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# Principal Researcher - Machine Learning & Statistics - Microsoft Research

- **Company:** Microsoft
- **Location:** Cambridge, MA, United States
- **Experience:** Experienced
- **Salary:** $142,800.0 - $274,800.0
- **Contract:** Permanent contract
- **Skills:** Software Applications, Machine Learning, Microsoft Software, Transfer Learning, Large Language Models, Information Technology, Machine Learning Operations
- **Published:** October 21, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.nexxt.com/job.asp?id=3472113255&tx=FJ1512FFK&pt=1&aff=0B19D771-A501-4A5E-8338-2A822B784D54&utm_source=Job%20Feed&utm_medium=textkernel&utm_campaign=DE&utm_term=0B19D771-A501-4A5E-8338-2A822B784D54

## About the Role

* Doctorate in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Mathematics, Statistics or relevant field AND 3+ years related research experience
 * OR Master's Degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Mathematics, Statistics or relevant field AND 4+ years related research experience
 * OR Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Mathematics, Statistics or relevant field AND 6+ years related research experience
 * OR equivalent experience., * Demonstrated record of sustained, original research impact, evidenced by influential peer-reviewed publications, widely used research artifacts, or comparable contributions, together with experience shaping research directions and leading collaborative research efforts.
 * Experience in running large scale experiments with transformers/LLMs pre-training and/or finetuning
 * Experience in creating, optimizing and running large scale machine learning pipelines
 * Experience in building data collection and curation pipelines.
 * Ability to collaborate, communicate effectively, and work as part of a multi-disciplinary team.

## Description

As a Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research, you will define and lead an influential research agenda spanning fundamental and applied work. You will provide intellectual leadership across projects and disciplines, initiate ambitious collaborations, and help shape broader research priorities within Microsoft Research. You will produce sustained, field-shaping research contributions; mentor and support the development of other researchers; and identify strategic opportunities for research to influence the scientific community, Microsoft products, and society., To ensure we receive a complete application from you, please be sure to follow these instructions:

 * Upload your Resume/CV.
 * Upload (as separate attachments to your application) 1 or 2 conference or journal articles, book chapters, link to blog posts, technical reports or equivalent (potentially unpublished) writing samples that you are most proud of.
 * Upload a short cover letter (no more than 2 pages) outlining technical achievements so far that you are most proud of and what you aim to continue doing moving forward. Feel free to also add extra research activities such as volunteering, civic engagement, community organizing that you might have been part of.
 * Add contact information for 2/3 reference letter writers (in nearly all cases, one will be from your dissertation advisor).

After you submit your application, the system will send a request for letters to your list of references on your behalf. Note: The application system will not request reference letters until after you have submitted your application.