The Core Search and AI team at Microsoft is seeking a Senior Applied Scientist to enhance search relevance using advanced AI technologies, particularly large language models. This role involves collaborating with a diverse team to tackle complex AI challenges and improve search capabilities. The candidate will leverage their machine learning expertise to drive innovation and contribute to the development of next-generation search systems. Microsoft values a culture of inclusion and collaboration, aiming to empower individuals and organizations globally.

• Bachelor's Degree in Statistics, Econometrics, Computer Science, Electrical or Computer Engineering, or related field AND 4+ years related experience.
• Master's Degree in Statistics, Econometrics, Computer Science, Electrical or Computer Engineering, or related field AND 3+ years related experience.
• Doctorate in Statistics, Econometrics, Computer Science, Electrical or Computer Engineering, or related field AND 1+ year(s) related experience.
• 3+ years of industry experience applying Machine Learning techniques or Data Analysis Applications.
• Experience building and improving large scale Machine Learning systems for search, ads, and recommendation, adopting LLM.
• Research background in Machine Learning, LLM, and NLP.

• Master one or more subareas and build expertise across a broad research landscape.
• Review business requirements and incorporate research insights to meet strategic goals.
• Support the onboarding of junior team members and help develop academic collaborators.
• Document ongoing work, experimental results, and research findings to promote transparency.
• Advance LLM post-training and alignment techniques by designing and evaluating novel methods.
• Develop next-generation search capabilities by building and optimizing retrieval and ranking systems.
• Architect and refine RAG pipelines to enhance retrieval fidelity and reduce hallucinations.
• Translate research into production by running experiments and collaborating with engineering partners.
• Drive scientific rigor through hypothesis-driven experimentation and clear documentation.
• Collaborate across disciplines to shape long-term strategy for search and retrieval-augmented systems.
• Monitor and evaluate model performance using quantitative metrics and user-centric evaluation frameworks.
• Contribute to a culture of innovation by sharing learnings and mentoring peers.

• Employees at Microsoft are often offered comprehensive, “world-class” benefits—including health and mental-wellness programs, competitive pay with bonuses and stock awards, and retirement/savings options. Time-off and flexibility are common, with generous vacation and holidays, parental and caregiver leave, and flexible work schedules, alongside learning support, employee resource groups, product discounts, and matching-gifts/volunteering programs. Specific benefits can vary by region.