PhD Intern, Data Science (2027)

The shape of it

In the posting’s own words

At Figma, one of our values is Grow as you go. We believe in hiring smart, curious people who are excited to learn and develop their skills. If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with the points outlined in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

What it asks for · 5

• Currently pursuing a PhD in Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Economics, Operations Research, Physics, Applied Mathematics, or a related quantitative field; with demonstrated experience conducting independent research (e.g. thesis or equivalent research milestone)
• Demonstrated fluency in one or more research methodologies or technical areas, such as statistics, experimentation, machine learning, causal inference, econometrics, optimization, user research methods, or AI/LLMs
• Experience using a scripting language such as Python or R, as well as proficiency with SQL, for analysis, modeling, or work with complex or large-scale datasets through research, internships, or applied projects
• Ability to explain technical concepts clearly and connect analysis to decisions, recommendations, or product/business impact
• A curious, rigorous, and self-starting mindset, with the ability to thrive in ambiguous, fast-moving environments and translate research into real-world impact

Also a plus

• Prior industry or applied research experience with experimental design, causal inference, forecasting, product measurement, user research, or applied machine learning to influence product, business, platform, or stakeholder decisions
• Publications or research relevant to applied data science
• Experience or interest in AI product measurement, LLM analytics/evaluation, recommendation systems, search, personalization, or evaluating AI-powered features

What the job covers

• Partner with cross-functional teams to turn ambiguous product, platform, or business questions into well-defined data science problems
• Analyze user, product, or business data to uncover insights and recommend actions
• Design and evaluate experiments, metrics, statistical or machine learning models, and analytical frameworks
• Communicate assumptions, tradeoffs, limitations, and recommendations clearly to technical and non-technical partners
• Own a focused internship project end-to-end, from problem framing and technical execution through final recommendations, with potential to continue toward publication after the internship

Degree language

• Currently pursuing a PhD in Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Economics, Operations Research, Physics, Applied Mathematics, or a related quantitative field; with demonstrated experience conducting independent research (e.g. thesis or equivalent research milestone)

Tools and skills named

Words the posting leans on

• research11×
• product9×
• data science7×
• design6×
• applied5×
• experience5×
• internship5×
• machine learning4×
• recommendations4×
• technical4×
• user4×
• causal inference3×
• decisions3×
• excited3×
• partners3×
• platform3×

Counted from the posting after the mission statement and the legal notices are set aside. The ones near the top are the ones a screener is looking for.

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