Software Engineer II - Operating Systems

The Developer Platform (DevPlat) team within Windows Servicing and Delivery (WSD) is a world-class customer-focused team with unique engineering challenges and ample opportunities to learn and build a career. We are an engineering team committed to developing high-quality features and fixes for millions of Windows customers around the world, releasing high-quality monthly software updates to keep their businesses secure and running smoothly.

Development Platform Team Focus Areas:

• AppX / MSIX: Reinventing modern application packaging and deployment.
• State Repository: Tracking app installation state with precision.
• COM, DCOM & OLE Automation: Building and maintaining the foundational Windows component model, distributed object communication, Remote Procedure Call (RPC) based activation, and automation services that power cross-process and cross-machine application integration.
• Diagnostic Hub: Capturing rich telemetry for actionable diagnostics.
• Universal C Runtime (UCRT): Powering core runtime capabilities.
• AppxService: Streamlining app installation beyond MSI.
• Accessibility Services: Elevating inclusive experiences with Narrator, Magnifier, and UIAutomation.
• Search Indexer: Enhancing discoverability, especially in WVD/RDS environments.
• Composition Engine: Driving high-performance rendering via DWM and DComp.
• Input Services: Enabling responsive, intelligent input across IME, TextInput, and CoreMessaging.
• TULIP: Advancing language intelligence in UI.
• Win32k: Engineering robust kernel and user-mode input logic.

We are a unique team with broad impact and ample growth opportunities. We are looking for a passionate Software Engineer II willing to work in a team environment and interested in learning broad feature areas, investigating, and solving complex problems for our customers. While the work is technically rewarding, our team also provides the unique opportunity to showcase cross-group collaboration, and leadership skills needed to grow your career.

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.

• You will be part of a software engineering team and will be working on Windows Input and Composition components such as mouse/keyboard/pen/touch input, IME (Input Method Editor), DWM (Desktop Window Manager), Desktop rendering, Desktop transparency, animations, and composition etc. In this role you will have the opportunity to design and develop software and services at scale, innovating the latest technologies and following modern engineering practices. You will be owning more than one feature allowing you to gain a breadth of knowledge and at the same time allows you to gain expertise in identified features. 
• As you are tasked to solve complex Windows customer-reported problems, you will have an opportunity to build solid Windows internals fundamentals that go a long way in your career, learn how to write secure code, and pick up debugging skills in a team environment. 
• Creates and implements code for a product, service, or feature, reusing code as applicable. Writes and learns to create code that is extensible and maintainable. Considers diagnosability, reliability, and maintainability with few defects, and understands when the code is ready to be shared and delivered. Applies AI tools to gain productivity and efficiency, coding patterns and best practices to write code. 
• Creates a clear and articulated plan for testing and assuring quality of solutions, and defines success for outcomes of tests (e.g., unit tests). Adds new tests, removes antiquated tests, and aggregates tests to improve tests in the feature area. Helps to drive efforts for augmenting test cases and ensures that the solution area has good test coverage. Helps to integrate automation features when planning for testing. 
• Identifies efforts to integrate instrumentation for gathering telemetry data on system behavior such as performance, reliability, availability, usage, and safety mechanisms.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 2+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python
  • OR equivalent experience.

Other Requirements

• Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings:
  • Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to design and troubleshoot root cause complex issues in large systems like operating systems.
• Ability to learn quickly about an evolving set of technologies.
• Proven problem-solving skills, debugging and troubleshooting skills.
• System programming experience.
• Experience in debugging in Operating Systems, including but not limited to, Windows Debugger (WinDbg) or Linux Debugger.

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Software Engineering IC3 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $102,100 - $202,200 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 $133,800 - $219,200 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, read more about requesting accommodations.