Job Title: Principal Applied Scientist
Location: Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Work Model: Up to 50% work from home
Employment Type: Full-Time
Role Type: Individual Contributor
Discipline: Applied Sciences
Overview
Lead the design, training, optimization, and deployment of large-scale AI models, including large language models (LLMs) and agentic systems for advertising.
Focus on scalable model architectures, efficient inference, and agentic capabilities to deliver high-impact ad solutions.
Shape strategic AI initiatives in ad retrieval, creative generation, relevance, and safety.
Advance the frontier of scalable and agent-driven AI systems.
Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more.
Emphasize a growth mindset, innovation, collaboration, respect, integrity, and accountability.
Foster a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’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
Master’s Degree in the above fields AND 4+ years related experience
OR
Doctorate in the above fields AND 3+ years related experience
OR
Equivalent experience.
Solid hands-on experience designing and deploying LLMs or foundation models at large scale.
Deep understanding of transformer architectures, distributed training, and model optimization for production environments.
Expertise in high-performance inference techniques for latency-critical applications.
Solid programming skills in Python and C++. Familiarity with PyTorch, TensorFlow, and distributed systems.
Ability to meet Microsoft, customer, and/or government security screening requirements, including passing the Microsoft Cloud Background Check upon hire and every two years thereafter.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in agentic modeling, including reinforcement learning and multi-agent systems.
Responsibilities
Lead design and training of LLMs and agentic models at large scale for advertising scenarios like retrieval, generation, personalization, and safety.
Innovate on model architectures, distributed training strategies, and system optimizations for scalable and efficient production deployment.
Develop and implement high-performance inference strategies to reduce latency and computational overhead while maintaining model quality.
Partner with product and engineering leaders to integrate AI solutions seamlessly into Microsoft Ads’ global platform.
Foster technical excellence, mentorship, and collaboration across teams and functions.
Contribute to Microsoft’s AI research ecosystem through publishing and patenting innovations.
Benefits / Perks (may vary by location and employment type)
Industry-leading healthcare
Educational resources
Discounts on products and services
Savings and investments
Maternity and paternity leave
Generous paid time off
Giving programs
Opportunities to network and connect
