Senior Software Engineer

The Infrastructure and Developer Platform (IDP) team within the Microsoft Threat Protection (MTP) organization builds and maintains the infrastructure and developer platform that almost all Defender products (Defender for Endpoint, Defender for Identity, etc.) rely on. This platform allows engineers across MTP to more easily deploy their services, lower costs, and increase security and reliability across our fleet. This position will specifically focus on Azure Kubernetes Security within the organization.

The IDP team is at the heart of Microsoft's security infrastructure, providing the essential tools and frameworks that empower our engineers to innovate and deliver cutting-edge security solutions. Our platform is designed to streamline the deployment process, enhance cost-efficiency, and bolster the security and reliability of our services. By leveraging the latest technologies and best practices, we ensure that our Defender products operate seamlessly and securely, protecting millions of users worldwide.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a Kubernetes subject matter expert, driving architecture, design, and implementation of scalable, secure, and resilient AKS-based solutions.
• Design and implement cloud-native security solutions using Azure technologies, with a focus on container runtime protection, policy enforcement, and threat detection.
• Own and deliver production-grade services with high availability, reliability, and performance across global AKS deployments.
• Develop and maintain CI/CD pipelines, secure build systems, and automated testing frameworks tailored for Kubernetes workloads.
• Drive observability and telemetry improvements, including logging, monitoring, alerting, and incident response for services.
• Identify and implement innovative approaches to secure Kubernetes workloads at scale, including leveraging AI/ML for anomaly detection.
• Contribute to strategic initiatives that shape Microsoft’s container security roadmap and influence industry best practices.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to engineering culture through code reviews, design discussions, and knowledge sharing.
• Demonstrate ownership and accountability for end-to-end delivery of features and services.
• Exhibit growth mindset by continuously learning and adapting to new technologies, threats, and customer needs.

Qualifications

Qualifications Required –

• • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field.
  • 8+ years of professional software engineering experience, with a strong track record of delivering production-grade distributed systems.
  • Deep expertise in Kubernetes, including cluster architecture, workload orchestration, and security hardening e.g. RBAC, Workload Idenrtity, Container Runtime Security.
  • Hands-on experience with containers (Docker, containerd) and container orchestration platforms (AKS, EKS, GKE).
  • Proficiency in one or more programming languages such as Go, C++, C, Python, or Java.
  • Experience building and operating cloud-native services on Azure or other public cloud platforms.
  • Strong understanding of site reliability engineering (SRE) principles, including observability, incident response, and automation.
  • Ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams and manage multiple priorities.

Qualifications: Other Requirements –

• • CKA, CKS, CISSP, or other relevant security and Kubernetes certifications.
  • Experience building/creating Kubernetes Operators etc. with large-scale AKS deployments, ideally in enterprise or hyperscale environments
  • Experience with security frameworks such as NIST, CIS Benchmarks, and PCI-DSS, and ability to assess and mitigate risks in Kubernetes environments.
  • Familiarity with Linux internals, networking, and kernel-level container security.

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. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request via the Accommodation request form.

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