Principal Software Engineer – Excel Web (IDC)

Microsoft Excel is the surface for World’s information, used by millions of people across the planet every day as their go-to decision making tool. The Excel team in India is working on key enhancements to Microsoft Excel in having the best performance, reliability, features and ease of use.

We are looking for a seasoned Principal Software Engineer – Excel Web (IDC) to join the Excel Web team at IDC. This role is pivotal in driving performance, reliability, and architectural excellence across Excel Web. As Excel continues to scale globally, we need strong technical leaders who can identify systemic bottlenecks, lead cross-functional initiatives, and deliver measurable improvements to user experience and operational efficiency.

If you are excited about working on challenges around fundamentals, scale, cloud services and user experience in a fast paced but fun environment, then we would love to talk to you! 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.

Responsibilities

• Architect and implement scalable, performant, and reliable systems for Excel Web, with a focus on fundamentals.
• Lead deep technical investigations into performance regressions, reliability gaps, and architectural debt.
• Drive cross-team initiatives that span multiple components and disciplines, influencing partner teams across Microsoft.
• Champion AI-first thinking and AI-driven engineering practices, including AI-assisted bug triage, code generation, and live site mitigation strategies.
• Collaborate with PMs and EMs to shape product direction, ensuring alignment with customer needs and business goals.
• Mentor and grow other engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous learning.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 10+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python
• 10+ years of experience in software engineering, with a strong track record of technical leadership.
• Deep expertise in web technologies, distributed systems, and performance optimization.
• Proven ability to drive architectural decisions and influence at org-wide scale.
• Experience with AI/ML in engineering workflows is a strong plus.
• Solid communication skills and ability to work across disciplines and geographies.
• 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:

• Master'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 Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 12+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python
• OR equivalent experience.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request via the Accommodation request form.

Benefits/perks listed below may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you work.