications does Microsoft expect for Senior Software Developer roles?
Microsoft's Senior Software Developer positions generally require a bachelor's degree or higher in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field, plus several years of professional software development experience. Teams typically look for proficiency in one or more of C++, C#, Python, or Java, along with demonstrated experience in distributed systems, cloud architecture, or large-scale platform engineering depending on the team.
How do I time my application around visa processing when targeting Microsoft?
If you're on OPT or OPT STEM extension, aim to have an offer finalized with enough runway for Microsoft to file your H-1B petition before your work authorization expires. Microsoft has an internal immigration team, but USCIS processing for standard H-1B petitions runs several months. Premium processing, which USCIS adjudicates within 15 business days, is an option if your timeline is tight.