Senior Software Engineer - FDE - Security Check (SC) Clearance

Overview
This role requires you to work with the UK Defense and Intelligence.The successful candidate must have or be able to obtain the Security Check (SC) clearance as issued by the United Kingdom Security Vetting Unit (UKSV). Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role.

In this Microsoft team, you won’t just build software; you’ll deliver real outcomes for some of the world’s most complex organizations.

We are a global team of world-class engineers who have been working in a Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE) model for more than a decade, embedding directly within customer teams to solve their toughest challenges, side-by-side, and shipping production-ready solutions in days, not months.

As a Senior Software Engineer, you will bring strong software design and engineering expertise, building reliable systems and production-ready services that turn ideas and data-driven insights into scalable solutions. You’ll work in small, multidisciplinary crews alongside data scientists, product managers, and domain experts, owning the full lifecycle from design through to deployed solutions.

Our work is powered by AI, applying the mindset and tooling across the entire development lifecycle to move from idea to production in days while maintaining the highest standards of security, quality, and trust.

This role offers the opportunity to:

• Build reliable, production-ready systems and services that turn ideas into scalable solutions

• Ship engineering work that directly influences business strategy and customer outcomes

• Collaborate with leading global organizations across industries

• Apply the latest advancements in AI and software engineering to solve problems at scale

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.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, test, and operate production-grade software and services that are secure, reliable, and scalable.

• Partner with customers and internal stakeholders to clarify requirements, define success metrics, and translate business needs into technical designs.

• Drive engineering best practices including code reviews, automated testing, CI/CD, observability, and documentation.

• Apply a security-first mindset and follow Microsoft security and compliance requirements throughout design and delivery.

• Deliver customer outcomes end-to-end: prototype quickly, iterate with feedback, and land solutions that meet quality, performance, and maintainability goals.

• Build reusable components, reference implementations, and patterns that can be shared across teams and engagements.

• Learn and adapt in a fast-moving environment, using experimentation and data to guide decisions and continuous improvement.

• Collaborate effectively across disciplines (engineering, data science, product, design, security) and contribute to an inclusive, respectful team culture.

• Lead technical workstreams by aligning stakeholders, breaking down ambiguous problems, and driving execution through to delivery.

• Embody our culture and values

Qualifications

Required/Minimum Qualifications (RQs/MQs)

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python

• OR equivalent experience.

• Experience partnering directly with customers or internal stakeholders to deliver solutions end-to-end.

Additional or Preferred Qualifications (PQs)

• Master's Degree in Computer Science or related technical field AND 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 technical engineering experience with coding in languages including, but not limited to, C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, or Python

• OR equivalent experience.

• Experience designing, deploying, and operating AI or LLM-based solutions, including prompt engineering, retrieval-augmented approaches, model tuning, evaluation, data quality, performance monitoring, and use of cloud AI platforms

• Familiarity with deploying and operating AI systems in production environments

• Understanding of model evaluation, data quality, and performance monitoring

• Experience using cloud AI platforms (Azure ML, OpenAI, or similar)

• Enjoy travel and are comfortable with travel up to 25%

Our team prides itself on embracing a growth mindset, inspiring excellence, and encouraging everyone to share their unique viewpoints and be their authentic selves. Join us and help create life-changing innovations that impact billions around the world!

At Microsoft, we are seeking people who have a passion for the positive impact technology can have on communities and for making a difference in the world. In our team, you will find a wide range of backgrounds, perspectives, personal and cultural experiences which are vital to our success with our customers. It’s an informal and flexible work environment and you’ll be welcome to work in the way that best enables you to get your job done.

We invest in your health, wellness, and financial future by offering a competitive package including a wide range of benefits built around your personal needs and those close to you.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request via the Accommodation request form.

Benefits/perks listed below may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you work.

#FDE

Software Engineering IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across United Kingdom is £ 74,700.00 - £ 122,600.00 per year. Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation.

Find additional benefits and pay information here:
https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/corporate-pay/united-kingdom-corporate-pay.html

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.