Changing jobs at Microsoft

After over 7 years toiling away in MSN under various titles to my current job working in the Network Operations group as a tools developer, I'm long overdue for a job change. After a long and stressful 7 hour interview, I was given an offer to go to the SMS group as a software tester. I gladly accepted. When I first approached the job, I was apprehensive. I figured, software tester, isn't that like doing QA and button pushing? Turns out it's much more than that. You get a unique opportunity to really go into the code and try to find and exploit problems in the name of ensuring that a quality product is shipped out. It looks like something that will be really fun and in the long run will teach me a lot about how to turn myself into a better developer.

Here's the job description from Microsoft's career site:

Are you interested in what it takes to successfully manage and deploy thousands of PC's? Do you want to help define the way the top businesses around the world manage the computers in their enterprises? The Windows Enterprise Management Division has already established Systems Management Server 2003 as the industry leader in systems management and is currently looking to expand its test team as it takes on its next set of challenges. Technologies you'd be working with include: Active Directory, SQL, XML/HTTP, WMI, Group Policy, Windows Security and much more. We are looking for a talented and highly motivated tester and coder. Qualifications required include an eagerness to learn new technologies, the ability to understand how these technologies could be applied to the problem at hand, good communication skills, and the ability to dig in and really understand how you can test one of the most complex products Microsoft ships. Primary responsibilities include writing test automation and designing and executing test cases. Requirements: Candidate should have a working knowledge of Windows 2003, XP & 2000. A minimum 4 years of software testing experience in a professional environment, BS in Computer Science or comparable experience in the software industry. Preferred: Knowledge of Systems Management Server, Enterprise-level Computer Administration experience, Networking, C#, VB, C++, VB.NET, .NET Framework, Win32, and COM/DCOM.

Hell yeah. I'm up to the challenge. Now it's up to the new management and my old management to negotiate the terms for my transfer. That should be interesting..