About this role

Overview The Windows + Devices Fundamentals team is responsible for the reliability, compatibility, performance, battery life, and sustainability of Windows devices. Our work spans hardware and OEM partners, the operating system, and application layers – helping protect, manage, and enhance the fundamentals of the Windows ecosystem.We are seeking a self-driven Software Engineer II to develop the next generation of Windows device optimizations. As advances in AI, silicon, and software create new opportunities, you will deliver solutions that help make exceptional device fundamentals a defining feature of Windows PCs.This role is ideal for an engineer who enjoys investigating complex systems, growing their technical expertise, and independently delivering innovations that improve how people live, work, and play. Responsibilities <ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Analyze telemetry and trace data to characterize software and hardware behavior, identify patterns, and assess impact on individual devices and at scale.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Diagnose system issues using low-level debugging and performance-analysis tools, collaborating with experienced engineers on the most complex investigations.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Identify optimization opportunities and own the design and implementation of well-scoped improvements.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Deliver robust, high-quality solutions while considering performance, reliability, maintainability, and consistency with the broader architecture.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Use data to evaluate tradeoffs, prioritize work, and make sound decisions in partially defined problem spaces.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;">Collaborate with internal teams, OEMs, and hardware partners to deliver improvements, resolve dependencies, and share technical findings across the Windows ecosystem.</li></ul> Qualifications Required Qualifications: <ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal">Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related technical discipline and 4+ years of software engineering experience using languages such as C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python – or equivalent practical experience.</li><li class="MsoNormal">2+ years of experience in systems analysis, debugging, performance engineering, or related systems-development work.</li><li class="MsoNormal">Experience diagnosing software or system issues and contributing to performance or reliability improvements.</li><li class="MsoNormal">Experience developing, testing, and delivering reliable production software.</li><li class="MsoNormal">Strong programming, debugging, and problem-solving skills.</li><li class="MsoNormal">Ability to work independently on well-scoped problems, navigate ambiguity, and use data to guide technical decisions.</li></ul>The team works with technologies including:<ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal">C, C++, C#, Python, scripting and automation tools</li><li class="MsoNormal">WinDbg, Windows Performance Analyzer, and ETW tracing</li><li class="MsoNormal">Cosmos, Kusto, Asimov, and Azure-based trace-processing systems</li><li class="MsoNormal">Power BI, statistics, and large-scale telemetry analysis</li><li class="MsoNormal">Machine learning and AI models</li></ul> Preferred Qualifications: <ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal">Experience or substantial project work involving operating systems, system-level development, or performance engineering.</li><li class="MsoNormal">Knowledge of Windows internals, performance analysis, reliability engineering, or power optimization.</li><li class="MsoNormal">Experience investigating issues across hardware, firmware, operating-system, or application boundaries.</li><li class="MsoNormal">Experience with telemetry, statistical analysis, experimentation, or cloud data platforms such as Azure.</li><li class="MsoNormal">Experience contributing to technical designs, conducting code reviews, and collaborating effectively across teams.</li></ul> This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. <hr> 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 <a href="https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/accessibility.html">requesting accommodations.</a>