Applied Scientist / Applied Scientistess

Overview

The Spatial AI Lab is part of the Applied Sciences Group, a Microsoft research and development organization committed to creating next-generation human-computer interaction technologies. We leverage the latest advancements in AI while exploring new hardware capabilities and device form factors. Our team, comprised of scientists and engineers, possesses strong expertise in computer vision and multi-modal AI, with a particular focus on spatial and embodied AI.

As a Scientist specializing in Multimodal Foundation Models & Robotics on our dynamic team, you will engage in research at the intersection of large-scale generative modeling and embodied AI, with a particular emphasis on robotics. Your primary objective will be to develop the core intelligence needed for a new generation of agents, training the multimodal foundation models that enable them to perceive complex environments, reason about tasks, and act seamlessly across both physical and digital worlds. This position will allow you to enhance your expertise in training embodied foundation models and deploying algorithms on robotic hardware and large-scale AI systems, as well as contribute to our cutting-edge research through publications and collaborations with esteemed partners like ETH Zurich.

At Microsoft, our mission is to empower every individual and organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees, we unite with a growth mindset, innovating to empower others while collaborating to realize our shared goals. Every day, we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to foster a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement novel foundation models and algorithms for general-purpose embodied agents.
• Implement high-performance machine-learning pipelines and optimize data and learning stacks for scalability, efficiency, and performance.
• Optimize and deploy AI models on robotic hardware.
• Collaborate across Microsoft research and engineering teams to transition cutting-edge research into practical real-world applications.
• Drive the team’s rapid progress, gauging success through advancements in internal capabilities as well as impactful contributions to the scientific community.
• Collaborate with top academic partners like ETH Zurich to advance pioneering research at scale, with opportunities for co-authorship in prestigious venues, presenting at workshops, and mentoring students.

Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications:

• A PhD in Robotics, Machine Learning, or a related field, OR 3+ years of relevant industry experience.
• Demonstrated coding, debugging, and engineering skills in programming languages such as Python or C++.
• Hands-on experience with modern deep learning frameworks (e.g., Pytorch, Tensorflow, Jax).
• Self-motivated team player, problem solver, and eager to learn.
• Ability to present complex technical concepts to a diverse audience.

Other Requirements:

• Ability to meet Microsoft's, customers', and/or government security screening requirements is essential for this role. These requirements include, but are not limited to, specialized security screenings.
• Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will require successful completion of the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.

Additional Qualifications:

• Experience in one or more of the following areas:
• Foundation Models: Hands-on training experience in topics such as LLMs, Large Vision-Language Models (VLMs), Video Generative Models, Diffusion Algorithms, or Action-Based Transformers and Vision Language Action Models (VLAs).
• Large-Scale ML Systems: Experience with large-scale machine learning compute systems.
• Robotics: Hands-on training in robot learning techniques, including reinforcement learning, imitation learning, and classical control methods.
• Solid understanding of robot kinematics, dynamics, and sensors.
• Familiarity with control algorithms such as PID, model predictive control (MPC), and whole-body control.
• A proven track record of impact through first-author research publications at leading machine learning or robotics conferences (e.g., CoRL, RSS, NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, CVPR), or contributions to successful industry initiatives.

Application Process

This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

Apply online using the form below. Only applications matching the job profile will be considered.

Diversity and Inclusion

At Microsoft, we are 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, please visit our accommodations page for more information.