Research Intern - Social Media Collective - Spring - Platforms and Communities

Virtual Internship
P* *articipation in the Research Internship Program requires that you are physically located in the United States or Canada for the duration of the internship.
Research Internships at Microsoft provide a dynamic environment for research careers with a network of world-class research labs led by globally-recognized scientists and engineers. Our researchers and engineers pursue innovation in a range of scientific and technical disciplines to help solve complex challenges in diverse fields, including computing, healthcare, economics, and the environment.
Microsoft Research New England (MSRNE) is looking for an advanced PhD student to work with the Social Media Collective (SMC) for a 12-week paid internship in spring 2022. We are looking in particular for candidates interested in researching social media platforms, news curation, user engagement, toxicity, or content moderation.
The ideal candidate may be trained in any number of disciplines (including communication, media studies, information science, anthropology, sociology, or a related field), but should have a strong qualitative methodological, analytical, and theoretical foundation, and be conversant with the literatures on platforms, news curation, user engagement, toxicity, and content moderation. The intern may have the opportunity to interact with product teams that develop technologies for news and community engagement at a global scale.
The Social Media Collective brings together empirical and critical perspectives to understand the politicaland cultural dynamics that underpin social mediatechnologies. For more information about the Social Media Collective, and a list of past interns, visit the Aboutpage of our blog (https://socialmediacollective.org/).
APPLICATION DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 6, 2022
Responsibilities
Interns put inquiry and theory into practice. Alongside fellow doctoral candidates and some of the world's best researchers, interns learn, collaborate, and network for life. Interns not only advance their own careers, but they also contribute to exciting research and development strides. During the 12-week internship, students are paired with mentors and expected to collaborate with other interns and researchers, present findings, and contribute to the vibrant life of the community. Research internships are available in all areas of research, and are offered year-round, though they typically begin in the summer.
During the 12-week internship, the intern will be paired with an SMC mentor, and be expected to collaborate with other interns and researchers, present their work, and contribute to the vibrant life of the SMC community. Interns are also expected to contribute to the life of the lab through weekly lunches with fellow PhD interns and other lab-wide events. There are also natural opportunities for collaboration with SMC researchers and visitors, and with others currently working at MSRNE, including computer scientists, economists, and mathematicians.
Qualifications
In addition to the qualifications below, you'll need to submit a minimum of two reference letters for this position. After you submit your application, a request for letters may be sent to your list of references on your behalf. Note that reference letters cannot be requested until after you have submitted your application, and furthermore, that they might not be automatically requested for all candidates. You may wish to alert your letter writers in advance, so they will be ready to submit your letter.
Required Qualifications
- Applicants musthave completed Ph.D. coursework by the time they start their internship (as soon as March 2022). Unfortunately, there are no opportunities for Master's students or early PhD students at this time.
Participation in the Research Internship Program requires that you are physically located in the United States or Canada for the duration of the internship.
Preferred Qualifications
Your application must include:
- a short description (no more than 2 pages, single-spaced... a separate sheet for citations won't count against you) of a research project that you propose to do while interning at MSRNE, independently and/or in collaboration with current SMC researchers. The project proposal can be related to, but should be distinct from, your dissertation research.
- a brief description of your dissertation project (no more than 1 page, single spaced).
- an academic article-length manuscript (~7,000 or more) that you have written (published or unpublished) that demonstrates your writing skills.
- a CV.
- name and email contact info for two reference letters.
After you submit your application, a request for letters will be sent on your behalf. Note that reference letters cannot be requested until after you have submitted your application, and furthermore, that they might not be automatically requested for all candidates. Please alert your letter writers in advance and ask them to look for a letter request from a Microsoft.com email alias (often, this email ends up in email Spam Folders).
Applicants from historically marginalized communities and those underrepresented in higher education are strongly encouraged to apply.
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 (https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/accommodationrequest) .
Benefits/perks listed below may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you work.