ML Research Engineer Jobs at Microsoft with Visa Sponsorship
ML Research Engineer jobs at Microsoft span core AI and research divisions, focusing on large-scale model development, applied machine learning, and foundational research. The company has a well-established sponsorship infrastructure that supports international candidates through multiple nonimmigrant and immigrant visa pathways.
Find ML Research Engineer Jobs at MicrosoftOverview
Showing 5 of 9+ ML Research Engineer Jobs at Microsoft
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
Have you applied for this role?
See all ML Research Engineer Jobs at Microsoft
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new ML Research Engineer Jobs at Microsoft.
Get Access To All JobsOverview
Health Futures is a mission-focused organization within Microsoft Research, working at the forefront of artificial intelligence, healthcare, and life sciences research. We are a global and diverse team of engineers, scientists and domain experts who are working on expanding the technological frontier of health and life sciences through deep research. We offer a unique and vibrant environment that features innovative academic research, enterprise software development, and real-world delivery, with close feedback loops and rapid iterations between all three. Our mission is to empower every person on the planet to live a healthier future. We are looking for a Senior Researcher - Machine Learning - Microsoft Research to help us advance the ways artificial intelligence can accelerate and advance discovery in biomedicine and the life sciences. This role is ideal for a candidate with intellectual curiosity who wants to craft a research agenda, articulate it clearly to team members with a diverse set of backgrounds, and execute on it as a member of that research team. Successful applicants will bring deep expertise about AI and will be passionate about making new discoveries in health and the life sciences.
Responsibilities
- Design, implement, and evaluate novel methodologies for scientific discovery through artificial intelligence, non-exhaustively including techniques around post-training, inference-time optimization, interpretability, and experimental design.
- Deep Learning Training Methods: Leverage a background in state-of-the-art techniques to post-train and fine-tune for application-specific scenarios.
- System Optimization: Develop approaches for inference-time optimization of interaction patterns with deep learning models, e.g., context optimization, intelligent sampling, etc.
- In addition to these specific technical areas, candidates will be required to participate in robust, repeatable team-based technical research and be effective communicators.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- Doctorate in relevant field + OR Master's Degree in relevant field AND 3+ years related research experience + OR Bachelor's Degree in relevant field AND 4+ years related research experience + OR equivalent experience.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience creating and using generative AI or other ML techniques in the life sciences.
- Experience with pre-, mid-, and/or post-training deep learning models.
- Experience innovating software, systems, or workflows that leverage generative AI-based systems to solve real-world problems in the life sciences. This includes techniques like context engineering, prompt optimization, and optimization of test-time compute.
- Experience creating robust, repeatable technical research artifacts as part of an interdisciplinary team.
- Experience publishing academic papers as a lead author or essential contributor.
Compensation
- The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $119,800 - $234,700 per year. 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 $158,400 - $258,000 per year. Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay
This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.
Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances.
If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.
Overview
Health Futures is a mission-focused organization within Microsoft Research, working at the forefront of artificial intelligence, healthcare, and life sciences research. We are a global and diverse team of engineers, scientists and domain experts who are working on expanding the technological frontier of health and life sciences through deep research. We offer a unique and vibrant environment that features innovative academic research, enterprise software development, and real-world delivery, with close feedback loops and rapid iterations between all three. Our mission is to empower every person on the planet to live a healthier future. We are looking for a Senior Researcher - Machine Learning - Microsoft Research to help us advance the ways artificial intelligence can accelerate and advance discovery in biomedicine and the life sciences. This role is ideal for a candidate with intellectual curiosity who wants to craft a research agenda, articulate it clearly to team members with a diverse set of backgrounds, and execute on it as a member of that research team. Successful applicants will bring deep expertise about AI and will be passionate about making new discoveries in health and the life sciences.
Responsibilities
- Design, implement, and evaluate novel methodologies for scientific discovery through artificial intelligence, non-exhaustively including techniques around post-training, inference-time optimization, interpretability, and experimental design.
- Deep Learning Training Methods: Leverage a background in state-of-the-art techniques to post-train and fine-tune for application-specific scenarios.
- System Optimization: Develop approaches for inference-time optimization of interaction patterns with deep learning models, e.g., context optimization, intelligent sampling, etc.
- In addition to these specific technical areas, candidates will be required to participate in robust, repeatable team-based technical research and be effective communicators.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- Doctorate in relevant field + OR Master's Degree in relevant field AND 3+ years related research experience + OR Bachelor's Degree in relevant field AND 4+ years related research experience + OR equivalent experience.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience creating and using generative AI or other ML techniques in the life sciences.
- Experience with pre-, mid-, and/or post-training deep learning models.
- Experience innovating software, systems, or workflows that leverage generative AI-based systems to solve real-world problems in the life sciences. This includes techniques like context engineering, prompt optimization, and optimization of test-time compute.
- Experience creating robust, repeatable technical research artifacts as part of an interdisciplinary team.
- Experience publishing academic papers as a lead author or essential contributor.
Compensation
- The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $119,800 - $234,700 per year. 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 $158,400 - $258,000 per year. Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay
This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.
Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances.
If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.
See all ML Research Engineer Jobs at Microsoft
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new ML Research Engineer Jobs at Microsoft.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding ML Research Engineer Jobs at Microsoft
Align Your Research Portfolio to Microsoft's Focus Areas
Microsoft Research and its AI divisions actively hire in areas like large language models, reinforcement learning, and responsible AI. Tailor your publications, GitHub projects, or research contributions to reflect these specific domains before applying.
Understand Which Visa Fits Your Situation
Microsoft sponsors H-1B, E-3, and H-1B1 visas for this role. If you're Australian or from a treaty country, you may bypass the H-1B lottery entirely. Confirm your nationality's eligibility before prioritizing one application pathway over another.
Target Microsoft's University Recruiting Pipeline Early
Microsoft recruits ML Research Engineers heavily through PhD internship programs. Converting a research internship into a full-time offer significantly improves your sponsorship timeline, since the employer relationship and role scoping are already established before your OPT clock runs down.
Prepare Your Specialty Occupation Evidence in Advance
USCIS scrutinizes ML roles carefully when assessing specialty occupation status. Gather documentation showing your role requires at minimum a bachelor's degree in a specific technical field, such as computer science or statistics, and that your day-to-day work reflects that academic requirement.
Use Migrate Mate to Find Open Roles Filtered by Sponsorship
Search for ML Research Engineer positions at Microsoft on Migrate Mate to see currently open roles filtered by visa type. This saves time confirming sponsorship availability instead of cross-referencing job postings and company career pages manually.
Time Your H-1B Cap Filing Around Your Offer Date
H-1B cap registration opens in March each year for an October 1 start. If Microsoft extends your offer after April, your start date shifts to the following fiscal year. Factor this into salary negotiations and OPT or grace period planning with your hiring manager.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Microsoft sponsor H-1B visas for ML Research Engineers?
Yes, Microsoft sponsors H-1B visas for ML Research Engineers. The company has a dedicated immigration team that manages the process from Labor Condition Application filing with the DOL through the USCIS petition. If you're selected in the H-1B lottery, Microsoft typically handles the full petition on your behalf once you have an offer in hand.
Which visa types does Microsoft commonly use for ML Research Engineer roles?
Microsoft sponsors H-1B, H-1B1 visa, and E-3 visas for ML Research Engineers, depending on your nationality. Australian citizens are eligible for the E-3, and Chilean or Singaporean nationals may qualify for the H-1B1, both of which avoid the H-1B cap lottery. For permanent residency, Microsoft typically supports EB-2 or EB-3 Green Card sponsorship after an initial period in role.
What qualifications does Microsoft expect for ML Research Engineer roles?
Most ML Research Engineer positions at Microsoft require a master's or PhD in computer science, machine learning, statistics, or a closely related field. Hands-on experience with large-scale model training, familiarity with frameworks like PyTorch or JAX, and a track record of research output, such as published papers or significant open-source contributions, are standard expectations across these postings.
How do I apply for ML Research Engineer jobs at Microsoft?
You can find and filter ML Research Engineer roles at Microsoft on Migrate Mate, which surfaces positions by visa type so you can confirm sponsorship before applying. Once you identify a role, applications go through Microsoft's careers portal. The interview process typically involves multiple rounds covering system design, coding, and a research presentation or deep-dive on prior work.
How do I plan my timeline if I need H-1B sponsorship for a Microsoft role?
H-1B cap registration runs each March, with a lottery selection shortly after and an October 1 start date. If you're finishing a degree on OPT, confirm your OPT expiration date against this timeline. STEM OPT extensions give you up to 36 months of work authorization, which can bridge a full cap cycle if needed. Discuss timing constraints with your Microsoft recruiter early so the team can plan around your status.