Microsoft Corporation is actively seeking an exceptional professional to join our organization as a Cloud Solution Architect – Infrastructure within the Cloud Solution Architecture division. Positioned at the core of Microsoft’s technological innovation, this role offers direct involvement in mission-critical engineering initiatives, planetary-scale cloud services, and next-generation product architectures.

Role Overview & Strategic Impact

As a Cloud Solution Architect – Infrastructure based in Tokyo, Japan, you will play an integral role in architecting, engineering, and delivering transformative technology solutions. Operating within Microsoft’s Cloud Solution Architecture practice, your efforts will directly shape the scalability, performance, and security of software systems and platforms trusted by billions of users worldwide.

Microsoft’s enduring mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Team members thrive within an inclusive culture grounded in a growth mindset, cross-team empathy, and uncompromising customer focus. In this position, you will collaborate with industry-leading engineers, researchers, and product leaders to solve complex technical problems at unprecedented scale.

Technical Domain: Hyperscale Cloud Architecture & Frontier AI Integration

Operating at the nexus of planetary-scale cloud infrastructure, Microsoft Azure powers the foundation for enterprise digital transformation and generative AI breakthroughs. Engineers and architects in this domain design, deploy, and optimize highly resilient, multi-region cloud services, intelligent API pipelines, and secure data topologies. Leveraging deep integrations with Azure OpenAI, foundational LLMs, and distributed microservices, team members accelerate production-grade intelligence while upholding strict standards for reliability, zero-trust security, and operational latency.

Professionals in this specialization combine strong computer science fundamentals with practical, real-world systems engineering. Whether delivering distributed microservices, designing custom silicon interconnects, managing physical datacenter infrastructure, or scaling AI-powered customer workflows, you will operate within a mature engineering ecosystem supported by Microsoft’s global technical community.

Key Responsibilities & Scope of Work

In this capacity, your daily priorities and core technical contributions will center on the following key operational deliverables:

• Empowering Customers & Partners: Support customers & Partners in achieving successful outcomes by developing tailored solutions that drive their digital transformation and innovation.
• Continuous Growth: Leverage this opportunity to advance your career while enhancing your knowledge and skills in cutting-edge cloud technologies.
• Understanding Customer/Partner Technical Environment (Insights about Customer/Partner and Industry): Gather customer/partner insights (e.g., feedback around technical preferences, environments, business needs, competitive landscape), and map architecture, and Digital & AI transformation solutions to customer/partner business outcomes. Adapt business models, plans, and solutions to insights.
• Understanding Customer/Partner Technical Environment (Internal Advocacy): Act as the voice of the customer (VOC)/partner by driving new feedback, gaps, blockers, insights, resources, etc. across communities to track, add, and prioritize, using established channels.
• Architecture Design and Deployment (Architecture Proposals): Receive and synthesize data about customer/partner business and technical requirements, address them with technical architecture(s), demonstrate and prove those solutions capability and business value through design collaboration sessions with the customer/partner.
• Architecture Design and Deployment (Requirements and Constraints): Apply broad technical knowledge across various of architecture solutions to meet business and information technology (IT) requirements and resolve identified technical constraints. Help to shape and enhance customers’ requirements.
• Architecture Design and Deployment (Resolving Blockers): Identify, escalate, and work to resolve technical blockers (e.g., changing configurations, sample coding) to accelerate architecture implementations and routes non-technical issues for removal by the appropriate party.
• Maintain rigorous code quality, comprehensive automated test coverage, and security compliance throughout all phases of software delivery.
• Participate actively in technical design reviews, operational post-mortems, and architectural discussions across global engineering cohorts.

Candidate Profile & Experience Requirements

Candidates for the Cloud Solution Architect – Infrastructure position are evaluated based on their practical experience, technical depth, and demonstrated track record of problem-solving:

• Professional Background: Minimum of 12 years (144 months) of verified experience directly relevant to cloud solution architecture or related technical specializations.
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, Engineering, Business, or related field AND 12+ years’ experience in cloud/infrastructure technologies, information technology (IT) consulting/support, systems administration, network operations, software development/support, technology solutions, practice development, architecture, and/or consulting
• OR Master’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, Business, or related field AND 8+ years experience in cloud/infrastructure technologies, technology solutions, practice development, architecture, and/or consulting OR equivalent experience
• OR Master’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, Business, or related field AND 8+ years experience in cloud/infrastructure technologies, technology solutions, practice development, architecture, and/or consulting
• The Azure Cloud Solution Architect role requires knowledge and experience in a number of the following technologies/areas:
• Azure Infrastructure Core (Storage, Network, Compute) Cloud Adoption Framework and Well-Architected Framework Azure Landing Zones Azure Backup & Site Recovery Azure Migration Azure Governance, Azure Policy, Management Groups, Governance / Compliance as Code Knowledge of Azure Monitor, Log Analytics Azure ExpressRoute Virtual Network VPN Gateway Azure Arc Azure Virtual Machines Azure Virtual Desktop Azure VMWare Solution ARM JSON or Terraform Templates – (Infrastructure as code) Azure CLI and/or PowerShell Strong understanding of Windows Server and/or Linux Operating Systems Working knowledge of On-Premises Infrastructure Concepts; AD DS, DNS, Monitoring, Patching Security concepts for Cloud Infrastructure and Microsoft Operating Systems Entra ID / Azure Active Directory (AAD) and Azure AD Connect knowledge and experience. Microsoft Certifications qualifications (e.g. Azure Solutions Architect Expert AZ‑305, Azure Administrator Associate AZ‑104)
• Microsoft Certifications qualifications (e.g. Azure Solutions Architect Expert AZ‑305, Azure Administrator Associate AZ‑104)
• Analytical Problem Solving Building Customer/Partner Relationships Leadership Value Selling Strong presentation skills Face-to-face customer engagement skills Technical Delivery and Customer facing presentation skills with a high degree of comfort with both large and small audiences. Must have the ability to take on internal initiatives to create services opportunities, and work in a fast-paced environment while balancing multiple demands, addressing shifting priorities, and maintaining focus.
• Technical Competence: Demonstrated mastery of programming environments, distributed systems, modern cloud infrastructure, or specialized analytical methodologies relevant to the domain.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Strong written and verbal communication skills, with an established ability to articulate complex technical architectures clearly to engineering peers and executive stakeholders.
• Culture & Values: Demonstrated alignment with Microsoft’s core values of respect, integrity, and accountability, alongside a proactive dedication to diversity and inclusion.

Work Environment, Workplace Schedule & Location Structure

This position is designated with an official location in Tokyo, Japan. Work arrangements for this role are structured as Onsite Model (Tokyo, Japan). Microsoft provides modern, accessible work environments equipped with state-of-the-art developer tooling, ergonomic facilities, and collaborative hybrid infrastructure.

Professional Growth, Technical Community & Continuous Learning

At Microsoft, career progression is treated as an ongoing, deliberate journey supported by structured enterprise resources. Team members within the Cloud Solution Architecture organization are empowered to continuously expand their technical capabilities, explore emerging engineering paradigms, and pursue recognized professional credentials. Global technical communities and internal symposiums allow engineers to exchange architectural insights and collaborate across diverse product portfolios.

Whether advancing along specialized individual contributor tracks toward principal architecture or transitioning into technical leadership and people management, employees benefit from transparent career milestones, executive sponsorship, and comprehensive mentoring networks designed to nurture sustainable professional excellence.

Compensation, Total Rewards & Comprehensive Benefits

Microsoft offers a comprehensive, highly competitive total rewards framework designed to support employees’ personal, professional, and financial well-being:

• Estimated Annual Base Salary: JPY 12,000,000 – JPY 22,000,000 per annum (exact compensation determined based on verified qualifications, technical evaluation, specialized experience, and local market benchmarks).
• Incentive & Equity Rewards: Eligibility for annual performance-based cash bonuses and Microsoft restricted stock units (RSUs).
• Comprehensive Healthcare: Premium medical, dental, and vision coverage, including mental health support programs and wellness reimbursements.
• Retirement & Financial Security: Robust 401(k) / national retirement savings plans with generous company matching contributions, alongside financial planning resources.
• Time Off & Work-Life Harmony: Generous paid time off, comprehensive parental leave programs, public holiday allowances, and caregiver leave support.
• Growth & Learning: Unlimited access to Microsoft Learn, internal technical conferences, tuition assistance, and structured career mobility pathways across worldwide business units.

Application Process & Requisition Reference

This position is actively open and monitored by Microsoft Talent Acquisition. In alignment with corporate hiring policies, applications are accepted on an ongoing basis with no rigid pre-determined closing deadline until a qualified candidate is formally selected (Open Until Filled).

To submit your application, select the Apply Now button on this listing to navigate directly to the official Microsoft Careers requisition portal. When submitting your candidacy, reference Requisition ID 200054771. Ensure your resume and supporting documentation highlight your relevant technical deliverables, system achievements, and professional qualifications.