Research Sciences Intern

Come build community, explore your passions and do your best work at Microsoft with thousands of University interns from every corner of the world. This opportunity will allow you to bring your aspirations, talent, potential—and excitement for the journey ahead.  

As a Research Science Intern (AUDIO AND SPEECH SIGNAL), you will conduct research and leads research collaborations that yield new insights, theories, analyses, data, algorithms, and/or prototypes that advance the state-of-the-art of computer science and engineering, as well as general scientific knowledge. You will formulate research problems in an area of study and initiates the design, development, execution and implementation of a research agenda to further academic knowledge and close identified gaps and provide expertise to product or business groups and may create long-term business opportunities through research outcomes, but not responsible for addressing immediate product needs or demonstrating a clear path to product.

We are seeking candidates excelling in deep thinking research aspects and fast-paced entrepreneurial execution. The ideal candidates should have the ability to work with researchers and product team colleagues at Microsoft to push forward research agendas, being a team player in a collaborative and supportive environment with outstanding programming skills. We are seeking candidates with research skills and technical backgrounds. Applicants should demonstrate depth of knowledge in Natural Language Understanding, Computer Vision, Machine Learning, Algorithmic Foundations of Optimization, Data Mining or Machine Intelligence (Artificial Intelligence) as well as strong academia experience in data processing, experimentation, and modeling.

Microsoft works with the world’s best researchers, moving with the current of technology as it rapidly evolves. Together we share the motivation to seek innovative solutions to the world’s toughest challenges and improve the lives of people everywhere. Microsoft provides a nurturing environment to support passionate researchers and engineers in AI technology innovation.

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/Minimum Qualifications:   

Must be currently enrolled in a PhD program in audio signal processing, acoustics, or a related machine learning field, including but not limited to, speech enhancement, speaker recognition, self-supervised learning, and/or semi-supervised learning. 

Other Requirements:  

Deep experience in at least one of the following areas: 

• Classical signal processing theory (adaptive filters, detection and estimation theory) 

• ML and AI algorithms, approaches to audio signal processing 

• Microphone signal processing 

• Multi-modal (e.g., audio-visual) signal processing 

• Numerical linear algebra 

• Demonstrable experience developing, characterizing, and implementing signal processing algorithms. 

Preferred/Additional Qualifications: 

• Ability to clearly communicate what work you have done, why it was important, and how it was different from existing projects. 

• Ability to work in ambiguous uncharted areas and having the experience, creativity, and technical depth to identify technical gaps, acquire missing information, align requirements, and pick the right direction. 

• Ability to create, train, and optimize neural network architectures for audio (or audio-visual) applications such as speech enhancement, speaker recognition, echo cancellation, source localization, audio-visual speaker diarization and active speaker detection. 

• Proven understanding of deep learning tools such as PyTorch. 
• Fluency in Python and/or Matlab. 

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.

Analyze and improve performance of advanced algorithms on large-scale datasets and cutting-edge research in machine intelligence and machine learning applications.

Implement prototypes of scalable systems in AI applications.
Collaborate closely with team members on developing systems from prototyping to production level.

Develop solutions for real world, large-scale problems.

Under instruction from others, research new tools, technologies, and methods being used in the research community and contribute your knowledge around a specialized tool/method to support planning for research projects.

Gain an understanding of their research as it relates to Microsoft products or business groups and assists in technology transfer attempts, participating on standards organizations, filing patents, authoring white papers, developing or maintaining tools/services for internal Microsoft use, or consulting for product or business groups.