Senior Software Engineer - Model Customization & Optimization

Overview

Do you want to build the AI platform that trains the world’s most advanced models?

Join CoreAI, where we’re building next-generation systems for large‑scale reinforcement learning. Our platforms power the full lifecycle of cutting‑edge LLMs – from rapid experimentation to global production deployment.

On our team, you’ll play a pivotal role in making large‑scale post-training and reinforcement learning workflows faster, safer, and more reliable.

You’ll:

• Build and evolve distributed services that underpin massive training runs

• Improve iteration loops for researchers and engineers

• Debug complex interactions between models and hardware

• Apply advanced performance optimization techniques that directly impact product quality and operational excellence

• Develop deep expertise in ML systems, AI infrastructure, and compute orchestration
• Ship platform capabilities that enable mission‑critical AI workloads for customers around the world

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more, and we’re dedicated to this mission across every aspect of our company. Our culture is centered on embracing a growth mindset and encouraging teams and leaders to bring their best each day. Join us and help shape the future of the world.

Responsibilities

AI-Native Development

Independently uses appropriate artificial intelligence (AI) tools and practices across the software development lifecycle (SDLC) in a disciplined manner. Takes responsibility for the content of their AI-generated requirements, design documents, code, and other assets, assisting other members of the team to do the same. Uses SDLC and engineering health measures (e.g., Accelerate, SPACE framework, Engineering System Success Playbook [ESSP]) to improve processes and practices, especially those involving AI. Experiments with AI tools and practices to improve their own capabilities.

Coding

Leads by example within the team to produce extensible, maintainable, well-tested, secure, and performant code that adheres to design specifications. Continuously improves code performance, testability, maintainability, effectiveness, and cost, while learning about and accounting for relevant trade-offs. Applies metrics to drive code quality and stability. Applies appropriate coding patterns and best practices (e.g., leveraging state-of-the-art generative artificial intelligence [GenAI], approaches to source code organization, naming conventions). Identifies and escalates blockers or unknowns during the development process, communicates how they will impact timelines, and identifies strategies and/or opportunities to address them.

Design

Leads discussions for and owns the architecture of a products/solutions and creates proposals for architecture by testing design hypotheses and develop complex design specifications. Tests and explores various design options for a complex product/solution scenario, outlining strengths and weaknesses of each option. Independently collaborates with architects to build and modify complex products/solutions, providing feedback as needed. Owns or collaborates with other engineers on the architecture of solutions, with minimal technical oversight. Develops design documents that support user stories and other product requirements. Maintains awareness of the current technology landscape, and determines how to integrate these technologies within existing systems. Shares learnings and identified solutions from investigations with the team and owns for some design decisions. Ensures system architecture and individual designs meet performance, scalability, resiliency, cost of goods sold (COGS), disaster recovery, and other requirements and expectations. Upholds Microsoft standards of security, privacy, and other compliance requirements and expectations. Understands and coaches less experienced engineers on the importance of building solutions that expand upon the work of others. Drives the refinement of products through data analytics, and makes informed decisions in engineering products through data integration. Reviews designs/architectures within and across teams to provide recommendations for improvements.

Engineering Excellence

Applies best practices to build code based on well-established methods and secure design principles while also applying best practices for new code development and formal validation of security invariants. Drives pr…