Are you looking to tackle problems at Internet scale?
Do you find yourself using Search and being frustrated that you cannot find the right results?
Are you interested in international markets and care deeply about presenting a global experience to our customers?
Are you looking for a start-up like work environment, but appreciate the backing of an established organization?
Do you relish being in the role of an underdog facing stiff competition?
You have found the right team!
The Search Technology Center (STC) Europe is just now being created and this is your opportunity to get in on the ground floor. STC Europe is working in partnership with Live Search and Microsoft Research to deliver innovative Internet Search products and services to the European and global markets.
The Search Technology Center (STC) Europe - London office is focused on growing the search business in Europe by leveraging the work done in Munich to improve the overall search platform and core relevance and then by extending the reach of core search features and designing new Search features to the European Market. Working with the core team in Redmond to understand the search roadmap, working with search leads in Europe to bring those core search features to life, understanding the needs of the European market and developing compelling new features that will drive the search business are the main focus for the team in London.
Why STC Europe - London?
We need strong talent on the ground to improve our results and until now we have had only minimal product development resources to support these markets. This is a rare opportunity to join a new team where you can see an immediate impact through your contributions. Europe contains three of the four highest-value, highest volume search markets (UK, Germany, France). In FY09, a large portion of queries and revenue come from these European markets where Google is dominant with 90%+ search market share. While our query share is currently very small (<5%), we have significant online assets in these major markets (e.g. Messenger) and there are many opportunities to grow our customer base and increase our share.
The Search Technology Center (STC) Europe is comprised of a team of dedicated leaders and technical contributors passionate about delivering the best search experience for Microsoft customers in Europe and around the world. STC Europe works on a diverse set of projects ranging from ownership of Search in Europe to enhancing the global search platforms. At STC Europe, you will have the opportunity to work with world class researchers from MSR Cambridge and to closely collaborate with world class developers in Redmond, Munich, Paris, India and China.
Role & Responsibilities
This Lead Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) position will be based in our London office where our efforts are focused on improving the relevance and user experience of search results in European markets.
STC Europe is currently looking for an SDET Lead who can help build a test team of 5 to 7 Test Software Development Engineers responsible for helping extend the reach of Core Search features and even designing new Search features for the European Markets. This role will partner closely with the core engineering team in Redmond, Microsoft Indian Development Centre and search leads for each European market.
If you have a passion for collaborating with talented individuals, for efficient and pragmatic test engineering, for excelling in a small, dynamic, team-oriented environment, and for shipping production-quality services that compete directly with offerings from Yahoo, Google, and others, then you will be interested in us.
The position will report to the Test Lead in London and is a rare opportunity to combine International experience, a front line seat in our battle for Web Search in Europe and help define a new group’s charter, culture and roadmap.
Required Qualifications
Success in this position requires a broad set of experience and skills, including excellence in core engineering, strong team and people management skills and demonstrable experience in testing and delivering high quality products or features to market. A passion for product quality and software testing is a must.
You should have proven technical abilities and a strong grasp of software engineering principles, exceptional problem solving skills, deep test expertise, and a proven ability to schedule and meet your team’s commitments through an entire product cycle. You should be self-motivated, proactive, and possess the demonstrated ability to come up-to-speed quickly in a new technical domain.
Excellent interpersonal communication skills, written communication skills and the ability to work well in a team environment are critical. Knowledge and experience in Internet search/services is a plus. Fluency in at least one European language is highly desirable. Experience of working as part of a geographically distributed team would also be beneficial.
Additionally, the following are required:
Ability to develop a deep understanding of search technology and architecture, the customers and the market thus enabling you to quickly make well-balanced test engineering decisions and product quality evaluations.
Demonstrated experience delivering results through collaboration across disciplines, feature teams, and partners.
Experience in leading a feature or product test team to deliver a range of test services including quality reviews, test planning, test design, test implementation, test execution, defect triages and reporting.
Exceptional test aptitude and expertise in formal and informal testing techniques as well as quality measurement techniques.
Strong analytical skills and confident data-driven decision making skills are critical.
A detail-oriented, agile, and pragmatic thinker with the ability to handle a diverse number of concurrent activities.
Proven track record in delivering high quality product across multiple shipping cycles.
Excellent communication and influencing skills with an ability to cut through ambiguity.
Strong design, coding and debugging skills in C++/C#/Java.
BS/MS in computer science or a related discipline is strongly preferred.
This position is located in the STC Europe London office and requires some travel within Europe and to Redmond, USA.
This description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this position. The actual duties, responsibilities, and qualifications may vary based on assignment.
At Microsoft, we believe that diversity enriches our performance and products, the communities where we live and work, and the lives of our employees. As our workforce evolves to reflect the growing diversity of our communities and the global marketplace, we continue to expand our efforts to understand, value, and incorporate differences as we help our people and our customers realize their potential.
