New job, posted less than a week ago!
Job Details
Posted date: Sep 17, 2025
Category: Research, Applied, & Data Sciences
Location: Redmond, WA
Estimated salary: $212,000
Range: $119,800 - $304,200
Employment type: Full-Time
Travel amount: 25.0%
Work location type: 3 days / week in-office
Role: Individual Contributor
Description
Microsoft Research & Incubations is advancing transformative technologies to empower individuals and organizations globally. Within this division, the Special Projects team is seeking a Senior Research Data Scientist to join the GraphRAG initiative, focusing on cutting-edge work at the intersection of Large Language Models (LLMs), Small Language Models (SLMs), and graph machine learning. This role involves designing and evaluating experiments independently, with a focus on knowledge extraction, representation, and building innovative memory systems that push the boundaries of retrieval-augmented generation and drive real-world product impact. Some areas of research concentration include, but are not limited to:Large & Small Language Models Anomaly Detection, Machine Learning / Deep Learning, Data Science and AnalyticsGraph Machine LearningNLP, Transformers, Conversational AI, Chat Bots, Language Models, Text PredictionComputer Vision, Image Classification, Image Segmentation, Object DetectionModel Compression, Pruning, Quantization, DistillationSystems Security, Software SecurityOperating Systems, VirtualizationDistributed Systems, Cloud Infrastructure, Power and Energy ManagementSystems for ML Support for Systems, Program Verification, Resilient SystemsGeospatial Systems, Data VisualizationMicrosoft Research offers an exhilarating and supportive environment for cutting-edge, multidisciplinary research, both theoretical and applied, with access to an extraordinary diversity of big and small data sources, an open publications policy, and close links to top academic institutions. We seek applicants with the passion and ability to craft and pursue engineering solutions supporting a variety of research efforts.
Successful candidates will be ambitious and demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit in working well with underspecified requirements, have development skills in at least one major programming language, and a demonstrated capability to work across a variety of problem domains. This is an exceptional opportunity to work with a diverse team of researchers, focusing on delivering the next generation of research advances and scientific understanding to Microsoft’s customers. This role will involve working closely with partner product teams to help transition research into impactful product outcomes.
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.
In alignment with our Microsoft values, we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment for all employees to positively impact our culture every day.
Design, develop, and evaluate experiments involving language models.Develop and drive a high-impact research agenda and engineering plan.Collaborate to develop and test out new ideas within existing or new collaborations within the research group and with product partners.Build software systems that test new approaches or develop novel theoretical and practical insights.Prepare technical papers and presentations for journals and conferences.Embody our culture and values.
Qualifications
Required QualificationsBachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related field AND 5+ years data-science experience (e.g., managing structured and unstructured data, applying statistical techniques and reporting results)OR Master's Degree in Computer Science or related field AND 3+ years data-science experience (e.g., managing structured and unstructured data, applying statistical techniques and reporting results)Doctorate in Computer Science or related field AND 1+ year(s) data-science experience (e.g., managing structured and unstructured data, applying statistical techniques and reporting results)OR equivalent experience.Experience with Python.Experience with Large Language Models (LLMs).Preferred Qualifications
Experience with small / large language models.Experience deploying research through to production.Experience in graph machine learning.Experience with manifold learning.Experience with cloud technologies such as Azure or AWS.Experience with full-stack development.Foundational knowledge in computer science.Ability to learn, analyze and solve hard problemsEffective in team collaboration and communication within diverse teams.Experience in C#, Java, Rust, JavaScript/TypeScript.Data Science IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $119,800 - $234,700 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 $158,400 - $258,000 per year.
Data Science IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $139,900 - $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: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay
Microsoft will accept applications and processes offers for these roles on an ongoing basis.
#Research
#MSRR
Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request via the Accommodation request form.
Benefits/perks listed below may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you work.
Check out other jobs at Microsoft.