Applied Scientist 2

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In Feeds and AI team, we’re building Microsoft Start, a content powerhouse for every person on the planet to be informed, entertained, and inspired. Microsoft Start is the place for all to read, watch, listen, create, connect with people of shared interests, and experience wonders in the world.

We are looking for a skilled and experienced Applied Scientist 2 to join our ranking foundation team. As an Applied Scientist 2 focusing on recommender systems, you will play an important role in contributing to the development and optimization of our online services and offline pipelines within our content ecosystem to achieve product and business growth goals.

Required qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree in Statistics, Econometrics, Computer Science, Electrical or Computer Engineering, or related field AND 2+ years related experience (e.g., statistics, predictive analytics, research) OR Master's Degree in Statistics, Econometrics, Computer Science, Electrical or Computer Engineering, or related field AND 1+ year(s) related experience (e.g., statistics, predictive analytics, research) OR Doctorate in Statistics, Econometrics, Computer Science, Electrical or Computer Engineering, or related field OR equivalent experience.

• Minimum of 2 years of professional experience in recommender systems, search engines, or online advertising, with strong expertise in machine learning algorithms, generative AI and large language models (LLMs), statistics, and data mining techniques applied to personalization.
• Proven problem-solving abilities and a track record of thriving in fast-paced, collaborative environments. Excellent communication and teamwork skills, with the capability to clearly present and explain technical concepts to a variety of audiences.
• Proficient in Python programming, with additional experience in languages such as C# or C++ considered a plus.

Additional or preferred qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree in Statistics, Econometrics, Computer Science, Electrical or Computer Engineering, or related field AND 5+ years related experience (e.g., statistics, predictive analytics, research) OR Master's Degree in Statistics, Econometrics, Computer Science, Electrical or Computer Engineering, or related field AND 3+ years related experience (e.g., statistics, predictive analytics, research) OR Doctorate in Statistics, Econometrics, Computer Science, Electrical or Computer Engineering, or related field AND 1+ year(s) related experience (e.g., statistics, predictive analytics, research) OR equivalent experience.

1+ year(s) experience creating publications (e.g., patents, peer-reviewed academic papers).

• Bridges the gap between research and development teams to bring state-of-the-art technologies—especially in NLP, LLMs, and recommender systems—into Microsoft products, driving immediate product impact.
• Designs, develops, and optimizes ranking and recommendation algorithms (e.g., for News & Feeds), incorporating advanced machine learning and generative AI techniques to improve user engagement and product features.
• Performs deep data analysis to uncover patterns and trends, builds systemic models to enhance recommendation relevance and user experience, and prepares high-quality datasets for ML applications.
• Applies and improves ML algorithms, prepares and adapts data for scalable AI solutions, and supports deployment, monitoring, and iteration of models in production environments.
• Works with internal and external product and business groups, contributes to technology transfer, patents, and white papers, and consults on applying advanced concepts to real-world product needs.
• Maintains academic and professional networks, supports recruiting and mentoring efforts, and contributes to publications and internal knowledge sharing to foster innovation and talent development.
• Documents research processes and findings, adheres to ethics and privacy standards, and aligns work with team strategy while gaining expertise in key research domains like machine learning, computer vision, and statistical modeling.