Role Overview
Microsoft Copilot Studio Engineer
The engineer collaborates with architects, product owners, and business stakeholders to translate requirements into working Copilot solutions, participates in solution design reviews, and contributes to the continuous improvement of development practices, templates, and reusable components. This is a hands-on technical role focused on delivery excellence and quality.
Key Responsibilities
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Design and build Copilot solutions
within Copilot Studio, including topic design, conversation flows, prompt engineering, and user experience optimisation.
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Develop and maintain integrations
between Copilot Studio and backend systems (Power Automate, Azure functions, APIs, databases, third-party services) using connectors, webhooks, and custom code.
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Implement authentication, data access, and security controls
, ensuring Copilot respects user permissions, DLP policies, and complies with organisational governance.
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Create and refine prompts and system messages
for Copilot agents, leveraging best practices in prompt engineering and responsible AI to drive accuracy and appropriate behaviour.
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Build and maintain Power Automate cloud flows
that support Copilot orchestration, data retrieval, backend transactions, and multi-step business processes.
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Write custom code
(C#, Python, TypeScript, or other languages) for Copilot plugins, Power Automate actions, or Azure-based services when low-code solutions are insufficient.
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Test Copilot solutions
thoroughly, including functional testing, user acceptance testing, security testing, and performance validation; troubleshoot issues and optimise solution behaviour.
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Implement ALM and deployment practices
, including solution packaging, versioning, environment promotion (dev test prod), and CI/CD pipeline participation.
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Document solutions
, including architecture decisions, data flows, integration patterns, and operational runbooks for support and knowledge handover.
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Contribute to pattern development
by creating and refining re-usable components, templates, and best-practice examples that improve team velocity and consistency.
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Support and monitor production Copilot solutions
, including performance tracking, user feedback analysis, troubleshooting, and incremental improvements.
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Participate in peer reviews
of Copilot designs and code, sharing feedback and fostering a culture of quality and continuous learning.
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Stay current
with Copilot Studio features, Power Platform updates, and industry best practices; recommend adoption of new capabilities where appropriate.
Essential Skills & Experience
Technical Skills - Copilot Studio & Power Platform
-
Hands-on experience building Copilot solutions
using Microsoft Copilot Studio (or Power Virtual Agents, Copilot in Power Apps, or similar conversational AI platforms).
- Strong proficiency with
topic design, conversation flows, and dialogue management
in Copilot Studio.
- Experience
in prompt engineering and optimisation
, including writing system messages, few-shot prompts, and grounding techniques for improved accuracy.
- Deep knowledge of
Power Automate
(cloud flows, desktop flows, Robotic Process Automation), including:
- Designing and building synchronous and asynchronous flows
- Error handling, retries, and approval workflows
- Integration with Dataverse, Dynamics 365, and other data sources
- Good understanding of
Dataverse, model-driven Power Apps, or canvas apps
where Copilot solutions interact with business data.
- Practical experience
connecting Copilot Studio
to backend systems via connectors, APIs, REST endpoints, and webhooks.
Integration & Backend Skills
- Proficiency in
REST APIs and API integration
concepts; able to diagnose and resolve connectivity issues.
- Experience with
cloud services
(Azure Functions, Azure Logic Apps, Azure SQL, Azure Cosmos DB, or equivalent) for building robust backend logic.
- Basic to intermediate
coding ability
in one or more languages (C#, Python, TypeScript, JavaScript), particularly for custom connectors, plugins, or cloud functions.
- Familiarity with
authentication and authorisation patterns (OAuth 2.0, service principals, managed identities) in the
Microsoft cloud.
- Experience working with
data integration
and ETL concepts, where relevant to Copilot workflows.
Security, Governance & Compliance
- Understanding of
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies, Conditional Access, and security controls
in the Power Platform and Microsoft 365.
- Knowledge of
responsible AI principles
, bias detection, content filtering, and ethical considerations in AI-driven experiences.
- Ability to implement
role-based access control and data row-level security
to ensure Copilots respect user permissions.
- Awareness of
compliance and regulatory requirements
(GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2, industry-specific standards) and how they apply to AI solutions.
ALM, Testing & Deployment
- Experience with
solution packaging, versioning, and managed solutions
in Power Platform.
- Proficiency in
environment management
and promotion strategies (development, test, production).
- Comfort with
CI/CD concepts
and tools (Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions, or similar); ability to participate in automated deployment pipelines.
- Strong
testing mindset
: unit testing, integration testing, user acceptance testing; experience with test automation where possible.
Core Competencies
-
Excellent problem-solving skills
and comfort working with ambiguity in emerging AI platforms.
- Strong
communication ability
: able to explain technical design decisions to non-technical stakeholders and document solutions clearly.
-
Collaborative mindset
: thrives in cross-functional teams, contributes to code/design reviews, and shares knowledge with peers.
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Attention to detail and quality:
takes pride in well-tested, maintainable, documented solutions.
-
Self-directed learning
: stays current with platform updates, industry trends, and new Copilot capabilities.
Desired Skills & Experience
- Experience with
Copilot in Dynamics 365
(Sales, Customer Service, Field Service, or other workloads) or Microsoft 365 Copilots
(Teams, Outlook, etc.).
- Exposure to
Azure OpenAI Service
, including token management, model selection, and fine-tuning considerations.
- Background with
Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
or semantic search
for grounding Copilot responses in organisational data.
- Experience building
Copilot Studio plugins
or Power Platform connectors
for custom integrations.
- Knowledge of
generative AI concepts
(LLMs, embeddings, vector databases, prompt optimisation techniques).
- Familiarity with
Copilot Studio governance patterns
and contribution to an AI / Copilot Centre of Excellence.
- Experience in
Agile/Scrum delivery environments
, including sprint planning, retrospectives, and continuous improvement.
- Prior work on
enterprise transformation or digital adoption
programs, with exposure to change management.
Typical Background
-
3-5+ years
of hands-on technical experience in application development, systems integration, or Power Platform engineering.
-
1-2+ years
of direct experience building Copilot, chatbot, or conversational AI solutions (Copilot Studio, Power Virtual Agents, Azure Bot Service, or equivalent).
- Experience in
enterprise software environments
with exposure to Microsoft cloud platforms (Power Platform, Azure).
- Relevant
Microsoft certifications
(e.g., Power Platform Developer, Power Automate Certified, Azure Developer, Copilot-focused certifications) are valued.
- Prior experience in a
consulting or product delivery role
is beneficial for understanding stakeholder needs and best practices.
Working Environment
- Operates
within architectural patterns and governance frameworks
established by solution architects and the AI Centre of Excellence.
- Participates in
regular code and design reviews
to maintain quality standards and share knowledge.
- Engages in
on-call or post-launch support
for production Copilot solutions.
- May contribute to
enablement activities
, such as internal workshops, documentation, or mentoring junior engineers.
