AI Research Intern - Innovation Lab

What You Can Expect: Join Zoom's dynamic AI Incubation team as a PhD Research Intern, where you'll be at the forefront of the next wave of Large Language Model (LLM) innovation. You'll collaborate with a prestigious group of PhDs and applied scientists, working on transformative projects in post-training, reinforcement learning (RL), and federated AI. Your role goes beyond mere observation; you'll take ownership of a significant research project, run large-scale experiments, and contribute to game-changing developments that enhance the Zoom AI Companion. This is a unique chance to witness how cutting-edge AI research evolves into products utilized by millions. About the Team: The AI Incubation team is a renowned applied research group recognized for creating one of the industry's leading federated AI systems. We operate at the cutting edge of: Agentic Intelligence: Advancing beyond chat to models that take action. Federated AI: Ensuring privacy-preserving, edge-to-cloud learning across diverse model ecosystems. Advanced Alignment: Elevating RLHF, DPO, and RLAIF for better reasoning and reliability. Key Responsibilities: Execute Research Projects: Design and conduct experiments focused on LLM fine-tuning, preference optimization, or distributed federated learning. Prototype & Evaluate: Create and benchmark new model architectures or training methodologies to enhance reasoning, personalization, and safety features. Collaborate: Work closely with senior scientists to refine research questions and troubleshoot extensive training runs. Document & Present: Compile your findings into internal reports or potential publications, and present your work to the broader AI team. Stay Curious: Keep abreast of the latest ArXiv papers and open-source advancements to keep our methods at the forefront. What We're Looking For: Academic Background: Currently enrolled in a PhD program in Computer Science, Machine Learning, AI, or a related quantitative discipline. Technical Proficiency: Strong programming skills in PyTorch, with experience in libraries like Hugging Face Transformers or DeepSpeed being a significant advantage. Research Focus: Familiarity with at least one of the following: LLM post-training, Federated Learning, Multimodal models, or Agentic workflows. Problem Solver: A proven track record of tackling open-ended research challenges, as demonstrated by publications in top conferences or substantial open-source contributions. Communication: Ability to clearly articulate complex technical concepts and cooperate in a dynamic, iterative environment. Salary Range or On Target Earnings: Minimum: $66.50 Maximum: $106.50 The starting salary will reflect various factors, including qualifications and experience. Ways of Working: We follow a structured hybrid approach that values both in-office and remote work arrangements. The specific working style for this role is detailed in the job description. Benefits: As part of our esteemed workplace culture, we offer a variety of perks that support your physical, mental, emotional, and financial well-being. We aim to help you maintain work-life balance and engage meaningfully with your community. About Us: At Zoom, we facilitate connections that empower teams to accomplish their goals. Commencing with a focus on providing the best collaboration tools, we now deliver products like Zoom Contact Center, Zoom Phone, and Zoom Webinars, all designed to enhance communication. We're a community of problem-solvers committed to creating effective solutions for our users and clients. Our Commitment: We believe in fostering a culture of support and empowerment, advocating for fair hiring practices that prioritize skills and experience. We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and experiences, including those requiring accommodations within the hiring process. If you need assistance due to a medical disability during your application, please submit a request form to enable us to support you effectively. Note that this is strictly for those requiring accommodations and does not cover application follow-ups. Take your time with the application; we aim to build a strong team. Your unique contributions are essential to our success, and we value every individual's role in enriching our team culture.

Created: 2026-03-09