Join Microsoft Research as an AI Frontiers Research Intern. PhD students earn $6.7K-$14.3K/month working on agentic models, reinforcement learning & cutting-edge AI.
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💼 Job Role & Category
Role: Research Intern – AI Frontiers – Reasoning & Agentic Models
Category: Internship, Hybrid (3 days/week in-office)
Duration: 12 weeks
Department: Microsoft Research – AI Frontier Lab
🏢 Why Join Microsoft?
Microsoft is a global technology leader with a mission to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more. As one of the world’s most valuable companies, Microsoft operates across 190+ countries with a diverse portfolio including Azure, Office 365, LinkedIn, GitHub, and cutting-edge AI research divisions.
The company is renowned for its innovation-driven culture, consistently ranking among the best places to work globally. Microsoft Research is home to world-class scientists and engineers who publish groundbreaking work in top-tier conferences and contribute to open-source AI projects like Phi-4, AutoGen, and MagenticOne. The company has received numerous accolades including recognition as one of Fortune’s “World’s Most Admired Companies” and has been a leader in responsible AI development and deployment.
📝 Job Summary
The AI Frontier Lab at Microsoft Research is inviting PhD candidates to join their team for a 12-week research internship focused on advancing agentic model capabilities. This role offers a unique opportunity to work alongside globally-recognized scientists and engineers on cutting-edge AI research that combines automation, reasoning, and interaction capabilities. Interns will contribute to influential research published in top-tier venues while working on open-source projects that impact Microsoft’s product ecosystem.
🔧 Key Responsibilities 🔧
- 🧪 Conduct cutting-edge research in AI, specifically in agentic models and reasoning systems
- 🤝 Collaborate with world-class researchers and fellow doctoral candidates in a dynamic environment
- 📊 Develop and train models that can reliably perform tasks across digital systems on behalf of humans
- 🛠️ Work on text-based and visual environments including CLI tools, APIs, scripts, and GUI applications
- 📢 Present research findings to the broader research community and contribute to publications
- 🔬 Explore reinforcement learning approaches for improving logical and mathematical reasoning
- 💡 Develop novel training algorithms for enhancing reasoning and action-taking efficiency
- 🌐 Contribute to open-source projects such as Phi-4, AutoGen, and MagenticOne
- 📚 Network and learn from top-tier scientists while advancing your research career
- 🚀 Contribute to Microsoft’s AI ecosystem with technologies that ship in multiple products
✅ Who Can Apply?
🎓 Educational Requirements:
- Currently enrolled in or accepted to a PhD program in Computer Science or related STEM field
💼 Experience Requirements:
- At least 1 year of experience with deep learning and large language model training (required)
💡 Required Skills & Technical Expertise:
- Proficiency in deep learning frameworks
- Experience with large language model (LLM) training
- Understanding of AI research methodologies
🌟 Preferred Qualifications:
- Proven expertise in language model pre-training, post-training, or reinforcement learning
- Publication record in top-tier conferences (NeurIPS, ICLR, ICML, etc.)
- Demonstrated ability to develop original research in a collaborative environment
- Experience with multi-modal data (language, vision, structured data)
📜 Application Requirements:
- Minimum of two reference letters
- Cover letter
- Relevant work or research samples
- Resume/CV
⚠️ Other Requirements:
- Must be physically located at the manager’s Microsoft worksite (Redmond, Washington) for the duration of the internship
- Willingness to travel less than 25% if required
🌍 Work Location & Type
📍 Location: Redmond, Washington, United States
🏢 Work Model: Hybrid (3 days per week in-office)
✈️ Travel Requirements: Less than 25%
⏱️ Duration: 12 weeks (typically begins in summer, available year-round)
💰 Salary Insights
Microsoft offers highly competitive compensation for Research Interns working on AI frontiers:
💵 Base Pay Range:
- Standard locations: $6,710 – $13,270 per month
- San Francisco Bay Area & NYC: $8,760 – $14,360 per month
📈 Total Compensation Breakdown:
- Monthly base pay: Up to $14,360/month (premium locations)
- Annualized equivalent: Up to $172,320/year (for comparison purposes)
- Performance-based pay: Compensation varies by experience, qualifications, and location
💡 What This Means:
PhD-level Research Interns at Microsoft can expect industry-leading compensation that reflects their advanced expertise in AI and machine learning. The pay range positions this internship among the highest-paying research opportunities in the technology sector, particularly for roles focused on cutting-edge AI development.
🎁 Perks & Benefits
Microsoft is known for offering comprehensive benefits even to interns:
- 🏥 Health & Wellness: Medical, dental, and vision coverage for interns
- 💻 Technology Setup: Cutting-edge hardware and software tools for research
- 📚 Learning & Development: Access to Microsoft’s vast learning resources and mentorship from world-class researchers
- 🏢 World-Class Facilities: Access to Microsoft’s Redmond campus with state-of-the-art research labs
- 🌐 Networking Opportunities: Connect with leading AI researchers and potential future colleagues
- 🎯 Career Growth: Strong conversion rate to full-time positions for high-performing interns
- 🍽️ Campus Amenities: On-site dining options, fitness centers, and recreational facilities
- 🚍 Transportation Benefits: Commuter support and parking options
- 🎉 Intern Events: Exclusive networking events, speaker series, and social activities
- 📄 Publication Support: Opportunity to publish in top-tier conferences with Microsoft backing
- 💡 Open-Source Contribution: Work on publicly recognized projects that build your professional portfolio
Note: Benefits may vary depending on employment specifics. For complete details, visit Microsoft’s intern benefits page.
📝 How to Apply
📢 How to Apply for Microsoft Research Internship 2025:
- Click on the “Apply” button at the official Microsoft Careers portal
- Create an account or login to your existing Microsoft Careers profile
- Fill in required details including education, experience, and research background
- Upload your resume/CV in PDF format
- Prepare your application materials:
- Cover letter explaining your research interests
- Relevant work or research samples (papers, projects, code repositories)
- Contact information for at least 2 reference letter writers
- Submit reference letter requests (will be sent to your references after application submission)
- Review all details carefully before final submission
- Submit the application form
⏰ Important Dates:
- Position opened: November 3, 2025
- Application deadline: Rolling basis until filled (minimum 5 days open)
- Typical start date: Summer 2025 (internships available year-round)
📢 Share this opportunity with fellow PhD students and researchers! 😇
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1️⃣ What is the selection process for Microsoft Research Internships?
The selection process typically includes:
- Initial application screening (resume, publications, reference letters)
- Technical interviews with research team members
- Research fit discussion with potential mentors
- Final interviews with senior researchers or team leads
The process is highly competitive and focuses on research excellence, technical skills, and cultural fit.
2️⃣ Does this internship allow remote work?
This is a hybrid position requiring 3 days per week in-office at the Redmond, Washington location. Interns are expected to be physically located at their manager’s Microsoft worksite for the duration of the internship. Fully remote work is not available for this role.
3️⃣ What specific skills and tools are required?
Required:
- Deep learning frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow)
- Large language model (LLM) training experience
- Programming skills (Python strongly preferred)
- Research methodology expertise
Preferred:
- Reinforcement learning experience
- Experience with model pre-training and post-training
- Multi-modal AI systems knowledge
- Familiarity with Microsoft’s open-source projects (AutoGen, Phi models)
4️⃣ Is this internship open to current Master’s students or only PhD candidates?
This position specifically requires applicants to be accepted or currently enrolled in a PhD program. Master’s students who have been accepted to a PhD program may be eligible, but current Master’s students not yet admitted to a PhD program do not meet the minimum requirements.
5️⃣ When is the last date to apply?
This position operates on a rolling application basis and will remain open until filled. However, early application is strongly recommended as Microsoft Research internships are highly competitive. The position was posted on November 3, 2025, and will be open for a minimum of 5 days.
6️⃣ Can international students apply?
Yes, Microsoft sponsors work authorization for qualified candidates. However, applicants must be eligible to work in the United States for the duration of the internship. The company is an equal opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants regardless of immigration status.
7️⃣ What are the chances of conversion to a full-time role?
While not guaranteed, Microsoft Research has a strong track record of converting high-performing interns to full-time Research Scientist or Applied Scientist positions. Successful interns who demonstrate research excellence, collaboration skills, and cultural fit often receive full-time offers upon PhD completion.
8️⃣ What research areas is the AI Frontier Lab currently focusing on?
The lab’s current research priorities include:
- Reinforcement learning for reasoning and computer use agents
- Novel training algorithms for enhanced reasoning efficiency
- Synthetic environment creation and multi-agent training
- Scaling laws between test-time and training-time compute
- Advanced optimization for large-scale model training
- Agentic models that combine automation, reasoning, and interaction
🎯 Why This Opportunity Stands Out
This Microsoft Research internship represents a rare opportunity to:
✅ Work at one of the world’s premier AI research labs
✅ Contribute to open-source projects used by millions of developers
✅ Publish in top-tier AI conferences (NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR)
✅ Earn industry-leading compensation ($6.7K-$14.3K/month)
✅ Learn from globally-recognized scientists and engineers
✅ Impact real-world AI products used across Microsoft’s ecosystem
✅ Build a strong foundation for an elite research career
Don’t miss this chance to advance the frontier of AI while working alongside the best minds in the field!
📌 Quick Summary
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Position | Research Intern – AI Frontiers |
| Company | Microsoft Research |
| Location | Redmond, Washington, USA |
| Duration | 12 weeks |
| Work Model | Hybrid (3 days/week in-office) |
| Compensation | $6,710-$14,360/month |
| Eligibility | PhD students in CS/STEM |
| Experience Required | 1+ year with deep learning & LLMs |
| Application Deadline | Rolling until filled |
🔔 Pro Tip: Alert your reference letter writers in advance, as Microsoft may request letters after you submit your application. Having strong, ready-to-submit references can accelerate your application process!