Software Engineer

The Windows + Devices Fundamentals team owns how Windows behaves on real hardware across many OEM devices, focusing on reliability, compatibility, speed, and battery life. This is a systems-and-performance role dealing with the operating system and application layers rather than standard app features.

What you'll do

• Analyse telemetry and trace data with senior support to evaluate Windows device behavior at scale.
• Investigate system issues using debugging and performance tools.
• Find optimisation opportunities and help design and build fixes.
• Write, test, and maintain code across OS and application layers.
• Act on code and design review feedback.
• Use data to confirm changes effectively resolved issues.
• Collaborate with partner teams across the Windows ecosystem.

What they ask for

• Bachelor degree in Computer Science or a related technical discipline, or equivalent experience.
• Proven coding experience in languages such as C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python.
• Ability to pass the Microsoft Cloud Background Check when hired and every two years thereafter.

Good to have

• Coursework, internships, or projects in software development, debugging, or systems analysis.
• Interest in performance tuning, testing, and code-quality basics.
• OS or systems-level coursework, Windows internals, or power optimisation.
• Curiosity about how hardware, firmware, the OS, and apps interact.
• Exposure to telemetry, statistics, or cloud data platforms, and clear technical communication.

Selection process

1. Resume shortlist
2. Online coding test
3. Technical interviews
4. Hiring-manager round

Open the official Microsoft job page, click Apply now, sign in to Microsoft Careers, upload your resume, and submit your application.

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Put these words in your resume and practise these questions before the interview.

Technical

1. How do pointers and memory management work in C and C++?
2. What are the differences between processes and threads in an operating system?
3. How would you approach debugging a memory leak in a C++ application?

Scenario

1. What would you do if a Windows device was experiencing high battery drain during idle states?
2. How would you investigate a performance regression reported after a recent software update?

HR

1. Why do you want to work on systems and operating system fundamentals rather than application development?
2. Tell us about a technical project where you had to analyze data or logs to solve a problem.

About Microsoft

1. How does Microsoft balance power efficiency and performance across diverse OEM hardware devices in Windows?

Practice questions written from the job listing, not this company's real interview questions.

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