Senior Technical Program Manager

<b>Overview</b><br><div><p><span><span>Overview/</span><span>Job Description</span></span><span> </span></p></div><div><p><span>The Office of the CTO (OCTO) is where Microsoft takes on some of its hardest and most forward-looking technical challenges. We work across research, engineering, product, and business organizations to tackle some of the company’s most important and complex technical opportunities and partnerships. OCTO is a small, high-leverage organization where priorities move quickly, problems are often ambiguous, and success requires good judgment, adaptability, the ability to influence across boundaries, and the persistence to move complex work forward. We’re looking for people who bring curiosity, technical confidence, and a bias toward action, and who are energized by turning ambitious ideas into company-scale impact.</span><span> </span></p></div><div><p><span>We are seeking an experienced Senior Technical Program Manager with a strong technical foundation in </span><span>software engineering, data science, machine learning, applied science, or AI engineering</span><span> to co-lead Microsoft’s internal AI/ML Community and the Machine Learning, AI &amp; Data Science Conference (MLADS). Serving a global community of more than 25,000 employees, these programs connect practitioners across research, engineering, data science, applied science, and product organizations to share expertise, discover emerging technical work, and accelerate learning and collaboration across Microsoft. </span><span> </span></p></div><div><p><span>This role sits at a unique vantage point across Microsoft’s AI ecosystem, with visibility into emerging research, engineering practices, platform investments, and product innovation. </span><span>You will need the technical depth to engage credibly with researchers and engineers, evaluate technical work and emerging AI approaches, and distinguish meaningful advances from incremental developments.</span><span> You will bring that technical judgment together with strong program leadership to shape technical programming for MLADS and the broader AI/ML Community and drive the programs and partnerships that bring that work to Microsoft’s technical community.</span><span> </span></p></div><div><p><span>You will work closely with researchers, engineers, technical leaders, and community partners across Microsoft to surface high-value work, connect practitioners and expertise, and deliver high-quality technical programming. Success requires someone who can </span><span>move comfortably between technical discussions and program execution</span><span>, make sound decisions in a fast-moving space, and independently drive complex programs from idea through execution.</span><span> </span></p></div><br><br><b>Responsibilities</b><br><div><div><p><span>Responsibilities</span><span> </span></p></div><div><p><span>Drive community strategy and technical programming</span><span> </span></p></div><div><ul style="list-style-type:disc"><li><p><span>Monitor emerging work across AI, machine learning, data science, and applied research for its alignment with Microsoft strategy, and apply technical judgment to determine what is relevant to Microsoft’s AI/ML practitioner community. </span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul style="list-style-type:disc"><li><p><span>Define and deliver an annual community strategy in partnership with community co-leads, so that the community supports Microsoft's objectives and ambitions.</span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul style="list-style-type:disc"><li><p><span>Translate emerging technical themes and practitioner needs into a heartbeat of compelling community events and gatherings, conference sessions, and other learning opportunities throughout the year.</span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><p><span>Co-lead MLADS conference programming</span><span> </span></p></div><div><ul style="list-style-type:disc"><li><p><span>Partner with the MLADS program co-chair, community leaders, subject-matter experts, and volunteers to develop conference themes, programming, speaker pipelines, and content across multiple events each year.</span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul style="list-style-type:disc"><li><p><span>Lead technical content selection and peer review, assessing submissions with reviewers for technical quality, novelty, rigor, and practitioner value.</span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul style="list-style-type:disc"><li><p><span>Drive program execution from calls for content through conference delivery, managing milestones, dependencies, risks, and coordination with the vendor event operations team.</span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><p><span>Grow and sustain the AI/ML Community</span><span> </span></p></div><div><ul style="list-style-type:disc"><li><p><span>Develop varied and innovative year-round programming that connects practitioners with relevant technical expertise, emerging work, and opportunities to learn and contribute.</span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul style="list-style-type:disc"><li><p><span>Build relationships across research, engineering, applied science, data science, and product teams to recruit speakers, reviewers, volunteers, and contributors from the community, and to partner with other internal programs also focused on AI learning and knowledge.  </span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><p><span>Extend the value of technical content</span><span> </span></p></div></div><div><div><ul style="list-style-type:disc"><li><p><span>Ensure that high-value knowledge IP and technical resources are organized and discoverable so learning extends beyond individual events.</span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul style="list-style-type:disc"><li><p><span>Establish repeatable documentation and program practices that support continuity and reduce dependence on individual organizers. </span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><p><span>Manage communications, stakeholders, and program health</span><span> </span></p></div><div><ul style="list-style-type:disc"><li><p><span>Coordinate program communications including calls for content, registration, speaker communications, community updates, and sponsor reporting.</span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul style="list-style-type:disc"><li><p><span>Track participation, content quality, attendee and contributor feedback, and other program outcomes; use those insights to recommend improvements and inform future programming.</span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul style="list-style-type:disc"><li><p><span>Communicate program status, risks, decisions, and recommendations clearly to community leaders, partners, and sponsors.</span><span> </span></p></li></ul></div></div><br><br><b>Qualifications</b><br><div><div><p>Qualifications </p></div><div><p>Required/minimum qualifications </p></div><div><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li><p>Bachelor's Degree AND 4+ years experience in engineering, product/technical program management, data analysis, or product development OR equivalent experience. </p></li></ul></div><div><p>Additional or preferred qualifications </p></div><div><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li><p>Bachelor's Degree AND 8+ years experience engineering, product/technical program management, data analysis, or product development OR equivalent experience. </p></li></ul></div><div><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li><p>6+ years of experience managing cross-functional and/or cross-team projects. </p></li><li>2+ years of experience managing cross-functional and/or cross-team projects. </li></ul></div><div><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li><p>1+ year(s) of experience reading and/or writing code (e.g., sample documentation, product demos). </p></li></ul></div><div><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li><p>Hands-on experience in software engineering, machine learning, AI engineering, data science, applied science, or applied AI, with the technical depth to engage credibly with researchers and engineers.  </p></li></ul></div><div><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li><p>Experience evaluating AI/ML technologies, research, technical proposals, or applied systems and assessing their technical quality, novelty, and practical relevance.  </p></li></ul></div><div><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li><p>Experience building, deploying, evaluating, or operating software, data, or AI/ML systems.  </p></li></ul></div><div><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li><p>Experience reading and/or writing code and familiarity with modern software engineering and AI/ML development practices.  </p></li></ul></div><div><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li><p>Proven experience leading complex technical programs involving multiple engineering, research, or product teams.  </p></li></ul></div></div><div><div><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li><p>Experience collaborating across research, engineering, applied science, data science, and product organizations.  </p></li></ul></div><div><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li><p>Demonstrated thought leadership through engineering contributions, technical publications, conference presentations, open-source contributions, research, or technical community leadership.  </p></li></ul></div><div><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li><p>Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex technical concepts for audiences ranging from hands-on practitioners to senior technical leaders.  </p></li></ul></div><div><ul style="list-style-type: disc;"><li><p>Familiarity with emerging areas such as agentic systems, model evaluation, inference optimization, multimodal systems, responsible AI, AI infrastructure, or developer tooling. </p></li></ul></div></div> <br><br><p>Technical Program Management IC4 - 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 $160,200 - $261,000 per year. </p><p></p> <p>Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:<br><a href="https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay">https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay</a></p><br><p>This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.</p><br><hr><br><p>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"><b><u>requesting accommodations.</u></b></a></p>