Research Intern - Sustainability in Total Cost of Ownership

Research Internships at Microsoft provide a dynamic environment for research careers with a network of world-class research labs led by globally-recognized scientists and engineers, who pursue innovation in a range of scientific and technical disciplines to help solve complex challenges in diverse fields, including computing, healthcare, economics, and the environment.

Microsoft's first-party Compute Server product line is seeking a passionate and innovative Research Intern to join our team. This role focuses on integrating sustainability into our Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and tradeoff analyses for future data center products. Our group conducts architectural analysis with tradeoffs in performance, power, TCO, sustainability, and reliability to choose the right architecture features for future data center products.

The Research Intern will be responsible for researching the sustainability impacts of various components in the data center, developing new models or refining existing sustainability models, and generating ideas to improve the carbon emissions of future data centers.

Required Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a master's or PhD program in Computer Engineering or Computer Architecture.

Other Requirements

• Research Interns are expected to be physically located in their manager’s Microsoft worksite location for the duration of their internship.
• In addition to the qualifications below, you’ll need to submit a minimum of two reference letters for this position as well as a cover letter and any relevant work or research samples. After you submit your application, a request for letters may be sent to your list of references on your behalf. Note that reference letters cannot be requested until after you have submitted your application, and furthermore, that they might not be automatically requested for all candidates. You may wish to alert your letter writers in advance, so they will be ready to submit your letter. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Proficiency in Python and basic scripting tools.
• Demonstrated understanding of computer architecture.
• Experience with sustainability metrics and modeling, particularly for silicon components.
• Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proficient communication and teamwork abilities.

Applied Sciences IC2 : The base pay range for this internship is USD $5,460 -$10,680 per month.

There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, with the San Francisco Bay area and New York City Metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $7,040 -$11,640 per month.

Applied Sciences IC3 : The base pay range for this internship is USD $6,550 -$12,880 per month.

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 $8,480 - $13, 920 per month.

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

Microsoft accepts applications and processes offers for these roles on an ongoing basis.

Research Interns put inquiry and theory into practice. Alongside fellow doctoral candidates and some of the world’s best researchers, Research Interns learn, collaborate, and network for life. Research Interns not only advance their own careers, but they also contribute to exciting research and development strides. During the 12-week internship, Research Interns are paired with mentors and expected to collaborate with other Research Interns and researchers, present findings, and contribute to the vibrant life of the community. Research internships are available in all areas of research, and are offered year-round, though they typically begin in the summer.

Additional Responsibilities

• Understand the basics of sustainability metrics.
• Develop and Refine sustainability models for various components in the data center.
• Integrate Scope 2 and Scope 3 sustainability modeling into TCO analysis.
• Collaborate with the team to analyze architectural tradeoffs involving performance, power, TCO, sustainability, and reliability.
• Present research findings and recommendations to stakeholders.