Thanks for the answer. I don't want to get this job hoping that 1 day I will be able to change to a dev roll. I actually applied to a dev position but they ignored it.
I know a couple people who moved from SRE to SWE at Google, though I didn't have a lot of exposure to Google proper (I was based out of Santa Monica), so I don't have numbers for testers to SWE.
On the one hand, while I generally agree with the "go for what you want" approach, if your choice is stay with an organization that has had you for 12 years and has relegated you to tester, or join an organization where upward mobility is possible. I know what my decision would be.
Alternatively, you can always confront MS about their bullshit. Tell them, "If you don't give me an opportunity to go back into a primarily development role, I will be leaving MS for Google."
