Research Scientist, AI Sensing and Inference Systems

Microsoft is committed to advancing the state of the art in AI to help solve real-world challenges at global scale. We are looking for a Research Scientist, AI Sensing and Inference Systems with expertise in intelligent sensing, machine learning for physical systems, and real-time data analysis. This role will contribute to designing and deploying systems that generate actionable insights from distributed, multimodal data sources across diverse and dynamic environments.

You’ll join a collaborative team of scientists and engineers focused on pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in AI-driven insight generation—spanning fields such as environmental intelligence, infrastructure resiliency, and scalable observation technologies. This is your opportunity to shape the future of intelligent systems that support critical decision-making in complex environments. At Microsoft, we believe in using science to do good—and we’re looking for passionate researchers ready to have real-world impact.

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond. In alignment with our Microsoft values, we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment for all employees to positively impact our culture every day.  

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and evaluate machine learning models that integrate spatiotemporal, sensor-derived, and other complex real-world signals.
• Advance techniques in edge-to-cloud inference, sensor fusion, and domain adaptation for systems operating under limited supervision or uncertain data conditions.
• Work closely with software engineers, data scientists, and external partners to prototype and deploy robust, field-ready solutions.
• Drive experimentation strategies to evaluate system reliability, latency, and performance in real-world deployments.
• Author publications, contribute to patents, and engage with the broader research community to share findings and influence best practices.
• Contribute to productization efforts by translating novel methods into scalable pipelines aligned with Microsoft’s mission and partner needs.
• Embody our culture and values.

Qualifications

Required/minimum qualifications

• Doctorate in relevant field
  • OR equivalent experience.
• 4+ years of experience in applied machine learning, signal processing, or AI systems research.

Additional or preferred qualifications

• Doctorate in relevant field AND 2+ years related research experience
  • OR equivalent experience.
• Experience publishing academic papers as a lead author or essential contributor.
• Experience participating in conferences in relevant research domain.
• Proficiency in Python, C++, or similar languages and experience with machine learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow).
• Demonstrated ability to work across disciplines and apply AI techniques to noisy, heterogeneous, or incomplete data.
• Experience with geospatial analytics, edge computing, or time-series forecasting.

Research Sciences IC4 - 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