Staff Research Scientist, Intern – PhD Agentic AI

Visa

. Conduct research to improve AI agent reliability, reduce hallucinations, and advance safety, security, and ethical alignment .

Posted 9/17/2026internshipAustin • Texas • United StatesEntry Level💰 $56 - $63 per hourWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in AI agent research, focusing on safety, security, and ethical alignment, while applying advanced techniques for model efficiency and collaboration in multi-agent systems. Proficient in programming and capable of translating research into practical applications.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Ph.D. CandidateAI Safety and Security ResearchMulti-Agent Systems ExperienceProgramming Proficiency in Python, C++, JavaResearch Publication Record

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

AI Agent ResearchModel CompressionQuantizationFine-Tuning StrategiesInference OptimizationSecure Access ControlBenchmarking ToolsEvaluation TechniquesResearch PublicationsTechnical Reporting

Soft Skills

Strong CommunicationCollaborationAnalytical Problem-SolvingInnovationAdaptability

Tools & Technologies

Generative AI ToolsChatGPTMicrosoft Copilot

Industry Keywords

Trustworthy AIReliable LLM SystemsGuardrailsFactuality EnhancementResearch Contributions

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

JavaPythonC++

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Conduct research to improve AI agent reliability, reduce hallucinations, and advance safety, security, and ethical alignment
Design techniques to enhance AI agent efficiency, including model compression, quantization, fine-tuning strategies, and inference optimization
Develop and evaluate secure access control and guardrail systems for responsible AI interactions
Investigate multi-agent architectures for secure, coordinated, and efficient collaboration
Build tools and frameworks to benchmark agent safety, robustness, and performance
Prototype and experiment to translate research ideas into practical AI capabilities
Contribute to research publications, patents, and technical reports where appropriate
Participate in a 12-week internship program and complete a final presentation for Visa leaders

Requirements

What you’ll need

Students pursuing a Ph.D. with a graduation date in December 2027 or later
Strong research record demonstrated by publications, patents, conference presentations, or technical contributions
Research experience in AI agents, AI safety, security, alignment, trustworthy AI, or reliable LLM systems
Experience with multi-agent systems, agent frameworks, planning, or evaluation techniques
Knowledge of techniques for reducing hallucinations, enhancing factuality, enabling guardrails, enforcing policies, or building secure AI systems
Experience applying efficiency methods such as compression, quantization, fine-tuning, or inference optimization
Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, C++, Java, or similar
Strong communication, collaboration, and analytical problem-solving skills
Ability to innovate, adapt to ambiguity, and tackle complex research challenges
Curiosity and continuous learning
Digital fluency, including ability to work with emerging technologies such as Generative AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot)

Benefits

Comp & perks

12-week immersive internship experience
Interactive workshops and learning sessions
Professional development and industry knowledge opportunities
Social events fostering community and connection
Hands-on experience in a dynamic, global environment
Travel opportunity/requirement of 5–10% of the time