Research Intern - Inference Economics and Human Agency

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 Research Intern will conduct empirical research on how human oversight shapes the economic return of AI-assisted work. This includes designing controlled experiments, developing session-level evaluation frameworks that link inference cost to output quality and human effort, and analyzing how interface design choices affect user confidence, reliance, and decision quality during AI-assisted tasks. The Research Intern will collaborate with the MADE team in the Office of the CTO and prepare a submission-ready research manuscript.

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.

Required Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a PhD program in Computer Science, Cognitive Science, Human-Computer Interaction, Information Systems, Behavioral Economics, or a related STEM field.
• At least 1 year of research experience in one or more of the following: human-AI interaction, decision science, metacognition, AI/LLM evaluation, or computational economics.

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. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing and running human-subjects experiments (IRB-compliant protocols, participant recruitment, controlled task studies).
• Familiarity with LLM agent architectures, prompt engineering, or multi-step AI orchestration systems.
• Background in confidence calibration, signal detection theory, or metacognitive measurement.
• Experience with mixed-methods research combining quantitative behavioral data and qualitative interview analysis.
• Proficiency in Python and statistical analysis tools (R, pandas, scipy, or equivalent).
• Published or in-progress research in CHI, CSCW, FAccT, AAAI, NeurIPS, or related venues.
• Familiarity with inference cost modeling, token economics, or cloud compute pricing.

The base pay range for this internship is USD $6,710 - $13,270 per month. 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 $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/perks listed below may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you 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.