Microsoft · 9 hours ago
Software Development Engineer (contract)
United States
Contract
Remote
Mid, Senior Level
$59.50/hr - $67.50/hr
4+ years expMicrosoft is seeking a Software Development Engineer (Contract) to transform how developers interact with media and codec systems. The role involves designing and implementing validation tooling and diagnostics to enhance developer experience and reduce support burdens.
Agentic AIApplication Performance ManagementArtificial Intelligence (AI)Business DevelopmentDevOpsInformation ServicesInformation TechnologyManagement Information SystemsNetwork SecuritySoftware
Responsibilities
Design and implement media-specific validation layers, runtime checks, and diagnostics that surface common misuse patterns and failure modes with clear, actionable guidance
Analyze recurring bug reports to identify patterns and categories of issues that could be prevented through better diagnostics and validation
Improve diagnostic logging, traceability, and error messaging for media pipelines to help developers quickly identify root causes
Collaborate with Media, Graphics, and developer support teams to understand top pain points and validate that new tooling addresses real-world scenarios
Create developer-facing debugging guidance, examples, and recommended workflows that reduce low-quality bug submissions
Validate diagnostic tooling against production media applications, drivers, and reproduction scenarios to ensure practical usefulness
Translate low-level system failures into understandable feedback that enables developers to fix problems independently
Measure and report on success metrics including reduced bug volume, faster resolution times, and improved quality of incoming issues
Qualification
Required
Four to six years of hands-on experience debugging low-level, performance-sensitive software such as media pipelines, graphics systems, runtimes, or operating system components
Three to five years of experience designing or enhancing debug layers, validation logic, error messaging, logging, or tracing tools that help application developers identify incorrect API usage or configuration issues
Three or more years demonstrating capability in translating recurring bug patterns into structured diagnostics, validation rules, and developer guidance
Strong understanding of media pipelines, graphics APIs, or runtime validation concepts in complex systems
Proven experience building developer diagnostics, validation layers, runtime checks, logging, or trace tooling
Ability to translate low-level failures into actionable, understandable feedback for developers
Experience working close to operating systems, drivers, runtimes, or performance-sensitive components
Excellent analytical skills for identifying patterns in bug reports and converting learnings into preventative tooling
Strong written communication skills for producing clear technical documentation and developer guidance
Collaborative mindset with ability to work effectively across platform teams
Familiarity with graphics or media APIs, debug layers, or validation tooling such as Direct3D, Vulkan, or multimedia frameworks
Understanding of ecosystem health principles and high-leverage tooling design
Benefits
Medical, dental & vision
Hospital plans
401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
Life Insurance (Company paid Basic Life and AD&D as well as voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
Company paid short and long-term disability
Health & Dependent Care Spending Accounts (HSA & DCFSA)
Employee Assistance Program
Time Off/Leave(PTO, Allegis Group Paid Family Leave, Parental Leave
Company
Microsoft
Microsoft is a software corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, supports, and sells a range of software products and services.
10001+ employees
H1B Sponsorship
Microsoft has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (9192)
2024 (9343)
2023 (7677)
2022 (11403)
2021 (7210)
2020 (7852)
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$1MKey Investors
Technology Venture Investors
2022-12-09Post Ipo Equity
1986-03-13IPO
1981-09-01Series Unknown· $1M
Leadership Team
Satya Nadella
Chairman and CEO
Vukani Mngxati
Chief Executive Officer - Microsft South Africa
Recent News
2026-01-16
Morningstar.com
2026-01-16
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