PhD Machine Learning Intern (Summer 2026) at Dropbox in Remote

Summary: Dropbox is a global community of visionaries and doers shaping the future of work. As a Machine Learning Intern, you will contribute to advancing Dropbox’s mission by researching and prototyping innovative machine learning approaches and collaborating with experienced engineers to design and implement scalable AI/ML systems. Responsibilities: - Research and prototype innovative machine learning approaches in areas such as Search, Large Language Models (LLMs), Multimodal Content Understanding, and Recommender Systems - Design and implement end-to-end ML pipelines—from data exploration to model training, evaluation, and deployment—in collaboration with mentors and product teams - Analyze large-scale datasets to identify opportunities for personalization and improved user experiences - Partner with Product, Design, and Engineering teams to integrate models into Dropbox products - Contribute to the team’s technical discussions, offering research-based perspectives to guide experimentation and long-term strategy Required Qualifications: - Currently pursuing a PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, or a closely related field, with a research focus on advanced AI - Graduation date in Winter 2027 or Spring/Summer 2028 - Proven experience in applied AI, through research publications, significant projects, or internships where you built or tested advanced ML solutions - Strong coding skills (e.g., Python, PyTorch, scikit-learn, or similar ML libraries), plus an ability to quickly prototype and iterate on cutting-edge ideas - Curiosity and drive to explore novel ML methodologies and translate them into practical applications that solve user needs - Research experience in one or more of the following: Natural Language Processing, Large Language Models, Deep Learning, Recommender Systems, Learning to Rank, Speech Processing, Graph Learning - Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to bridge research and practical application - Excellent communication and collaboration skills, especially in interdisciplinary teams - Familiarity with modern ML infrastructure and large-scale data systems Preferred Qualifications: - Publications in top-tier ML, AI, or NLP conferences (e.g., NeurIPS, ICLR, ICML, ACL, EMNLP, KDD, SIGIR, CVPR) - Experience with LLM-based applications or Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) systems - Interest in translating research insights into product impact for real-world users - Familiarity with the end-to-end process of building AI prototypes: from data exploration and model iteration to evaluation and user testing - Passion for swiftly moving from idea to experiment, comfortable with ambiguous or evolving project goals Required Skills: Machine Learning, Python, Natural Language Processing Important Skills: Deep Learning, Recommender Systems, Large Language Models, Applied AI Nice-to-Have Skills: Analytical skills, Curiosity, ML infrastructure, Problem-solving skills, Communication skills, Collaboration skills Internship Start Date: Start in 2026 Summer Benefits: Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage, Flexible PTO/Paid Time Off, paid holidays, Volunteer Time Off, and more, allowing you time to unplug, unwind, and refresh, Perks Allowance to be used on what matters most to you, whether that’s wellness, learning and development, food and groceries, and much more, Mental health and wellness benefits, Monthly Internet Allowance, Intern Social Stipend, Annual Emerging Talent Summit, travel and hotel accommodations provided