Research Intern - Reliable and Safe AI Agents

Job Description

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 looking for Research Interns who share our passion for creating reliable, safe, and efficient Artificial Intelligence (AI) agents that can perform useful tasks for users. Recent progress in generative AI promises powerful agents; however, there are still many research challenges to ensure the reliability, safety, and efficiency of such agents. We aim to tackle some of these challenges by exploring various topics at the intersection of AI and systems, such as: As a Research Intern, you will have the chance to work with leading researchers and engineers at Microsoft Research as well as various product teams in Microsoft, and create innovative solutions to challenging research problems in the above technical areas. You will also have the opportunity to publish your work in top conferences.

Requirements

• Currently enrolled in a PhD program in Computer Science or a related STEM field.
• 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.
• Demonstrated ability to develop original research agendas.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with other researchers and product development teams.
• Proficient interpersonal skills, cross-group, and cross-culture collaboration.
• Ability to think unconventionally to derive creative and innovative solutions.

Responsibilities

• 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.
• Developing agents that can handle complex tasks.
• Formally modeling and verifying agent behavior.
• Guaranteeing agent's task execution reliability (i.e., no failure), safety (i.e., no unintended side-effects), and efficiency (e.g., minimizing interactions with expensive backends such as an LLM).
• Evaluating an agent on multiple dimensions: its accuracy, efficiency, reliability, safety, etc.
• Designing tools that can facilitate the rapid development of such agents.

Benefits

• Industry leading healthcare
• Educational resources
• Discounts on products and services
• Savings and investments
• Maternity and paternity leave
• Generous time away
• Giving programs
• Opportunities to network and connect