Research Intern Jobs at Microsoft with Visa Sponsorship
Research Intern jobs at Microsoft span AI, machine learning, systems, and human-computer interaction, typically through structured programs tied to PhD and graduate pipelines. The company has a strong track record of sponsoring international candidates for both internships and full-time conversion, making it one of the more accessible paths into sponsored tech research work.
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The Microsoft Research AI Frontiers Lab is on a mission to push the boundaries of what's possible in Artificial Intelligence (AI) — advancing capabilities, efficiency, and safety through breakthroughs in agentic model and systems. Our previous work spanned Small Language Models (Phi, Orca), Synthetic Data Generation (AgentInstruct), Computer Use Models (Fara), and agentic AI systems (AutoGen, MagenticOne, OmniParser), with real-world impact at scale.
We're looking for Senior Principal Researcher to join us in Redmond, WA or New York City, NY and help shape the future of agentic AI.
In this role, you'll develop and implement cutting-edge training methodologies for large language and multimodal models with advanced agentic and reasoning capabilities. Your work will contribute to cutting edge research and directly influence state-of-the-art systems used by millions of people worldwide.
Our current focus areas include:
- Reasoning and inference-time compute
- Action models for automating computer use tasks
- Memory and long-horizon task execution
- Multi-agent training and orchestration
The AI Frontiers Lab is a uniquely dynamic environment: multidisciplinary by design, connected to top academic institutions, and committed to open publication. You'll have access to rich, diverse real-world data and the runway to experiment, publish, and make your mark on one of the most consequential fields in technology.
At Microsoft, our mission—to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more—guides how we partner with customers to deliver trusted, impactful solutions. With a growth mindset culture, we innovate responsibly and measure success by shared progress—people, teams, and customers. Join us to do meaningful work that changes the world and helps shape what’s next for everyone.
Responsibilities
- Lead and conduct cutting-edge research in agentic AI, translating insights into practical solutions that ship to millions of users — in close collaboration with researchers, engineers, and product teams.
- Curate high-quality datasets and develop novel training algorithms tailored to agentic and reasoning tasks.
- Design rigorous evaluation frameworks to benchmark model capabilities across reasoning, long-horizon tasks, and multi-agent scenarios.
- Prototype and iterate on new agentic capabilities — from computer use and action models to memory and multi-agent orchestration.
- Drive research from idea to publication, with opportunities to publish at top-tier venues and contribute to the broader scientific community.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- Doctorate in relevant field AND 6+ years related research experience
- OR Master's Degree in relevant field AND 7+ years related research experience
- OR Bachelor's Degree in relevant field AND 9+ years related research experience
- OR equivalent experience.
Preferred Qualifications
- Doctorate of Computer Science or relevant field AND 8+ years related research experience
- OR equivalent experience.
- Research program demonstrated by public artifacts like models, tools, code in AI space or publications at the following conferences: NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, ACL, NAACL, CVPR, COLT, ECCV, ICCV, EMNLP.
- Experience with building and evaluating frontier models.
- Experience publishing academic papers as a lead author or essential contributor in the field of Artificial Intelligence.
- Experience participating in a top conference in relevant research domain.
- Demonstrable ability to define an ambitious, original research agenda.
- Ability to collaborate, communicate effectively, and technically lead multi-disciplinary team.
- Keen interest in real-world applications and impact.
Compensation
- The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $163,000 - $296,400 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 $220,800 - $331,200 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.
Overview
The Microsoft Research AI Frontiers Lab is on a mission to push the boundaries of what's possible in Artificial Intelligence (AI) — advancing capabilities, efficiency, and safety through breakthroughs in agentic model and systems. Our previous work spanned Small Language Models (Phi, Orca), Synthetic Data Generation (AgentInstruct), Computer Use Models (Fara), and agentic AI systems (AutoGen, MagenticOne, OmniParser), with real-world impact at scale.
We're looking for Senior Principal Researcher to join us in Redmond, WA or New York City, NY and help shape the future of agentic AI.
In this role, you'll develop and implement cutting-edge training methodologies for large language and multimodal models with advanced agentic and reasoning capabilities. Your work will contribute to cutting edge research and directly influence state-of-the-art systems used by millions of people worldwide.
Our current focus areas include:
- Reasoning and inference-time compute
- Action models for automating computer use tasks
- Memory and long-horizon task execution
- Multi-agent training and orchestration
The AI Frontiers Lab is a uniquely dynamic environment: multidisciplinary by design, connected to top academic institutions, and committed to open publication. You'll have access to rich, diverse real-world data and the runway to experiment, publish, and make your mark on one of the most consequential fields in technology.
At Microsoft, our mission—to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more—guides how we partner with customers to deliver trusted, impactful solutions. With a growth mindset culture, we innovate responsibly and measure success by shared progress—people, teams, and customers. Join us to do meaningful work that changes the world and helps shape what’s next for everyone.
Responsibilities
- Lead and conduct cutting-edge research in agentic AI, translating insights into practical solutions that ship to millions of users — in close collaboration with researchers, engineers, and product teams.
- Curate high-quality datasets and develop novel training algorithms tailored to agentic and reasoning tasks.
- Design rigorous evaluation frameworks to benchmark model capabilities across reasoning, long-horizon tasks, and multi-agent scenarios.
- Prototype and iterate on new agentic capabilities — from computer use and action models to memory and multi-agent orchestration.
- Drive research from idea to publication, with opportunities to publish at top-tier venues and contribute to the broader scientific community.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- Doctorate in relevant field AND 6+ years related research experience
- OR Master's Degree in relevant field AND 7+ years related research experience
- OR Bachelor's Degree in relevant field AND 9+ years related research experience
- OR equivalent experience.
Preferred Qualifications
- Doctorate of Computer Science or relevant field AND 8+ years related research experience
- OR equivalent experience.
- Research program demonstrated by public artifacts like models, tools, code in AI space or publications at the following conferences: NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, ACL, NAACL, CVPR, COLT, ECCV, ICCV, EMNLP.
- Experience with building and evaluating frontier models.
- Experience publishing academic papers as a lead author or essential contributor in the field of Artificial Intelligence.
- Experience participating in a top conference in relevant research domain.
- Demonstrable ability to define an ambitious, original research agenda.
- Ability to collaborate, communicate effectively, and technically lead multi-disciplinary team.
- Keen interest in real-world applications and impact.
Compensation
- The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $163,000 - $296,400 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 $220,800 - $331,200 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.
Tips for Finding Research Intern Jobs at Microsoft
Align your research to Microsoft's active labs
Microsoft Research spans labs in Redmond, New York, Cambridge, and Montreal. Targeting a specific lab and aligning your application materials to published work from researchers there signals fit in a way generic applications don't.
Clarify your visa status early in recruiting
Microsoft's recruiting process for Research Interns moves fast. Disclosing your visa type and authorization timeline during the initial screen gives the team time to route your offer through the right sponsorship workflow before deadlines tighten.
Build publications before applying to strengthen your case
Research Intern roles at Microsoft are highly competitive among international PhD students. A peer-reviewed publication or workshop paper, even under review, materially strengthens an H-1B or O-1 petition by demonstrating the specialized contribution USCIS looks for.
Understand how OPT timing affects your internship window
If you're on F-1 OPT, confirm your remaining authorization covers the full internship period. Running out of OPT mid-internship creates complications for both you and Microsoft's immigration team that can delay or void a return offer.
Confirm cap-subject status before accepting a return offer
A Research Intern converting to full-time at Microsoft will typically require an H-1B petition subject to the annual cap. USCIS registration opens in March, so if your OPT expires before October 1, you'll need a bridge plan to maintain status.
Browse open Research Intern roles through Migrate Mate
Filter for Microsoft Research Intern positions specifically by visa type on Migrate Mate to see which roles have active sponsorship. This helps you prioritize applications where Microsoft is already set up to file for the visa category you hold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Microsoft sponsor H-1B visas for Research Interns?
Yes, Microsoft sponsors H-1B visas for Research Intern roles, particularly for PhD students and candidates converting to full-time positions. For the internship itself, most international candidates work on F-1 OPT or CPT. H-1B visa sponsorship typically becomes relevant at the full-time offer stage, when Microsoft files a cap-subject petition through the annual USCIS lottery.
Which visa types are commonly used for Research Intern roles at Microsoft?
Most international Research Interns at Microsoft work under F-1 CPT or OPT during the internship. For full-time conversion, Microsoft sponsors H-1B, E-3 visa for Australian citizens, and H-1B1 visa for Chilean and Singaporean nationals. Candidates with extraordinary ability may also be considered for O-1 visa sponsorship depending on their publication and research record.
What qualifications are expected for Research Intern positions at Microsoft?
Microsoft Research Intern roles are almost exclusively targeted at PhD students, typically in computer science, electrical engineering, statistics, or a closely related field. Active research in areas like machine learning, systems, natural language processing, or computer vision is expected. A publication record, even one paper under review, is a practical differentiator in a competitive international applicant pool.
How do I apply for Research Intern jobs at Microsoft?
Applications go through Microsoft's careers portal, but most Research Intern offers come through direct outreach to Microsoft researchers whose work aligns with yours. Attend NeurIPS, ICML, CVPR, or similar conferences where Microsoft Research maintains a visible presence. You can also browse and apply to current openings filtered by visa sponsorship on Migrate Mate before reaching out directly.
How do I plan my timeline if I want to convert my Microsoft internship into a full-time sponsored role?
If your internship ends in August or September, a return offer needs to account for H-1B cap timing. USCIS opens H-1B registration in March for an October 1 start. If your OPT expires before October 1 and you don't have a cap-exempt option, you'll need to discuss a gap plan with Microsoft's immigration team well before your internship ends.