Principal Product Manager, AI for Global Challenges

Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab is seeking a mission-driven Principal Product Manager, AI for Global Challenges to lead the development of AI- and data science-powered solutions that address pressing global challenges. This onsite role at Microsoft’s Redmond campus is ideal for a technically fluent product leader who can bridge AI research, product strategy, and social impact.

As the Principal Product Manager, AI for Global Challenges, you will shape the roadmap for AI tools that support governments, NGOs, and communities in tackling complex societal and environmental issues. Example focus areas may include resilience, climate adaptation, and food security. You’ll collaborate closely with data scientists, engineers, interns, and policy experts to ensure solutions are technically robust, user-centric, and ethically grounded.

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond. In alignment with our Microsoft values, we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment for all employees to positively impact our culture every day.  

Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

• Define and document product roadmaps for AI solutions aligned with Microsoft’s AI for Good strategy and stakeholder needs.
• Translate real-world challenges into actionable product requirements and technical specifications.
• Collaborate with AI engineers, data scientists, and UX teams to design and deliver machine learning-driven features using foundational models (e.g., GPT, BERT, geospatial transformers).
• Lead iterative development cycles using Agile methodologies, emphasizing rapid prototyping, user validation, and impact measurement.
• Foster an inclusive, learning-oriented team culture by mentoring interns and early-career contributors in AI development, ethics, and product thinking.
• Coordinate across internal teams, vendor partners, researchers, and mission-aligned stakeholders in a managed service environment.
• Ensure Responsible AI principles—fairness, transparency, privacy, and security—are embedded throughout the product lifecycle.
• Communicate technical progress and outcomes clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Track product success using metrics related to user outcomes, model performance, adoption, and social impact.
• Embody our  Culture and  Values.  

Responsible AI, Security, and Governance:

• Partner with Responsible AI and compliance teams to ensure ethical reviews, threat modeling, and regulatory assessments are conducted.
• Promote transparency and trust in AI solutions through interpretability, human-in-the-loop safeguards, and robust documentation.
• Apply governance best practices to AI development and deployment in sensitive domains.

What Success Looks Like:

• Delivery of impactful, Responsible AI solutions that address urgent global needs and are validated by real-world users.
• Clear product direction, collaborative execution, and rapid iteration cycles guided by ethical and scientific rigor.
• Interns and early-career team members feel supported, empowered, and able to meaningfully contribute to socially beneficial AI outcomes.
• Solutions that are transparent, scalable, and grounded in Microsoft’s Responsible AI principles and mission-driven commitments.

Qualifications

Required/minimum qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree AND 8+ years experience in product/service/project/program management or software development
  • OR equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of experience in product management, including ownership of AI/ML or data-driven product development.
• 2+ years experience mentoring or managing interns or early in career team members in technical or mission-focused settings.

Additional or preferred qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree AND 10+ years of experience in product/service/project/program management or software development
  • OR equivalent experience.
• Experience working in AI for social impact, climate tech, food systems, or global resilience efforts.
• Exposure to geospatial data platforms, remote sensing, or environmental modeling tools.
• Proficiency in tools such as Azure DevOps, GitHub, Power BI, and Jupyter.
• Strong technical fluency in machine learning, model development lifecycles, and cloud architecture (preferably Azure).
• Familiarity with foundational models (e.g., GPT, LLaMA, BERT) and domain-specific data (e.g., geospatial, agricultural, or environmental).

Product Management IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $139,900 - $274,800 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $188,000 - $304,200 per year.

Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay

Microsoft will accept applications for the role until July 11, 2025.

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.  We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. 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.

Benefits/perks listed below may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you work.