Principal Applied Scientist
- Location
- Redmond | United States, WA
- Job type
- Full-time
- Level
- Executive
- Experience
- 6+ years
- Education
- Master's degree
- Listed
- 29 days ago
Skills & highlights for this role
- LLM post-training and alignment
- retrieval-augmented generation (RAG)
- large-scale machine learning for search, ads and recommendation
Also useful
- NLP
- Python
- C++
About the role
You will lead one or more big initiatives leveraging your expertise across a broad research landscape, including advanced research methodologies and applied techniques. You'll gain deep knowledge of a service, platform, or domain, and drive product opportunities by sharing emerging industry trends and applied technologies. You will review business requirements and incorporate research insights to meet strategic goals.
You'll provide directions on the types of data and machine learning model strategies needed to solve complex problems and apply deep subject‑matter expertise to drive measurable business impact. You will support the onboarding of new team members and help develop academic collaborators into effective contributors within multidisciplinary teams.
You will advance LLM post‑training and alignment techniques by designing, implementing, and evaluating novel methods that improve reasoning quality, safety, controllability, and factual grounding across large‑scale models. You will drive and develop next‑generation search capabilities by building and optimizing retrieval, ranking, and relevance systems that integrate deeply with LLM‑powered experiences.
You will architect and refine RAG pipelines that enhance retrieval fidelity, reduce hallucinations, and deliver more context‑aware, user‑aligned responses in production environments. You will translate research into production by running experiments, analyzing results, and collaborating with engineering partners to deploy scalable, reliable model improvements.
You will drive scientific rigor through hypothesis‑driven experimentation, reproducible methodologies, and clear documentation of findings, insights, and model behaviors. You will drive collaborate across disciplines—including research, engineering, product, and design—to shape long‑term strategy for search, alignment, and retrieval‑augmented systems.
You will contribute to a culture of innovation by sharing learnings, mentoring peers, and participating in internal research discussions, reviews, and technical deep dives.
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) 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.
6+ years of experience coding in Python, C++, C#, C or Java. 6+ year of industry experience applying Machine Learning techniques. Experience building and improving large scale Machine Learning system for search, ads, and recommendation, adopting LLM. Research background on Machine Learning, LLM and NLP. Proficient problem solver: ability to identify and solve problems that the world has not solved before.
From Microsoft's careers page, first listed on Rolev.ai on October 11, 2026. Rolev.ai is not the employer.
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Common questions
Where is the Principal Applied Scientist job at Microsoft located?
This Principal Applied Scientist position at Microsoft is located in Redmond | United States, WA. Always check Microsoft's application page for specific state eligibility or relocation policies.
What qualifications are required for Principal Applied Scientist at Microsoft?
For the Principal Applied Scientist role, Microsoft highlights 6+ years of relevant experience; a master's degree; experience with LLM post-training and alignment, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), large-scale machine learning for search, ads and recommendation. Rolev.ai can score your existing resume against these requirements and show any skill gaps before you apply.
How do I apply for the Principal Applied Scientist position at Microsoft?
This listing links directly to Microsoft's application page. You can apply directly on Microsoft's site, or use Rolev.ai to check your resume fit, generate a zero-hallucination tailored resume and cover letter for this posting, and autofill the application form in 1 click with the Rolev.ai Chrome extension. You always review the form and press Submit yourself.