Member of Technical Staff - Data Infrastructure Manager - Microsoft AI - Copilot
Microsoft AI · New York, NY
- On site
- Full-time
- $139,900 / year
- New York, NY
Job highlights
- Lead AI data infrastructure team at Microsoft.
- Manage large-scale data and ML pipelines.
- Drive technical strategy and people development.
- Focus on automation, observability, and operations.
- Collaborate across AI and engineering teams.
About the role
Data Infrastructure Manager - Microsoft AI
Microsoft AI is looking for passionate leaders to tackle challenging AI questions and build systems with true artificial intelligence. Our vision is to make AI accessible to everyone.
About the Role
We're seeking a Data Infrastructure Manager to lead a team of engineers building and scaling data infrastructure for Microsoft's consumer AI. This role involves technical leadership and people management, setting technical direction for large-scale data and ML pipelines, AI agentic workflows, and intelligent systems. You'll multiply your impact through others while working on exciting AI infrastructure challenges.
You'll Bring
- Deep technical expertise in big data and distributed systems.
- A track record of leading and developing engineering talent.
- A passion for automation, observability, and operational excellence.
- The ability to translate complex technical strategy into clear, executable plans.
- Empathy, collaboration, and a growth mindset.
Microsoft's Mission and Values
Microsoft's mission is to empower every person and every organization to achieve more. We foster a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to achieve shared goals, building on values of Respect, Integrity, and Accountability in an inclusive culture.
Work Arrangement Policy
Starting January 26, 2026, Microsoft AI (MAI) employees within a 50-mile commute of a designated U.S. office or 25-mile commute of a non-U.S. office are expected to work from the office at least four days per week. This is subject to local law and jurisdiction.
Responsibilities
Team Leadership & People Development
- Hire, mentor, and develop Data Infrastructure Engineers, fostering technical excellence and growth.
- Conduct 1:1s, set clear goals, and provide feedback for career development.
- Build and sustain an inclusive, collaborative team environment aligned with Microsoft's values.
Technical Strategy & Architecture
- Define and drive the technical vision for scalable, reliable Big Data Infrastructure for AI applications.
- Lead technical design reviews, establish engineering standards, and ensure code quality.
- Architect data solutions across storage, compute, and analytics, including pipelines for AI agent workflows.
Platform & Operations
- Champion DevOps and SRE best practices, including automated deployments, monitoring, and incident response.
- Guide the team in building a self-service big data platform.
- Oversee CI/CD pipelines and infrastructure-as-code using tools like Bicep, Terraform, and ARM.
- Lead capacity planning and proactively resolve bottlenecks.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner with Data Engineers, Data Scientists, AI Researchers, and Developers on big data workflows.
- Collaborate with Security teams on infrastructure security practices.
- Represent the team in planning and prioritization discussions.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's Degree in a related field AND 6+ years of relevant experience, OR Master's Degree AND 4+ years of relevant experience, OR equivalent experience.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master's Degree and 10+ years of technical experience, OR Bachelor's Degree and 14+ years, OR equivalent experience.
- 5+ years in Big Data Infrastructure, DevOps, SRE, or Platform Engineering.
- 5+ years of hands-on experience with distributed systems (bare-metal to cloud-native).
- 5+ years overseeing containerized application deployments (Kubernetes, Helm/Kustomize).
- Solid scripting and automation fluency (Python, Bash, PowerShell).
- Proven track record managing CI/CD, release automation, and incident response.
- Hands-on expertise with modern data platforms (e.g., Databricks, SQL/NoSQL databases, Spark, HDFS, ADLS Gen2, Event Hub, Kafka).
- Proven experience with cloud-native infrastructure (Azure, AWS, GCP).
- Strong collaboration experience with various technical teams.
- Experience with agentic workflow infrastructure (orchestration, retrieval pipelines).
- Familiarity with modern web stacks (TypeScript, Node.js, React, PHP).
Key skills/competency
- Data Infrastructure Management
- Big Data Platforms
- Distributed Systems
- Machine Learning Pipelines
- AI Agentic Workflows
- DevOps & SRE
- Cloud Infrastructure (Azure, AWS, GCP)
- Technical Leadership
- People Management
- Data Architecture
Skills & topics
- Data Infrastructure Manager
- AI
- Microsoft
- Big Data
- Distributed Systems
- Machine Learning
- Cloud Computing
- DevOps
- SRE
- Technical Leadership
- People Management
- Data Engineering
- Software Engineering
- Azure
- MLOps
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight experience in big data, distributed systems, and team leadership.
- Showcase technical skills: Emphasize expertise with cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, GCP) and data tools.
- Demonstrate leadership: Provide examples of mentoring engineers and driving technical strategy.
- Research Microsoft AI: Understand their mission, values, and recent AI advancements.
- Prepare for interviews: Be ready to discuss complex technical challenges and team management scenarios.
Technical preparation
Master big data technologies (Spark, Databricks).,Deepen distributed systems knowledge.,Practice cloud infrastructure management (Azure).,Familiarize with MLOps and AI workflows.
Behavioral questions
Describe leading and mentoring engineering teams.,How do you drive technical strategy execution?,Share an experience with operational excellence.,How do you foster an inclusive team culture?
Frequently asked questions
- What is the expected work arrangement for a Data Infrastructure Manager at Microsoft AI?
- Starting January 26, 2026, employees within a specified commute distance of a Microsoft office are expected to work from the office at least four days per week. This policy is subject to local laws and may vary by jurisdiction.
- What are the key technical areas for a Data Infrastructure Manager at Microsoft AI?
- Key technical areas include big data platforms, distributed systems, ML pipelines, AI agentic workflows, cloud infrastructure (Azure, AWS, GCP), DevOps, SRE, and data architecture. Proficiency in scripting and automation with languages like Python is also crucial.
- What level of experience is required for the Data Infrastructure Manager role at Microsoft AI?
- A Bachelor's Degree in a related field with at least 6 years of relevant experience, or a Master's Degree with 4 years of experience, is required. Preferred qualifications include more extensive technical experience and specific expertise in areas like Big Data Infrastructure and cloud-native environments.
- How does Microsoft AI approach team leadership and development for its Data Infrastructure Managers?
- Microsoft AI emphasizes hiring, mentoring, and developing engineers, fostering technical excellence, ownership, and continuous growth. Managers are expected to conduct regular 1:1s, set clear goals, provide feedback, and build an inclusive team environment aligned with company values.
- What are the primary responsibilities of a Data Infrastructure Manager at Microsoft AI?
- Responsibilities include leading and developing a team of Data Infrastructure Engineers, defining the technical vision for AI data infrastructure, overseeing platform operations and SRE practices, and collaborating cross-functionally with various technical teams.
- Can you explain the salary range for the Data Infrastructure Manager position at Microsoft AI?
- The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $139,900 - $274,800 per year. Specific ranges apply to locations like the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, which are higher.
- What is the application process for a Data Infrastructure Manager role at Microsoft AI?
- Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer and encourages all qualified applicants to apply. You can submit your application through their careers portal.