Principal Software Engineering Manager - Halo Studios at Microsoft

Redmond, Washington, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

08 Apr, 26

Salary

274800.0

Posted On

08 Jan, 26

Experience

10 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Creative Workflow Optimization, Studio Workflow Intelligence, CI/CD, Workflow Architecture, Data Integration, Platform Foundations, Governance, Responsible Adoption, Systems Architecture, Workflow Automation, Game Development, Unreal Engine, Automation Frameworks, Technical Leadership, Mentoring

Industry

Software Development

Description

Overview Halo Studios is shaping the future of the blockbuster Halo series with Unreal Engine. As part of Xbox Game Studios, the Halo franchise spans games, novels, comics, licensed collectibles, apparel, and more—united by a vision of heroism, mystery, and wonder. With multiple projects underway, join our team as we forge the next generation of experiences in our award-winning sci-fi universe. We are seeking a Principal Engineering Manager to lead the AI Workflow Innovation team. This leader will define and execute strategies that modernize creative and operational processes, empower teams through smarter tools, and provide architectural guidance to our CI/CD build and automation systems. The Workflow Innovation team focuses on making development faster, more connected, and more efficient—streamlining pipelines, reducing repetitive tasks, and enabling creators to focus on what they do best: building incredible games. Scope & Focus Areas: Creative Workflow Optimization: Introduce and responsibly operationalize tools that accelerate art, animation, narrative, and design workflows—helping creators deliver high-quality content while maintaining full creative control. Studio Workflow Intelligence: Develop systems and automation that simplify daily operations, connect dispersed data, and allow teams to interact with information naturally through chat, search, and voice. CI/CD and Workflow Architecture: Partner with build and automation teams to establish scalable architectures, improve job orchestration, and enhance diagnostics for better development velocity and reliability. Data Integration & Platform Foundations: Build and maintain internal platforms that unify data across tools and systems (e.g., Jira, Confluence, SharePoint) into a secure, queryable environment. Governance & Responsible Adoption: Collaborate with Infrastructure, Security, and Operations to ensure new technologies are integrated responsibly and aligned with studio policies. Responsibilities Define and drive the vision for workflow innovation that accelerates creative and operational processes. Provide architectural leadership and partner with CI/CD and automation teams to align initiatives with scalable, performant systems. Develop and maintain platforms and automation that unify data, enhance collaboration, and reduce repetitive effort. Design and deliver tools and frameworks that augment content creation and studio operations. Partner with cross-discipline leaders to embed new technologies responsibly within studio systems and workflows. Mentor and grow a small engineering team focused on integration, automation, and data-driven decision-making. Evaluate, pilot, and operationalize emerging technologies for creative and operational use cases. Establish technical standards and best practices for scalability, maintainability, and ethical use. Collaborate with Microsoft Gaming teams to ensure alignment and shared learning. Qualifications Required Qualifications Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 6+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, 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, 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. Demonstrated record of improving workflows, pipelines, or tooling in ways that materially accelerate development, reduce repetitive work, or increase team productivity. Deep technical foundation in systems architecture, workflow automation, or data integration, including experience designing or integrating platforms that span multiple tools or services. Demonstrated ability to translate strategic studio needs into scalable, maintainable, and user-friendly engineering solutions. Experience leading engineers or driving technical direction while partnering closely with creative, technical, and operational teams (e.g., art, design, production, tools, or operations). Experience evaluating or integrating capabilities from modern cloud platforms—such as orchestration, managed services, or intelligent platform features—to improve development workflows or reduce operational friction. Experience integrating next-generation tooling or automation frameworks, such as AI-assisted authoring, search, or diagnostic systems. Familiarity with Unreal Engine pipelines, Perforce automation, asset workflows, and large-scale content build systems. Experience leading large-scale workflow or platform modernization efforts across distributed or multidisciplinary organizations. Background in game development, creative technology, or complex content-production environments. #gamingjobs #halo #halojobs Software Engineering M5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $139,900 - $274,800 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 $188,000 - $304,200 per year. Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. 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 requesting accommodations.

Responsibilities

The Principal Engineering Manager will define and drive the vision for workflow innovation, focusing on optimizing creative and operational processes. They will also provide architectural leadership and develop platforms that unify data and enhance collaboration.