Microsoft is seeking a Senior NLP/ML Researcher to join their team. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, and Generative AI research, along with a proven track record of research leadership.
Key responsibilities
- Lead cutting-edge research in Generative AI tailored for the African context, ensuring innovative and culturally relevant solutions
- Collaborate with Microsoft researchers globally on existing and new AI projects
- Disseminate research findings through:
- Publications in top-tier journals and conferences
- Presentations at academic and industry events
- Organization of workshops and seminars to facilitate knowledge exchange
- Engage with stakeholders to align research with real-world needs, promoting equitable and beneficial AI solutions for diverse communities
- Contribute to strategic planning of research initiatives, focusing on Globally Equitable Generative AI to ensure impactful and sustainable outcomes
- Mentor and support junior researchers, fostering a culture of innovation and continuous learning
- Bridge the gap between academic research and product development, working with both research communities and Microsoft product teams
- Actively participate in the growth and development of Microsoft Research Africa, contributing to its vision and impact
- Drive the implementation of AI solutions that address unique challenges and opportunities in Africa
- Stay informed about emerging trends in AI ethics and responsible AI development, particularly in the African context
Required qualifications
- Ph.D. in Machine Learning, Computer Science, or a closely related field
- Extensive theoretical and practical knowledge of machine learning algorithms, particularly those underpinning modern language and vision processing
- Minimum of 4 years of post-doctoral work experience in AI/ML research
- Strong publication record in top-tier computer science and ML conferences, such as NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, CVPR, ICCV, ECCV, or EMNLP
- Proficiency in current deep-learning frameworks and toolkits, with a focus on natural language processing and/or computer vision
- Proven track record in shaping and leading research agendas in AI/ML
- Demonstrated ability to critically evaluate and benchmark ML models
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to present complex findings to both academic and business audiences
- Experience in mentoring junior researchers and collaborating in multidisciplinary teams
- Passion for continuous learning and staying abreast of the latest advancements in AI & ML
Preferred qualifications
Here’s a rewritten version of the preferred qualifications:
Preferred Qualifications:
- Proven research experience in one or more of the following areas:
- Deep learning and Generative AI (image, language, audio, or multimodal models)
- Generative AI for African languages or data-constrained tasks
- Data generation and augmentation techniques for model development and evaluation
- Demonstrated research interest in AI applications relevant to Africa
- Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, with the ability to tackle complex AI challenges
- Excellent communication skills and proven ability to collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary teams
- Experience with Python, C++, or other programming languages relevant to AI research
- Track record of publications in top-tier AI conferences or journals (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, ACL)
- Familiarity with current trends in generative AI and large language models
- Passion for innovative AI research with potential real-world impact, particularly in African contexts
The role offers the opportunity to work on challenging problems at the forefront of AI research, with access to vast computational resources and datasets. Microsoft provides a competitive salary package, with top ML researchers potentially earning $300k+ annually.
Join Microsoft’s world-class research team and help shape the future of AI technology. Apply now to be part of this exciting opportunity!
