Senior Principal Researcher - Microsoft Research AI Frontiers

Job ID: 200033773Posted: 2026-04-01Location: United States, Washington, RedmondSalary: USD $165,600 - $296,400 per yearEmployment type: Full-TimeWork site: 3 days / week in-officeRole type: Individual ContributorTravel: Less than 25%Profession: Research, Applied, & Data SciencesDiscipline: Research SciencesCompany: MicrosoftOverviewThe Microsoft Research AI Frontiers Lab is on a mission to push the boundaries of what's possible in Artificial Intelligence (AI) — advancing capabilities, efficiency, and safety through breakthroughs in agentic model and systems. Our previous work spanned Small Language Models (Phi, Orca), Synthetic Data Generation (AgentInstruct), Computer Use Models (Fara), and agentic AI systems (AutoGen, MagenticOne, OmniParser), with real-world impact at scale. We're looking for Senior Principal Researcher to join us in Redmond, WA or New York City, NY and help shape the future of agentic AI. In this role, you'll develop and implement cutting-edge training methodologies for large language and multimodal models with advanced agentic and reasoning capabilities. Your work contribute to cutting edge research and directly influence state-of-the-art systems used by millions of people worldwide. Our current focus areas include: Reasoning and inference-time computeAction models for automating computer use tasksMemory and long-horizon task executionMulti-agent training and orchestration The AI Frontiers Lab is a uniquely dynamic environment: multidisciplinary by design, connected to top academic institutions, and committed to open publication. You'll have access to rich, diverse real-world data and the runway to experiment, publish, and make your mark on one of the most consequential fields in technology.At Microsoft, our mission—to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more—guides how we partner with customers to deliver trusted, impactful solutions. With a growth mindset culture, we innovate responsibly and measure success by shared progress—people, teams, and customers. Join us to do meaningful work that changes the world and helps shape what’s next for everyone.ResponsibilitiesLead and conduct cutting-edge research in agentic AI, translating insights into practical solutions that ship to millions of users — in close collaboration with researchers, engineers, and product teams.Curate high-quality datasets and develop novel training algorithms tailored to agentic and reasoning tasks.Design rigorous evaluation frameworks to benchmark model capabilities across reasoning, long-horizon tasks, and multi-agent scenarios. Prototype and iterate on new agentic capabilities — from computer use and action models to memory and multi-agent orchestration. Drive research from idea to publication, with opportunities to publish at top-tier venues and contribute to the broader scientific community. QualificationsRequired Qualifications Doctorate in relevant field AND 6+ years related research experienceOR Master's Degree in relevant field AND 7+ years related research experienceOR Bachelor's Degree in relevant field AND 9+ years related research experienceOR equivalent experience. Preferred Qualifications Doctorate of Computer Science or relevant field AND 8+ years related research experienceOR equivalent experience.Research program demonstrated by public artifacts like models, tools, code in AI space or publications at the following conferences: NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, ACL, NAACL, CVPR, COLT, ECCV, ICCV, EMNLP.Experience with building and evaluating frontier models.Experience publishing academic papers as a lead author or essential contributor in the field of Artificial Intelligence.Experience participating in a top conference in relevant research domain.Demonstrable ability to define an ambitious, original research agenda.Ability to collaborate, communicate effectively, and technically lead multi-disciplinary team.Keen interest in real-world applications and impact.   #ResearchResearch Sciences IC6 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $165,600 - $296,400 per year. 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 $220,800 - $331,200 per year. Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.Microsoft is 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, read more about requesting accommodations.