AI/ML PhD Intern (Summer 2027)

About the Role

At Sigma, we’re not just adding AI—we’re building the future of how people work with data. Our platform already lets users explore billions of rows of data in seconds with a spreadsheet-like interface, analyze and present their data in workbooks, and build data apps and workflows. Now we’re pushing further, applying AI to reshape how people build in Sigma, discover insights, and make smarter decisions—fast.

As an AI/ML PhD Intern, you’ll join a growing team focused on building the AI foundation that will power Sigma for the future. Your work will become an integral part of the workflow for the thousands of enterprises that run on Sigma. We're looking for PhD students that are passionate about the intersection of AI, business, and data.

What You’ll Do

• Conduct original AI/ML research in search, recommendations, natural language processing, agentic workflows, and more.
• Prototype and productionize AI systems that feel intuitive but do a lot under the hood.
• Tackle novel UX problems at the intersection of AI, analytics, and data apps.
• Contribute to the development of scalable AI/ML infrastructure for experimentation, training, and evaluation of large-scale models.

What You Bring

• Current PhD student studying AI/ML at a U.S. accredited university.
• Deep understanding of machine learning, including deep learning algorithms, model architectures, and optimization.
• Baseline understanding of building and deploying production-grade AI/ML systems.
• Knowledge of the full ML lifecycle: data curation, training, deployment, monitoring.
• Desire to bridge research and application—bringing new AI ideas from concept to impactful deployment.

Bonus Points

• Experience building agents that can plan, reason, and use tools.
• Experience fine-tuning or training foundation models (language or multimodal) for novel domains.
• Familiarity with cloud infrastructure (AWS, GCP, Azure).
• Experience working in a fast-moving startup or high-growth environment.

Additional Job Details

• Pay rate: $80–$90 per hour.
• Work environment: In-office work environment in SF, NYC, and London.
• Travel expectation: All roles have a 25% travel expectation unless explicitly stated otherwise.