Research Intern - Multimodal AI

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 at Microsoft Research that spans both the General Artificial Intelligence group and Microsoft Research Asia – Vancouver lab, focusing on Multimodal Artificial Intelligence (AI) research. We work on innovative research projects and exciting challenges in multimodal foundation models, generative AI techniques, document intelligence, and more. Our team has contributed influential open-sourced research that advances the multimodal capabilities in Large Foundation Models and General AI. These contributions have also been widely applied to Microsoft products and services.

We are seeking talented and motivated research interns to join us in cutting-edge Multimodal AI research. As a Research Intern, you will develop generalizable technologies that enhance the multimodal capabilities of AI models. You will collaborate with a pioneering team of world-class researchers across our Vancouver, Beijing, and Redmond labs to push for real-world applications. Candidates will have a background in Computer Vision, Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning, and/or Document Understanding. We value your ideas and unique viewpoints and believe that our partnership will shape ambitious and impactful research contributions.

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.

Required Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a master’s or PhD program in Computer Science or a related STEM 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

• Current knowledge of deep learning concepts.
• Proficient analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Experience publishing academic papers in the field of Artificial Intelligence.
• Impact-driven mindset with the ability to work and learn in a collaborative and diverse environment.
• Coding proficiency in deep learning frameworks and experience in training and evaluating deep learning models, e.g., large language models, multimodal models, diffusion models.

Intern – MSR - The typical base pay range for this role across Canada is CAD $8,700 - CAD $9,700 per month.

Find additional pay information here:

https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/canada-pay-information.html

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

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request via the Accommodation request form.

Benefits/perks listed below may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you work.

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

• Analyzing model behavior and optimizing models to achieve better accuracy, efficiency, and robustness in various applications.
• Proposing and experimenting with innovative methods to enhance the multimodal capabilities of AI systems.
• Collecting and curating multimodal datasets or benchmarks.
• Conducting evaluations on multimodal capabilities.
• Presenting findings at internal meetings and top-tier venues.