Research Intern – SAINTES + Developer Experience

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.

The Software Analysis and Intelligence in Engineering Systems (SAINTES) group at Microsoft Research invite applications for Research Internship positions. We are dedicated to advancing the state-of-the-art in AI-powered improvements for reliable software deployments, cultivating vibrant developer communities, advancing software analytics, and exploring the frontiers of software engineering research.

We are seeking Research Interns with a keen interest in: 

• Integrating AI/Machine Learning (ML) into software development activities to bolster developer activities.
• Analyzing developer productivity impacts and elevating software analytics for comprehensive insights.
• Investigating and optimizing software engineering processes to enhance efficiency and quality, using AI/ML to improve methodologies and practices that underpin successful software development lifecycles.
• Engaging in socio-technical research spanning productivity, community, and developer well-being. 

Research Interns will be part of a collaborative environment, offering both autonomy in their project contribution and the support of an innovative team.  

Our mission is to enrich the work and well-being of developers through socio-technical research, leveraging expertise from AI, human-computer interaction, and software engineering. We aspire to reshape the collaboration between AI and people in software development and provide AI-driven decision-support at scale. 

Join us in our quest to revolutionize software development and amplify developer potential. Apply now to be part of our research revolution. You can learn more about the SAINTES research agenda, publications, videos and team members at https://aka.ms/SAINTES.

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.

As part of our team, Research Interns will contribute to a large-scale research project, working collaboratively with full-time researchers, developers, and fellow interns. The Research Intern’s focus will be on driving a self-contained component or aspect of the project that will be integral to the broader objectives, offering a unique opportunity to influence the project’s overall trajectory and outcomes.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Accepted or currently enrolled in a PhD program in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related STEM field.  
• At least 1 year of experience in conducting research, writing peer-reviewed publications and software development.

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

• Ability to think unconventionally to derive creative and innovative solutions. 
• Actively conducting research in at least one of the following areas: developer productivity, Large Language Models (LLMs) applied to software engineering, software engineering and/or human computer interaction applied to AI/ML systems, mining software repositories, software analytics, software developer ecosystems, and developer communities.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with your mentor and others in Microsoft on research projects. 
• Effective interpersonal skills, cross-group, and cross-culture collaboration skills. 
• Has published in one of the following ACM or IEEE venues: ICSE, ESEC/FSE, CHI, CSCW, ICSME, ASE, CHASE, IUI, ICML, NeurIPS.
• Demonstrable proficiency in software development, with a solid foundation in understanding, developing, and deploying code, including the ability to translate research concepts into working implementations.
• Given our current projects, preference will be given to those that have experience using LLMs in the domain of software development, proficiency in Python, and/or familiarity with release engineering.

The base pay range for this internship is USD $6,550 – $12,880 per month. 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 $8,480 – $13,920 per month.

Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-intern-pay 

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.  We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. 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.