Microsoft Research Internship

Microsoft Research Internship: Application Guide

Byfranklin Length: 6 minutes

Are you passionate about Technology and offering diverse perspectives? Do you want to start your career on a high level with the best in the industry? Or do you want to improve your tech skills as a researcher? Apply for the Microsoft Research Internship this summer. You will never regret it. 

This blog post will provide valuable information about this program, including the requirements, responsibilities, open positions, benefits, and tips to apply.

Overview of Microsoft Research Internship

Microsoft Research Internship is a summer internship open to student researchers who want to put inquiry and theory into practice. It allows interns to learn alongside fellow doctoral candidates and some of the world’s best researchers. As a research intern at Microsoft, you will learn, collaborate, and network for life.

In addition, you will advance your career to the next level by contributing to exciting research and development projects. During the 12-week internship, students will work with mentors guiding them on real-world projects. They will also collaborate with other interns and researchers, present findings, and contribute to the community’s vibrant life.

Eligible students can apply for this internship virtually or at Micrisift’s locations worldwide in all research areas. However, a Microsoft team will help you to find the opportunity that best aligns with your interests.

Generally, Microsoft Research Internships take place throughout the year though they typically begin in the summer. Interns will receive a competitive salary and get help with visa applications where needed.

The 12-week summer internship program is open to advanced undergraduate students in tech-related fields. It allows interns to do state-of-the-art research in one of Microsoft’s US-based Microsoft Research Labs. During this program, students will work directly with researchers and an extended network of visiting faculty, postdoctoral researchers, data and applied scientists, engineers, designers, and doctoral students to contribute significantly to new and ongoing research. The primary goal is to encourage participants to pursue advanced degrees in computing fields. In addition, students will participate in mentoring, community building, and networking events to argument their on-the-job learning.

MSR Research Areas

Applicants for the Microsoft Research Internship will focus on any of the following MSR Research fields. They include:

  • Algorithms and Theory
  • Artificial intelligence
  • Audio and acoustics
  • Computer vision
  • Data platforms and analytics
  • Ecology and environment
  • Economics
  • Graphics and multimedia
  • Hardware and devices
  • Human-computer interaction
  • Human language technologies
  • Mathematics
  • Medical, health, and genomics
  • Programming languages and software engineering
  • Search and information retrieval
  • Security, privacy, and cryptography
  • Social sciences
  • Systems and networking

Internship positions

The following jobs and positions are available to research interns at Microsoft. They include:

  • Research Intern – Office of Applied Research
  • Research Intern – Semantic Machines: Multi-Turn Task-Oriented Dialogue
  • Research Intern – Quantum Algorithms and Error Correction
  • Research Intern – Computational Social Science
  • Research Intern – RiSE (Programming Languages, Formal Methods, High-Performance Computing, & Software Engineering)
  • Research Intern – Robustness of Platform Models in Language and Vision
  • Research Intern – Deep Learning & Natural Language Processing
  • Research Intern – Biomedical AI for Precision Health
  • Research Intern – Graph Machine Learning
  • Research Intern – Graph Models
  • Research Intern – Computer Vision and Deep Learning
  • Research Intern – Leaders, Employees, and Connections in Enterprise Social Media
  • Research Intern – Research for Industry & ML/AI for Food
  • Research Intern – Efficient AI
  • Research Intern – Cloud Operations Research
  • Research Intern – Situated Intelligence in Mixed Reality

Qualifications for Microsoft Research Internship

Interested students for a research position at Microsoft must meet the requirements below. They include:

  1. They must be ready to start their internship by the start of the internship program in May 
  2. Applicants must be rising junior or senior students in a bachelor’s degree program in a designated university majoring in computer science, computer engineering, software engineering, information science, or a related course.
  3. You need two years of programming experience. In addition, you must complete courses in Calculus, Probability, Statistics, or Machine Learning. However, demonstrated training in at least one social science methodology makes you eligible.
  4. Students from underrepresented engineering and computer science groups, including those who self-identify as a woman, African American, Black, Hispanic, Latinx, American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, a person with a disability, and LGBTQI+, will get a preference.

Responsibilities

Research interns at Microsoft will carry out the following responsibilities. They include:

  1. Interns put inquiry and theory into practice.
  2. Interns learn, collaborate, and network for life.
  3. Contribute to exciting research and development.
  4. Contribute to the vibrant energy of the Microsoft Research community. 

Benefits of Microsoft Research Internship

Students who participate in the research internship at Microsoft will get the following benefits. They include:

  1. You will receive a competitive salary
  2. Relocation benefits are available to interns at Microsoft
  3. Travel allowance to cover your travel cost, including visa and flight tickets
  4. Health benefits during your internship
  5. Food and tours allowance 
  6. Gain real-world experience that you can list on your resume
  7. Get mentorship from the best in your industry
  8. Engage in leadership and career development programs.
  9. Build a lasting network with your pals and team leaders.

How to Apply

You can apply for Microsoft Research Internship on the company’s website. You will get all the information you need about this program, including the skills, requirements, qualifications, application deadline, and keywords to include in your application. Students can use our internship guide to learn how to apply for internships in big firms, even without experience. 

Required documents for Microsoft Research Internship

You must provide the following application materials when applying for this program. They include

#1. Choose a track: Research, Research Software Engineering, or Research Program Management

#2. CV or Resume

#3. 2 or 3 Reference Letters 

#4. Two Essays: Applicants will need two essays when applying for this program. They include:

Essay 1: Research interest statement (500 words or fewer)

  • You have to select up to three desired research areas. Then, answer the questions: What draws you to your chosen research area(s), and what impact would you like to have in that space? In addition, ensure you describe the following: Any relevant experience in this/these research area(s) or related technologies. How do you expect to personally benefit from participating in this internship?

Essay 2: Leadership in Diversity statement (250 words or fewer)

  • In this essay, you describe ways you have contributed to increasing diversity and inclusion in your field. It must also contain any unique challenges you may have faced and how you navigated those obstacles.

How to boost your chances of getting a Microsoft Research Internship

Hoping to get a Microsoft Research Internship. You must bear in mind that it is a challenging task. Therefore, you must do certain things to make the process simple. Doing the following will increase your chances of getting a research position as a student at Microsoft. They include:

#1. Conduct proper research on the company, industry, and job by visiting the company’s website.

#2. Be authentic, and trust your strengths and skills. However, it would be best to rely on teamwork to achieve great results.

#3. Ensure to align your career goal with the organizational goals of Microsoft. Find out the mission and vision of the company.

#4. Lean on your network to get vital information about the company. You can connect with present and former interns at Microsoft. You can also contact other workers at the firm.

#5. Make sure your cover letter and resume are top-notch by highlighting your skills, strengths, qualifications, and experience and how they will be helpful to the organization.

#6. Learn new skills to excel in your job and industry, especially communication, leadership, and tech skills.

Conclusion

Microsoft Research Internship is a pathway to success for international students. It allows students in the tech industry to gather enough experience to build a successful career in Technology. Participants in this program work directly with leading professionals and experts to carry out research projects that will benefit Microsoft and the individual. 

In summary, it is a career development opportunity because it allows you to explore professional options in the tech industry. Plus, it helps you to learn the skills to practice your profession at the highest level.