Microsoft's Gray Systems Lab (GSL) is seeking Research Interns to contribute to applied research and development in databases, big-data, and cloud systems, aiming to design innovative solutions for real-world problems by collaborating with product teams.
Requirements
- Experience with one or more general purpose programming languages, such as Python, Java, C-Sharp, C++, Rust.
- Experience with one of the following: PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, Spark, Apache Iceberg, CUDA, or other database or big data systems.
- Experience contributing to research communities and/or efforts, including publishing papers (being listed as author) at academic conferences.
- Applicants should demonstrate a track record in one or more systems, database, or data science topics and an aptitude for hands-on system building and design methodology to run and analyze experiments at scale.
Responsibilities
- We do research and development for databases, big-data, and cloud systems, working in close collaboration with product teams to design innovative solutions for real-world problems.
- Our team is friendly and inclusive.
- We focus on a variety of exciting areas, including machine learning for systems, reinforcement learning finetuning and post-training techniques, natural language-to-query, agentic workflows, resource management, query optimization and execution.
- We also work on workload optimization, graph analytics, data storage formats and governance, modern/future hardware (e.g., GPU, NVM and FPGAs), program analysis, and data provenance.
- Our work covers both internal both Microsoft internal and open-source systems, such as Fabric, Spark, SQL Server, MySQL, Apache Iceberg, and more.
- We provide opportunities to work on ideas from internal collaborations, as well as external ones with partner universities, and to continue to be an active scholar in the research community.
- Research Interns put inquiry and theory into practice.
Other
- Currently pursuing a PhD degree in computer science, statistics, mathematics, or related technical field.
- 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.
- Take initiative but also follow a research/productization plan and work well as part of a team.
- Excellent critical thinking and communication skills.
