Role Description & Responsibilities
Data Science
About Figma
Figma is a high-growth technology leader building scalable solutions for global users. Millions of companies and teams rely on their infrastructure and services to execute high-value workflows, analyze massive datasets, and scale modern operations.
CadetX Candidate Advantage: As an applicant for this Data Science role, you are evaluated on practical proficiency with real-world query execution, data pipelines, and clear stakeholder communication.
CadetX Role Brief & Company Specifications
Role Mission & Impact
The AI Research team at Figma is working on the cutting edge of AI and Design. We work on optimizing agentic systems for design quality and end user experience. We build robust evaluators for Design and post-train models. We are a very collaborative, close-knit and impact-focused team of researchers and research engineers working on some of the most challenging technical problems at the intersection of AI and creativity.
We are seeking PhD interns with expertise in machine learning and artificial intelligence to develop innovative AI solutions for design and creative products. Through both fundamental and applied research, your work will contribute to new AI-driven features in Figma products.
Key Responsibilities & Day-to-Day Scope
- ✓ Drive fundamental and applied research in Generative AI with Figma product use cases in mind
- ✓ Formulate and implement new modeling approaches both to improve the effectiveness of Figma’s current AI models as well as enable the launch of entirely new AI-powered product features
- ✓ Explore the boundaries of what is possible with the current technology set and experiment with novel ideas
- ✓ Depending on your project, you may have the opportunity to publish your research in leading AI/ML conferences
- ✓ Are a 4th or 5th year senior Ph.D student in AI, Machine Learning, Computer Vision, Natural Language Processing, Human Computer Interaction or a related field
- ✓ Proven expertise in AI through publications on recent advancements in AI, such as Large Language Models or Agentic systems
Official Qualifications & Technical Requirements
- • Track record in applying machine learning techniques to projects in academia or industry
- • Experience in Python and machine learning frameworks (such as PyTorch, TensorFlow)
- • Experience solving sophisticated problems and comparing alternative solutions, trade-offs, and diverse points of view to determine a path forward
- • Related industry experience via a past internship or full-time role
- • Experience communicating your solutions effectively to different audiences
- • Experience using AI-assisted development tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude) to write, debug, and optimize code
Preferred Skills & Technology Stack
- + Familiarity with distributed compute frameworks (Apache Spark, Databricks).
- + Experience with experiment tracking tools (MLflow, Weights & Biases) and containerization (Docker).
- + Personal GitHub repository or competition profile (Kaggle) demonstrating practical data science projects.
Tech Stack & Tools in this role
Expected technical competencies for Day 1 productivity:
★ Life & Culture at Figma
Verified EmployerFigma champions rigorous analytical discipline, continuous learning, and low-ego teamwork. Team members enjoy flexible hybrid allowances, learning stipends, and structured mentorship to fast-track career mobility.