Research Intern - MSR Software-Hardware Co-design

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.

We are a team of experienced research scientists in Microsoft Research. Our mission is to pioneer technologies that power AI and ML workloads with unmatched performance, efficiency, and trust. We build working systems, engage with academia, publish scientific papers, publish software for the research community, and deploy cutting-edge technologies to Azure and our customers.

Are you excited by problems such as:

• understanding and improving the efficiency and security of GPU memory systems used in AI
• increasing the robustness of and trust in agentic AI systems
• redesigning the software architecture of Azure services to run on hardware accelerators
• reducing the cost of deploying and operating AI systems

If you are, then we want to work with you!

Our team has deployed research to a multitude of Microsoft businesses, including Azure AI, Azure Hardware, Azure Networking, and Windows. We have also published our research at the top systems and security academic conferences including ASPLOS, ISCA, USENIX Security, IEEE S&P, USENIX NSDI, SOSP, ACM SIGCOMM, ACM MobiSys, ACM MobiCom.

As part of a small, tight-knit team, your work will be central to our focus and attention throughout the summer and beyond. Find out more about the team at: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/group/software-hardware-co-design-sharc/ . We practice open communication and respectful dialogue. We support multiple social and career building opportunities in our internship program.

We seek Research Intern candidates with technical skills and backgrounds in systems and AI. Experience with memory systems, distributed systems, operating systems, and/or security is a plus. The candidate will have experience working on large-scale systems in addition to being fluent in the relevant state-of-the-art research. The candidate should be a team player in a collaborative and supportive environment with outstanding programming skills. The Research Internship will require fast-paced execution and implementation on Azure platforms. Applicants should demonstrate depth of knowledge and demonstrate experience in experimentation, implementation, and evaluation.

Required Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program in Computer Science or closely related field.

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

• Experience building research or engineering systems in systems, AI, security, as demonstrated through university projects and/or prior industry experience

The base pay range for this internship is USD $6,710 - $13,270 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 $8,760 - $14,360 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 throughout the academic calendar (September - April).

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.