Principal Applied Researcher

Job ID: 200037586Posted: 2026-05-20Location: United States, Washington, RedmondSalary: USD $142,800 - $274,800 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 Data and AI team in Microsoft’s Developer Division is working on the future of AI for Developers! We are a diverse, entrepreneurial and multi-disciplinary group of scientists, researchers and engineers with passion for using AI to improve the productivity of millions of developers around the world. We have released AI for code advancements in Github Copilot, VS Code, Visual Studio and other Microsoft Copilots.We are seeking entrepreneurial and creative Principal Applied Researcher to lead groundbreaking research projects, taking these from research into product. You will collaborate with scientists, engineers and designers across Microsoft Research, Microsoft product teams and Github. You will have an opportunity to build and train state-of-the-art models, and opportunities to both apply and advance existing approaches of using LLMs for software engineering, from using RAG to evaluation. Most importantly, you will have an opportunity to work closely with several developer product teams to run experiments, evaluate, iterate and improve your AI projects on a large scale.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.ResponsibilitiesLead research projects on the future of AI for developersCollaborate across disciplines with product teams across Microsoft and GithubStay up to date with the research literature and product advances in AI for software engineeringCreate new datasets from both the world's public code and Microsoft's internal data.Build and manage large-scale ML experiments and models.Embody our Culture and ValuesQualificationsRequired/minimum Qualifications:Doctorate in relevant field OR Master's Degree in relevant field AND 3+ years related research experience OR Bachelor's Degree in relevant field AND 4+ years related research experience OR equivalent experience. OR equivalent experience.Other Requirements:Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include, but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings:Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud Background Check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.Additional/ Preferred Qualifications:Doctorate in relevant field AND 3+ years related research experience OR Master's Degree in relevant field AND 6+ years related research experience OR Bachelor's Degree in relevant field AND 8+ years related research experience OR equivalent experience.Experience publishing academic papers as a lead author or essential contributor.Experience participating in a top conference in relevant research domain.2+ years experience in building machine learning and AI for production environment.3+ years experience developing and deploying live production systems, as part of a product team.3+ years experience developing and deploying products or systems at multiple points in the product cycle from ideation to shipping. #CoreAI #DevDiv #Code|AIResearch Sciences IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $142,800 - $274,800 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 $188,000 - $304,200 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.