Industry Postdoc Opportunity

Microsoft Research - Researcher: Machine Learning

Location: Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
Job number: 907535
Duration: 2 years

Job Summary

Machine learning is having a transformative effect on many research areas, significantly altering the way many problems are approached, and the scope of what is achievable. Project Silica is developing a revolutionary storage technology by using femtosecond lasers to store data in glass. The project provides an unprecedented opportunity to completely re-think how storage systems are built, and build a storage technology that’s end-to-end optimized solely for the cloud, from the materials level up to the user interface. Machine learning plays a critical role in the design and development of the technology, including: enabling unprecedented information density to be encoded and successfully read back, end-to-end optimization across hardware and software, and reinforcement learning control of different parts of the system.

The Project Silica team is highly multi-disciplinary, comprising computer scientists, physicists, optical scientists, chemists, electrical and mechanical engineers, and designers. Tackling the hard technical challenges of making glass storage into a real technology presents a myriad of unique opportunities for cross-disciplinary research, including applying machine learning to completely new problem domains.

Responsibilities

As a researcher on the project, you will be empowered to collaborate with various members of the team, designing, implementing, and applying machine learning solutions to various aspects of the system, with the goal of making Silica into a successful storage technology deployed at scale in the cloud. Problem areas broadly include: computer vision for object detection and recognition, ML-driven discovery and optimization of new physical processes, hardware/software co-optimization, RL control, etc.

Qualifications

REQUIRED:

  • Completed (or on-track to complete) a PhD in a relevant discipline.
  • Knowledge of deep learning.
  • Interest in applied research with real high-world impact.
  • Strong software engineering skills for rapid and accurate development.
  • Creative and collaborative approach to problem solving.

PREFERRED:

  • Publications in top tier conferences.
  • Working knowledge of storage systems or storage development.
  • Hands-on experience with current deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, Tensorflow, etc.)

About MSR

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request via the Accommodation request form.

Benefits/perks may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you work.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply using the application link on the job information page at MSR.