AI Research Intern (PhD)

First Roles; New York (NY); On-site; USD 92,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Catered lunches

Hackathon

PTO & holidays

Company dinners

Job summary

Duolingo is seeking an AI Research Intern (PhD) in New York, NY to work on real-world datasets and state-of-the-art AI methods. You will prototype models, evaluate experiments, and collaborate with researchers, engineers, and product teams to publish findings and drive features for millions of learners.

The role requires a PhD trajectory in AI/ML/NLP, strong publication history or portfolio, and hands-on experience with Python/Java/Scala/C/C++. Relocation to New York or Pittsburgh is possible.

Qualifications

• Pursuing a PhD in artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural language processing, or related field.
• Graduation expected by August 2028
• Contributions to research communities and efforts, including publishing papers at conferences such as ACL, CVPR, EDM, ICML, NeurIPS, etc.
• A portfolio of impactful work, in the form of publications, open-source projects, or AI internships
• Experience implementing AI systems in Python, Java, Scala, or C/C++ (i.e., not just R or MATLAB)
• A creative, interdisciplinary, and entrepreneurial approach to R&D
• Strong debugging and critical thinking skills
• 12 week consecutive availability

Responsibilities

• Apply AI methods to massive real-world datasets
• Prototype new models, evaluate with small scale experiments, and/or productionize solutions at scale
• Work with a cross-functional team of world class researchers, engineers, and others to build new product features and/or publish state-of-the-art findings
• Solve our most ambitious problems with the right tool for the task
• Collaborate cross-functionally to bring your ideas to life in the product
• Identify problems, prototype solutions, evaluate their return on investment, and then implement the best solution at scale to improve the lives of our millions of learners each day

Skills

PhD candidate

NLP/ML

Python/Java/Scala/C/C++

Research publications

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

PhD in AI/ML/NLP

Tools

Python

C/C++

Java

Scala

Job description

JobsData & AnalyticsAI Research Intern (PhD)Duolingo# AI Research Intern (PhD)Internship Live nowNew York, NYPosted November 6, 2026Last seen at Duolingo on November 6, 2026.FirstRoles never charges new grads or interns to apply.## About this roleOur mission at Duolingo is to develop the best education in the world and make it universally available. It’s a big mission, and that’s where you come in!At Duolingo, you’ll join a team that cares about educating our users, experimenting with big ideas, making fact-based decisions, and finding innovative solutions to complex problems. You’ll have limitless learning opportunities and daily collaborations with world-class minds — while doing work that’s both meaningful and fun.Join our life-changing mission to develop education for our half a billion (and growing!) learners around the world.Read our blog to learn more. You Will...Apply AI methods to massive real-world datasetsPrototype new models, evaluate with small scale experiments, and/or productionize solutions at scaleWork with a cross-functional team of world class researchers, engineers, and others to build new product features and/or publish state-of-the-art findingsSolve our most ambitious problems with the right tool for the taskCollaborate cross-functionally to bring your ideas to life in the productIdentify problems, prototype solutions, evaluate their return on investment, and then implement the best solution at scale to improve the lives of our millions of learners each day You Have...Pursuing a PhD in artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural language processing, or related fieldGraduation expected by August 2028Contributions to research communities and efforts, including publishing papers at conferences such as ACL, CVPR, EDM, ICML, NeurIPS, etc.A portfolio of impactful work, in the form of (for example) publications, open-source projects, or AI internshipsExperience implementing AI systems in Python, Java, Scala, or C/C++ (i.e., not just R or MATLAB)A creative, interdisciplinary, and entrepreneurial approach to R&DStrong debugging and critical thinking skills12 week consecutive availabilityMay 24, 2027 - August 13, 2027June 14, 2027 - September 3, 2027Ability to relocate to Pittsburgh, PA or New York, NY What you can expect...Language learning opportunitiesCatered in-house lunches, and breakfast and dinner optionsCompany-wide HackathonPTO and company holidaysFrequent company-wide dinners, monthly celebrations, social clubs, and so much more!Connect with your recruiter on the benefits for interns at Duolingo!Hourly Range for this internship is:$67—$69 USDBenefits: Take a peek at how we care for our employees' holistic well-being with our benefits here.Job Alerts: Sign up for job alerts here.Accommodations: We will do everything we can within reason to make sure that your interview takes place in an environment that fairly and accurately assesses your skills. If you need assistance or accommodation, please contact [e-mail] Employment Opportunity: Duolingo is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.Fraud Warning: Unfortunately, there is a rise in scammers pretending to be real Duolingo employees. Duolingo and our employees will never ask for your Social Security number, bank details, or passport info, and we’ll never ask you to deposit a check, purchase equipment, or exchange money during the interview process. Real Duolingo employees always use an email that ends in @duolingo.com or @recruiting.duolingo.com. Stay alert and double-check these details before sharing any information.By applying for this position your data will be processed as per the Duolingo Applicant Privacy Notice.