Software Engineer II - Virtualization and Kernel

Share job

The Virtualization Core Platform team is responsible for building foundational components of Microsoft’s virtualization stack. This technology powers millions of virtual machines (VMs) across Microsoft services such as Azure, Windows, and Copilot, enabling secure and efficient cloud-scale operations.

As a Software Engineer II, you will work on low-level components of the virtualization platform, collaborating with silicon partners to enable new hardware features and improve performance, reliability, and security. The role involves designing and coding solutions for virtualization technologies, including support for containers and multiple platforms such as Linux, while contributing to innovations in CPU, memory, and device virtualization.

This position offers opportunities to work on distributed systems and virtualization technologies that transform datacenters and cloud infrastructure. You will help deliver solutions that support mobile application development, security enhancements, and open-source initiatives, impacting customers and services worldwide.

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.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 2+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, or Rust.
  • OR equivalent experience.
• 1+ year experience building operating system features, virtualization features, or device drivers.

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:

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science
  • OR related technical field AND 4+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, or Rust.
  • OR Master's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 2+ years technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, or Rust.
  • OR equivalent experience.
• 1+ year experience with hypervisors, low-level CPU and memory virtualization, schedulers, devices/accelerators, device assignment, protocols such as NVMe, accelerated networking, or GPUs.

Software Engineering IC3 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $100,600 - $199,000 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 $131,400 - $215,400 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

• Single reqs: Microsoft will accept applications for the role until November 2, 2025.

#azurecorejobs

• Design and implement new virtualization related features for Azure, Windows and Hyper-V.
• Collaborate with a dynamic team of engineers.
• Learn and share ideas continuously.
• Drive for quality in everything you do and continuously improve the quality of the systems on which you work.
• Provide technical input across the Azure and Windows teams.
• Embody our culture and values.