Software Engineer II - Azure Kubernetes Service at Microsoft

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Software Engineer II - Azure Kubernetes Service
Company: Microsoft
Location: Multiple Locations, United States (Redmond, WA; San Francisco, CA; San Jose, CA; Mountain View, CA; Atlanta, GA)
Job Type: Full-Time
Category: Backend Developer, DevOps Engineer
Date Posted: August 1, 2025
Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years)
Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

Enhance the scalability and reliability of kube-apiserver and ETCD, crucial for AKS cluster performance
Improve these components, scale strategy, and contribute to cloud native code
Develop deep cloud infrastructure expertise and shape the future of hyperscale Kubernetes
Collaborate with a growth mindset, innovate, and empower others in a culture of inclusion

💻 Primary Responsibilities

📝 Enhancement Note: This role focuses on backend development and infrastructure management, with a strong emphasis on Kubernetes and cloud native technologies.
📝 Enhancement Note: Improving kube-apiserver and ETCD involves understanding and implementing scalable solutions, optimizing performance, and ensuring high availability.
📝 Enhancement Note: Contributing to cloud native code requires knowledge of containerization, orchestration, and microservices architectures.
📝 Enhancement Note: Collaborating with a growth mindset involves learning from others, seeking feedback, and continuously improving your skills and the team's processes.
📝 Enhancement Note: Empowering others and innovating require strong communication skills, active listening, and a willingness to challenge the status quo.
📝 Enhancement Note: Working in a culture of inclusion means valuing diversity, fostering an environment of respect and belonging, and ensuring that all voices are heard.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related field. Relevant experience or a Master's degree may be considered instead of a Bachelor's degree.

Experience: 2-5 years of experience in software development, with a focus on backend development, cloud infrastructure, or a related field.

Required Skills:

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Kubernetes, cloud native technologies, and containerization is essential for this role.
Proficiency in one or more programming languages, such as Go, Python, or Java
Strong understanding of distributed systems, microservices, and RESTful APIs
Experience with cloud platforms, such as Azure, AWS, or GCP
Familiarity with infrastructure as code (IaC) tools, such as Terraform or Azure Resource Manager
Knowledge of CI/CD pipelines and experience with tools like Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or Azure DevOps
Strong problem-solving skills and a passion for learning new technologies
Excellent communication and collaboration skills

Preferred Skills:

Experience with kube-apiserver and ETCD
Familiarity with cloud native projects, such as Prometheus, Grafana, or Fluentd
Knowledge of Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) and Azure resources
Experience with large-scale distributed systems and cluster management
Familiarity with Agile methodologies and experience working in a Scrum or Kanban environment

📊 Web Portfolio & Project Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio for this role should demonstrate your experience with Kubernetes, cloud infrastructure, and backend development.
Examples of projects where you've improved the scalability and reliability of distributed systems
Case studies showcasing your problem-solving skills and ability to optimize performance
Documentation of your contributions to open-source projects or cloud native code
Examples of your experience with cloud platforms and infrastructure as code tools

Technical Documentation:

📝 Enhancement Note: Clear and concise technical documentation is crucial for this role, as it demonstrates your ability to communicate complex ideas effectively.
Code comments and inline documentation that explain your thought process and decision-making
Project documentation that outlines your approach, assumptions, and trade-offs
Contribution guidelines and best practices for open-source projects or cloud native code

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $120,000 - $180,000 per year (based on experience and location)

Benefits:

📝 Enhancement Note: Microsoft offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plans, and employee stock purchase plans.
Health & wellness benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance
Retirement savings plans, such as 401(k) matching and employee stock purchase plans
Employee stock awards and restricted stock units (RSUs)
Paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays
Family leave and adoption assistance
Education assistance and tuition reimbursement
Employee discounts on Microsoft products and services
Fitness and wellness reimbursements
Commuter benefits and transportation subsidies

Working Hours: Full-time position with standard business hours, Monday through Friday. Occasional overtime may be required to meet project deadlines or resolve critical issues.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Technology

Company Size: Large (over 180,000 employees)

Founded: 1975

📝 Enhancement Note: Microsoft's culture is focused on empowering every person and organization on the planet to achieve more. The company values respect, integrity, and accountability, fostering a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive.

Team Structure:

The Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) team is part of the Azure Cloud Platform team, which is responsible for developing and operating Microsoft's global cloud infrastructure.
The AKS team is further divided into several sub-teams, each focusing on a specific aspect of AKS, such as the customer control plane, cluster autoscaling, or cluster management.
The team follows a matrix organization structure, with members reporting to both a functional manager and a team lead.

Development Methodology:

The AKS team follows Agile development methodologies, using Scrum or Kanban to manage work and deliver features iteratively.
The team uses Azure DevOps for project management, code reviews, and continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) pipelines.
The team follows a "you build it, you run it" approach, with developers responsible for the operation and maintenance of the services they build.

Company Website: Microsoft Careers

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Web Technology Career Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Reporting Structure: This role reports to a team lead within the AKS team, who is responsible for managing the team's day-to-day activities and providing technical guidance. The team lead reports to a functional manager, who is responsible for the team's overall performance and career development.

Technical Impact: This role has a significant impact on the performance and reliability of AKS clusters, affecting the user experience of millions of customers worldwide.

Growth Opportunities:

📝 Enhancement Note: Microsoft offers numerous opportunities for career growth and development, including technical leadership roles, architecture positions, and transfers to other teams or projects.
Technical leadership roles, such as Senior Software Engineer or Principal Engineer, focusing on architecture, design, and technical decision-making
Architecture positions, responsible for defining the technical vision and strategy for AKS or other Azure services
Transfers to other teams or projects within Microsoft, allowing you to gain experience in new technologies or domains
Opportunities to work on cutting-edge research and development projects, pushing the boundaries of cloud computing and Kubernetes

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site, with opportunities for remote work or hybrid arrangements

Office Location(s): Multiple locations in the United States, including Redmond, WA; San Francisco, CA; San Jose, CA; Mountain View, CA; and Atlanta, GA

Workspace Context:

📝 Enhancement Note: Microsoft's offices are designed to foster collaboration, creativity, and productivity, with open workspaces, meeting rooms, and recreational areas.
Open workspaces with adjustable desks and ergonomic chairs, designed to accommodate various working styles and needs
Meeting rooms equipped with video conferencing technology, whiteboards, and presentation tools
Recreational areas, such as game rooms, cafes, and outdoor spaces, designed to promote relaxation and social interaction
On-site amenities, such as fitness centers, cafeterias, and childcare facilities, vary by location

Work Schedule: Standard business hours, Monday through Friday, with occasional overtime required to meet project deadlines or resolve critical issues.

📝 Enhancement Note: Microsoft offers flexible work arrangements, including part-time work, job sharing, and flexible hours, depending on the role and team.

📄 Application & Technical Interview Process

Interview Process:

📝 Enhancement Note: Microsoft's interview process is designed to assess your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit. The process typically involves several rounds of interviews, including phone screens, technical assessments, and on-site interviews.
Phone screen: A brief conversation with a recruiter or team member to discuss your background, experience, and interest in the role.
Technical assessment: A hands-on coding challenge or take-home assignment, designed to evaluate your problem-solving skills and technical proficiency.
On-site interviews: A series of interviews with team members, focusing on your technical skills, cultural fit, and alignment with the team's goals and values. Interviews may include behavioral questions, technical deep dives, and case studies.

Portfolio Review Tips:

📝 Enhancement Note: For this role, your portfolio should demonstrate your experience with Kubernetes, cloud infrastructure, and backend development. Highlight projects that showcase your ability to improve the scalability and reliability of distributed systems.
Include examples of your contributions to open-source projects or cloud native code, with a focus on improving performance, scalability, and reliability.
Document your approach to problem-solving, including your thought process, assumptions, and trade-offs.
Showcase your ability to collaborate with others, including your experience working in a team and your willingness to seek feedback and learn from others.

Technical Challenge Preparation:

📝 Enhancement Note: Microsoft's technical challenges are designed to assess your problem-solving skills and technical proficiency. Familiarize yourself with Kubernetes, cloud infrastructure, and backend development concepts, and practice solving problems in a variety of scenarios.
Brush up on your knowledge of Kubernetes, including its architecture, components, and best practices.
Review your experience with cloud platforms, infrastructure as code tools, and CI/CD pipelines.
Practice solving problems related to scalability, reliability, and performance optimization in a distributed systems context.

ATS Keywords: [See the comprehensive list of web development and server administration-relevant keywords for resume optimization, organized by category: programming languages, web frameworks, server technologies, databases, tools, methodologies, soft skills, industry terms]

🛠 Technology Stack & Web Infrastructure

Backend & Server Technologies:

📝 Enhancement Note: This role focuses on backend development and infrastructure management, with a strong emphasis on Kubernetes and cloud native technologies.
Kubernetes: Proficiency in Kubernetes is essential for this role, as it is the primary technology used to manage AKS clusters.
Cloud platforms: Experience with one or more cloud platforms, such as Azure, AWS, or GCP, is required for this role.
Infrastructure as code (IaC) tools: Familiarity with IaC tools, such as Terraform or Azure Resource Manager, is preferred for this role.
Containerization: Experience with containerization technologies, such as Docker, is preferred for this role.
Microservices: Familiarity with microservices architectures and RESTful APIs is required for this role.

Development & DevOps Tools:

📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires experience with development and DevOps tools, as well as familiarity with Azure-specific tools and services.
Programming languages: Proficiency in one or more programming languages, such as Go, Python, or Java, is required for this role.
Version control: Familiarity with version control systems, such as Git, is required for this role.
CI/CD pipelines: Experience with CI/CD pipelines and tools, such as Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or Azure DevOps, is required for this role.
Azure-specific tools and services: Familiarity with Azure-specific tools and services, such as Azure DevOps, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), and Azure Container Instances (ACI), is preferred for this role.
Monitoring and logging: Experience with monitoring and logging tools, such as Prometheus, Grafana, or Fluentd, is preferred for this role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Web Development Values:

📝 Enhancement Note: Microsoft's web development values are focused on empowering every person and organization on the planet to achieve more, with a strong emphasis on innovation, collaboration, and customer obsession.
Innovation: Microsoft values innovation and encourages its employees to think creatively, take risks, and challenge the status quo.
Collaboration: Microsoft fosters a culture of collaboration, with a strong emphasis on working together, learning from one another, and empowering others to succeed.
Customer obsession: Microsoft is focused on understanding and meeting the needs of its customers, with a strong emphasis on listening, learning, and adapting to customer feedback.

Collaboration Style:

📝 Enhancement Note: Microsoft's collaboration style is focused on working together, learning from one another, and empowering others to succeed.
Cross-functional integration: Microsoft encourages collaboration between different teams and disciplines, with a strong emphasis on working together to achieve common goals.
Code review culture: Microsoft values code reviews as an opportunity to learn from one another, improve the quality of the code, and ensure that the team's collective knowledge is reflected in the final product.
Knowledge sharing: Microsoft encourages knowledge sharing and learning from one another, with a strong emphasis on mentoring, coaching, and continuous learning.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Technical Challenges:

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents numerous technical challenges, including improving the scalability and reliability of kube-apiserver and ETCD, contributing to cloud native code, and working with large-scale distributed systems.
Improving kube-apiserver and ETCD: This challenge requires a deep understanding of Kubernetes, distributed systems, and performance optimization techniques.
Contributing to cloud native code: This challenge requires a strong understanding of cloud native technologies, containerization, and microservices architectures.
Working with large-scale distributed systems: This challenge requires experience with cluster management, infrastructure as code tools, and CI/CD pipelines.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

📝 Enhancement Note: Microsoft offers numerous learning and development opportunities, including technical training, mentoring, and career development programs.
Technical training: Microsoft provides access to technical training and resources, including online courses, workshops, and conferences.
Mentoring: Microsoft encourages mentoring and provides opportunities for employees to learn from one another and develop their skills.
Career development programs: Microsoft offers career development programs, including leadership development, architecture development, and technical specialization tracks.

💡 Interview Preparation

Technical Questions:

📝 Enhancement Note: Microsoft's technical questions are designed to assess your problem-solving skills, technical proficiency, and cultural fit. Familiarize yourself with Kubernetes, cloud infrastructure, and backend development concepts, and practice solving problems in a variety of scenarios.
Kubernetes: Brush up on your knowledge of Kubernetes, including its architecture, components, and best practices.
Cloud infrastructure: Review your experience with cloud platforms, infrastructure as code tools, and CI/CD pipelines.
Backend development: Familiarize yourself with backend development concepts, including microservices architectures, RESTful APIs, and distributed systems.

Company & Culture Questions:

📝 Enhancement Note: Microsoft's company and culture questions are designed to assess your cultural fit and alignment with the team's goals and values. Research Microsoft's mission, values, and culture, and be prepared to discuss how you can contribute to the team's success.
Microsoft's mission: Empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
Microsoft's values: Respect, integrity, and accountability.
Microsoft's culture: A culture of inclusion, where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

📝 Enhancement Note: For this role, your portfolio should demonstrate your experience with Kubernetes, cloud infrastructure, and backend development. Highlight projects that showcase your ability to improve the scalability and reliability of distributed systems, and emphasize your problem-solving skills, technical proficiency, and cultural fit.
Include examples of your contributions to open-source projects or cloud native code, with a focus on improving performance, scalability, and reliability.
Document your approach to problem-solving, including your thought process, assumptions, and trade-offs.
Showcase your ability to collaborate with others, including your experience working in a team and your willingness to seek feedback and learn from others.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Software Engineer II - Azure Kubernetes Service position:

Submit your application through the Microsoft Careers website
Customize your portfolio with live demos and responsive examples, highlighting your experience with Kubernetes, cloud infrastructure, and backend development
Optimize your resume for web technology roles, emphasizing your project highlights and technical skills
Prepare for technical interviews by practicing coding challenges and reviewing your portfolio presentation strategy
Research Microsoft's web development culture, user experience impact, and company-specific web technology considerations

Software Engineer II - Azure Kubernetes Service