Principal Software Engineer

Join the Windows Core OS team advancing Direct3D and HLSL, Microsoft's industry-leading GPU programming platform powering gaming, graphics, and AI workloads.

As a Principal Software Engineer, you will work at the intersection of hardware and software to define next-generation graphics and compute capabilities, collaborating closely with GPU vendors and industry partners to drive innovation across the ecosystem.

Responsibilities

• Drive the evolution and standardization of GPU programming models through the Direct3D API and HLSL shading language.
• Collaborate with GPU hardware vendors and industry partners to define future graphics and compute capabilities.
• Participate in industry standards organizations and technical working groups.
• Align technical designs and feature roadmaps across multiple hardware partners.
• Design, review, test, and ship new Direct3D and HLSL features.
• Analyze and optimize graphics and compute workloads across modern GPU architectures.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 6+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python.
• OR equivalent experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 8+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including 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 C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python
• OR equivalent experience.
• 8+ years of experience with Direct3D, Vulkan, HLSL, SPIR-V, or comparable GPU programming technologies.
• Experience with GPU compilers, shader optimization, graphics drivers, or hardware bring-up.
• Experience participating in industry standards organizations such as Khronos, DirectX working groups, or similar forums.
• Experience collaborating with GPU vendors including NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, Qualcomm, or equivalent ecosystem partners.
• Demonstrated ability to influence technical strategy across organizations and external partners.

The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $142,800 – $274,800 per year.