Microsoft Research Sciences Internship 2026: Apply for a Research Internship

Overview

Microsoft Research Asia in Tokyo, Japan, is offering a full-time Research Sciences Internship for PhD students working in artificial intelligence, computer vision, robotics, machine learning and Spatial AI. The aim is to advance Embodied AI, meaning systems that understand and interact with the physical world. The group develops AI that understands people, objects and environments in three-dimensional settings, with work on computer vision, generative AI, 3D perception and robotic action learning.

The work site requires about three days per week in the office, and travel is expected to be under 25%. The internship runs roughly 16 weeks or longer, with a commitment of at least four months, and candidates must be able to work physically from the Tokyo site. Interns need permission from their academic advisor.

The intern joins a collaborative team and works on vision-language models, fundamental machine learning, computer vision, Spatial AI and robotics. Duties include designing and implementing experiments to test hypotheses and validate findings, analyzing results, contributing new approaches, communicating findings to an interdisciplinary team, and preparing technical papers, presentations and possibly open-source research code.

Who can apply

Candidates must be enrolled in a PhD programme in robotics, machine learning, computer science or a related STEM field, with research experience in areas such as Embodied AI, robotic manipulation, AI models or computer vision, shown through doctoral research, conference publications or journal articles.

Requirements

Strong programming experience, with hands-on use of Python and modern deep learning frameworks, is required, along with excellent problem-solving skills, the ability to work independently and in a team, and strong communication skills. Software engineering experience is an advantage. Desirable experience includes reinforcement learning, imitation learning, Vision-Language-Action models for robotic control, simulation environments such as Isaac Sim or MuJoCo, sim-to-real transfer for manipulation, path planning and control theory.

How to apply

Applications go through the Microsoft Careers portal, with a research-focused resume covering PhD studies, publications, projects and programming skills. The position was posted on 20 August 2026 and is open on an ongoing basis until filled.