Research Intern - Computational Social Science

Overview

Microsoft Research internships 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 across a range of scientific and technical disciplines to help solve complex challenges in diverse fields, including computing, healthcare, economics, and the environment.

The Microsoft Research Computational Social Science (CSS) group is a leading center of computational social science research, drawing on computational techniques to address questions in the social sciences. The group focuses on AI-based tools at both individual and societal levels, including research on AI-augmented human cognition and decision-making, education, and the economics of agentic markets where AI agents represent consumers and businesses. Additional areas include making data, models, and algorithms easier to understand; improving polling and forecasting; advancing crowdsourcing methods; and understanding the market and impact of news and advertising.

Our approach addresses two longstanding difficulties in social science: the challenge of collecting observational data at scale and over time, and the difficulty of running large-scale, long-horizon experiments in traditional labs. We leverage digital data from existing platforms (e.g., email, web browsers, search, social media) to gain insights into individual and collective behavior, and design novel experiments that enable larger scale, longer time horizons, and greater complexity and realism. We analyze crowdsourced lab participants, AI participants in simulations, and user behavior in field experiments.

Other internships at MSR New England and MSR New York City can be found on the labs’ listing of opportunities or in the job search tool. Microsoft Research New England and Microsoft Research New York City comprise approximately fifty full-time researchers and postdocs working in computational social science, economics and computation, FATE, machine learning and AI, computational biology, and sociotechnical systems. The labs are highly collaborative and interdisciplinary and engage with the local academic and tech communities.

Please explicitly list in your cover letter:

1. Your data analytic toolset (e.g., R, Python, etc.)
2. Your web development toolset (e.g., JavaScript, React.js, D3.js, etc.)
3. Your experience developing, evaluating, and/or using generative AI tools
4. A link to any online code repositories (e.g., Github, OSF, etc.)
5. A link to your research website/publications

You can upload documents by going to your profile on the career site and clicking on the Resume Manager tab in the top right of the page, and from there selecting Other Documents.

If you are having trouble submitting your application, please go to the bottom of the page and click "Support" and fill out the requested information.

For full consideration, please submit your application by January 9, 2026.

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. They contribute to exciting research and development strides while advancing their own careers. During the 12-week internship, Research Interns are paired with mentors, collaborate with other interns and researchers, present findings, and contribute to the vibrant life of the community. Internships are available in all areas of research and are offered year-round, though they typically begin in the summer.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a PhD program in a field related to computational social science.
• At least 2 years of experience with data analysis in languages such as R or Python.
• At least 1 year of experience designing, building, and analyzing online experiments.

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 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.

• Provide a cover letter explicitly stating the following:

  1. Your data analytic toolset (e.g., R, Python, etc.)
  2. Your web development toolset (e.g., JavaScript, React.js, D3.js, etc.)
  3. Your experience developing, evaluating, and/or using generative AI tools
  4. A link to any online code repositories (e.g., Github, OSF, etc.)
  5. A link to your research website/publications

Preferred Qualifications

• Skills for modern web development tools (e.g., JavaScript) for online experiments.
• Demonstrated ability to develop original research agendas.
• Track record of cross-group and cross-cultural collaboration.
• Ability to think creatively to derive innovative solutions.

You can upload documents by going to your profile on the career site and clicking on the Resume Manager tab in the top right of the page, and from there selecting Other Documents.

If you are having trouble submitting your application, please go to the bottom of the page and click "Support" and fill out the requested information.

The base pay range for this internship is USD 6,710 – 13,270 per month. A different range applies to specific work locations within the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City metropolitan area (USD 8,760 – 14,360 per month).

Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-intern-pay

Benefits and perks listed may vary depending on employment type and country of work.

This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.