Principal Applied Scientist

The Core Recommendation Ranking team in Microsoft AI Content Org is looking for an experienced architect who wants to build the next generation of recommendations using advanced AI technologies, especially large language models , at scale. We are responsible for content ranking and reranking to deliver most engaging and high quality recommendation results. Our content include news feeds, interest feeds, video feeds, AIGC feeds, etc. We are seeking a Principal Applied Scientist to integrate GenAI and agentic systems into end-to-end ranking stack. This role is ideal for a senior technical leader who combines deep expertise in largescale recommendation systems, large language models and agentic systems, with the architectural vision to drive crossteam alignment, accelerate innovation, and deliver measurable impact across Microsoft surfaces. You will partner closely with engineering, product, and applied science teams to design, optimize, and scale intelligent ranking systems that power personalized content experiences for millions of users.

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.

Starting January 26, 2026, Microsoft AI (MAI) employees who live within a 50- mile commute of a designated Microsoft office in the U.S. or 25-mile commute of a non-U.S., country-specific location are expected to work from the office at least four days per week. This expectation is subject to local law and may vary by jurisdiction.

• Architect the next generation of ranking, reranking, and retrieval systems for largescale content recommendation scenarios, for example generative recommendations, agentic feeds, etc.
• Lead the design of robust, efficient, and extensible ML/DL models pipelines, including feature engineering, model training, evaluation, and online inference. Establish technical standards and best practices for experimentation, model governance, and system reliability.
• Drive innovation in model architectures (e.g., deep learning, LLMenhanced ranking, multitask learning, contextual bandits, reinforcement learning).
• Partner with engineering, product, and platform teams to align roadmaps, integrate new capabilities, and ensure seamless endtoend delivery.
• Invest in others' growth and mentor teammembers, fostering a culture of scientific rigor, innovation, and operational excellence.
• Regularly communicate team progress internally and evangelize progress and opportunities to a wider audience includingmanagement and leadership.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Statistics, Econometrics, Computer Science, Electrical or Computer Engineering, or related field AND 8+ years related experience (e.g., statistics, predictive analytics, research)
  • OR Master's Degree in Statistics, Econometrics, Computer Science, Electrical or Computer Engineering, or related field AND 6+ years related experience (e.g., statistics, predictive analytics, research)
  • OR Doctorate in Statistics, Econometrics, Computer Science, Electrical or Computer Engineering, or related field AND 5+ years related experience (e.g., statistics, predictive analytics, research)
  • OR equivalent experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's Degree in Statistics, Econometrics, Computer Science, Electrical or Computer Engineering, or related field AND 12+ years related experience (e.g., statistics, predictive analytics, research)
  • OR Doctorate in Statistics, Econometrics, Computer Science, Electrical or Computer Engineering, or related field AND 8+ years related experience (e.g., statistics, predictive analytics, research)
  • OR equivalent experience.
• Expertise in recommendation systems, ranking models, search relevance, or personalization.
• Experience applying LLMtechniques or Recommendation system.
• Proficiency in modern ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow), data processing systems, and cloudscale infrastructure.
• Demonstrated ability to lead crossfunctional initiatives and influence technical direction across multiple teams.
• Solid communication skills with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Experience with LLMbased ranking, agentic AI, or generative AI applied to recommendation or personalization.
• Publications in toptier ML/AI conferences (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, KDD, WWW, RecSys).
• Solid architectural skills with experience designing largescale ML systems, distributed pipelines, and highthroughput online services.
• Experience working through full product cycles from initial design to final product delivery.
• Experience developing and designing backgrounds in multi-tiered distributed services.
• Experience with data structures, algorithms, asynchronous programming, and data processing. Knowledge and experience in large scale data analytics, such as Spark.
• Experience working with heterogeneous signals (behavioral, contextual, semantic embeddings) and multiobjective optimization.
• Experience developing end to end ML/DL systems.

#MicrosoftAI #Recommendations #Ranking #GenAI #Agentic

Applied Sciences IC6 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $163,000 - $296,400 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 $220,800 - $331,200 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

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.