Research Intern - Interactive Multimodal Futures Group; Situated & Affective Computing

Position: Research Intern - Interactive Multimodal Futures Group (Situated & Affective Computing)
Overview

Research Internships at Microsoft provide a dynamic environment for research careers with a network of world-class research labs led by globally-recognized scientists and engineers, who pursue innovation in a range of scientific and technical disciplines to help solve complex challenges in diverse fields, including computing, healthcare, economics, and the environment.

The Interactive Multimodal Futures (IMF) group at Microsoft Research seeks a PhD-level Research Intern to work on a project at the intersection of situated interaction, affective computing, and human-centered AI systems. The project will include elements of multimodal sensing (physiology, speech, gaze, gestures, olfaction/gas, etc.), signal processing, and real-time interaction.

Our group's research spans several sub-areas:

* Human-centered AI for affective computing and adaptive experiences.

* Situated interaction between humans and AI systems deployed in the physical world.

* Conversational AI Agents that are empathetic and context aware.

* Ambient intelligence with unobtrusive sensing in the real world.

You will collaborate with IMF researchers to prototype systems, run user studies, develop machine learning models, and explore technical capabilities of generative AI for human-AI interaction.

Please include a cover letter indicating which of the above research topics you are most interested in and aligned with. Be sure to indicate which of the specific preferred qualifications (listed below) you possess.

Responsibilities

Research Interns put inquiry and theory into practice. Alongside fellow doctoral candidates and some of the world's best researchers, Research Interns learn, collaborate, and network for life. Research Interns not only advance their own careers, but they also contribute to exciting research and development strides. During the 12-week internship, Research Interns are paired with mentors and expected to collaborate with other Research Interns and researchers, present findings, and contribute to the vibrant life of the community.

Research internships are available in all areas of research, and are offered year-round, though they typically begin in the summer.

Additional Responsibilities

* Design and implement research prototypes for real-time situated and adaptive interaction.

* Explore the use of the latest generative AI techniques related to interpreting multimodal interaction, conversation, and behavioral signals.

* Conduct user studies and analyze multimodal data.

* Contribute to publications and share findings with the research community.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

* Currently enrolled in a PhD or equivalent program in HCI, HRI, Computer Science, Cognitive Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Psychology, or related STEM field.

* At least 2 years of research experience using human-centered approaches in HCI, HRI, ML, CV, or Affective Computing.

Other Requirements

* 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. After you submit your application, a request for letters may be sent to your list of references on your behalf. Note that reference letters cannot be requested until after you have submitted your application, and furthermore, that they might not be automatically requested for all candidates.

You may wish to alert your letter writers in advance, so they will be ready to submit your letter.

* Please include a cover letter indicating which of the research topics you are most interested in and aligned with. Be sure to indicate which of the specific preferred qualifications (listed below) you possess.

Preferred Qualifications

We are looking for some combination of the following qualifications (please address these in your cover letter):

* Experience writing peer-reviewed publications.

* Experience with generative AI techniques, ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch), and real-time interactive systems.

* Strong collaboration and…