Research Scientist Intern, AI Agents and Machine Learning (PhD)

Meta; Menlo Park (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 141,000; Full time

Job summary

Meta seeks Research Interns in Monetization Ranking & AI Foundations to advance AI agents for personalized ads. The role emphasizes ML/AI research, algorithm development, and rigorous evaluation, with collaboration across teams and publication of results.

Internships last 12–16 or 24 weeks with multiple start dates. Start dates vary; base compensation details listed. Strong candidates will have PhD progress and hands-on ML experience.

Qualifications

• PhD in ML/AI/CS or related field.
• Must obtain work authorization in country of employment.
• Experience with deep learning frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow.
• Experience with Python, C++, C, Java, or other related languages.
• Experience with research and building systems based on ML/dl methods.

Responsibilities

• Conduct state-of-the-art research to advance ML/AI.
• Develop novel algorithms and systems for AI agents, learning, reasoning, sequential decision-making.
• Design experiments and analyze learning algorithms and agentic systems.
• Collaborate with researchers and engineers across disciplines, communicating plans, progress and results.
• Publish research results and contribute to product development.

Skills

Python

C++

C

Java

Deep learning

Education

Ph.D. in ML/AI/CS or related field

Tools

PyTorch

TensorFlow

Job description

Meta was built to help people connect and share, and our tools have played a critical part in changing how people around the world communicate with one another. A career at Meta offers countless ways to make an impact in a fast-growing organization.Meta is seeking Research Interns to join Monetization Ranking & AI Foundations, where we strive to serve the best personalized ads to people, maximizing their personal utility and advertiser value. We are committed to making fundamental advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning, with an emphasis on AI agents that reason, plan, and learn from experience. Research areas include, but are not limited to, large language models, reinforcement learning, learning from feedback, meta-learning, representation learning, optimization, and evaluation.Our research explores how intelligent agents can adapt to new tasks, make effective decisions, and improve their capabilities through interaction and experimentation. Potential applications include agentic recommendation, ranking and retrieval, research automation, and other interactive decision-making environments.Our interns closely collaborate with researchers and engineers within the organization and across the company, push the boundaries of state-of-the-art research in AI and ML, share the latest findings through top-tier publications and open source, and contribute to innovations that can be applied at scale. Our internships are twelve (12) to sixteen (16), or twenty-four (24) weeks long, and we have various start dates throughout the year.

Research Scientist Intern, AI Agents and Machine Learning (PhD) Responsibilities:

• Conduct state-of-the-art research to advance the science and technology of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence.
• Develop novel algorithms and corresponding systems for AI agents, learning, reasoning, and sequential decision-making.
• Design rigorous experiments and analyze the effectiveness, efficiency, robustness, and generalization of learning algorithms and agentic systems.
• Collaborate with researchers and engineers across varied disciplines, including communicating research plans, progress, and results.
• Publish research results and contribute to research that can be applied to Meta product development.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Currently has or is in the process of obtaining a Ph.D. degree in Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Natural Language Processing, Reinforcement Learning, Optimization, Computational Statistics, Applied Mathematics, or a related technical field
• Must obtain work authorization in the country of employment at the time of hire and maintain ongoing work authorization during employment
• Experience with deep learning frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow
• Experience with Python, C++, C, Java, or other related languages
• Experience with research and building systems based on machine learning and/or deep learning methods

Preferred Qualifications:

• Intent to return to the degree program after the completion of the internship/co‑op
• Proven track record of achieving significant research results, including first-authored publications at leading workshops or conferences such as NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, ACL, AAAI, KDD, CoRL, or similar
• Research experience in one or more of the following: LLM agents, language‑model post‑training, reinforcement learning, planning, meta‑learning, or learning from interaction
• Demonstrated software engineering experience through research, internships, coding competitions, or contributions to open‑source repositories
• Demonstrated experience and self‑driven motivation in solving analytical problems using quantitative approaches
• Experience working and communicating cross‑functionally in a team environment

About Meta:

Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology. People who choose to build their careers by building with us at Meta help shape a future that will take us beyond what digital connection makes possible today—beyond the constraints of screens, the limits of distance, and even the rules of physics.

Meta is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affiantative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Meta participates in the E‑Verify program in certain locations, as required by law. Please note that Meta may leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies in connection with applications for employment.

Meta is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let us know at [e-mail].

$7,650/month to $12,667/month + benefits

Individual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Compensation details listed in this posting reflect the base hourly rate, monthly rate, or annual salary only, and do not include bonus, equity or sales incentives, if applicable. In addition to base compensation, Meta offers benefits. Learn more about benefits at Meta.