IBM Research India has long been a cornerstone of innovation in areas such as artificial intelligence, hybrid cloud, security, data platforms, and quantum computing. Through its Summer Internship Program, IBM offers students the chance to work directly on cutting-edge research and industry-driven projects that shape global technology trends. For the 2026 internship cycle, IBM is inviting applications for the Research Intern – Platform for AI role, based in Bangalore.
This internship is specifically designed for students passionate about AI, large language models (LLMs), distributed computing, and cloud-native architectures. It is one of the most prestigious and competitive internships in India, offering students unparalleled exposure to research-oriented work in collaboration with IBM scientists and engineering experts. Whether you are aspiring for a career in AI research or advanced software engineering, this opportunity provides hands-on experience that sets you apart in the global tech landscape.
About the Company
IBM is a multinational technology and consulting corporation with a rich legacy of innovation spanning over a century. In India, IBM has been operating since 1992 and is deeply embedded across major industries including healthcare, finance, government, telecom, and automotive. Its wide-ranging services—from consulting to software, cloud solutions, AI, and research—make IBM a trusted partner for enterprises worldwide.
IBM Research Labs, located in India and several other countries, are dedicated to solving complex industry problems using advanced technologies. With research focus areas such as AI model optimization, hybrid cloud development, digital transformation, security intelligence, and quantum computing, IBM Research Labs are among the best research facilities in the world. The Research Intern program reflects IBM’s commitment to nurturing young talent and building the next generation of technological innovators.
Role Overview
The IBM Research Intern – Platform for AI role is part of IBM’s mission to build efficient, enterprise-ready large language models and AI solutions. As an intern, you will work on real-world technical challenges, collaborate closely with scientists and system engineers, and contribute to cutting-edge tools and frameworks that accelerate AI research.
Interns will be involved in training, fine-tuning, and inference of LLMs; optimizing compute usage; building tooling for distributed model training; and developing prototypes for enterprise applications. This role blends research and engineering, giving you the rare opportunity to improve foundational AI systems and build tools that scale globally.
The internship runs between May 2026 and August 2026 for a duration of up to three months.
Responsibilities
As a Research Intern for the Platform for AI team, you will:
● Train, fine-tune, and evaluate large language models
● Work on optimizing model inference and improving compute efficiency
● Develop prototype solutions for real-world enterprise use cases
● Collaborate with IBM infrastructure teams to integrate model pipelines
● Experiment with advanced architectures such as Dense, MoE, Mamba, and multimodal models
● Use tools like Pytorch FSDP, GPU accelerators, and distributed training frameworks
● Contribute to model tuning using SFT, LoRA, RL, and other techniques
● Assist researchers in building scalable experiments and benchmarking frameworks
● Work with modern tooling such as VS Code, Jupyter, Git, cloud platforms, containers, and monitoring tools
● Learn from world-class AI researchers and engineers at IBM Labs
This role gives you the opportunity to get hands-on experience with next-generation AI systems while contributing to meaningful research.
Who Can Apply
Below are the basic eligibility criteria for this internship:
| Eligibility | Details |
|---|---|
| Degree | B.E./B.Tech, M.E./M.Tech, Dual Degree, Ph.D. |
| Academic Requirement | Minimum 70% or 7.0 CGPA |
| Duration | May 2026 – August 2026 (up to 3 months) |
| Location | Bangalore (IBM Research India) |
| Mode | Onsite internship |
| Focus Areas | AI, Cloud, LLMs, Mathematical Sciences, Quantum Computing, Systems Research |
Students who are passionate about AI systems engineering, cloud platforms, distributed computing, and next-generation model architectures are encouraged to apply.
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Preferred Skills
The ideal candidate should have:
● Strong coding abilities in Python or Java
● Knowledge of data structures, algorithms, probability, and statistics
● Hands-on experience using Pandas, NumPy, Jupyter Notebooks, and VS Code
● Understanding of cloud technologies like AWS, Azure, IBM Cloud, or Google Cloud
● Experience with containerization tools such as Docker, Kubernetes, and OpenShift
● Familiarity with virtualization technologies like VMware and Hyper-V
● Basic knowledge of security, networking, and monitoring concepts
● Solid understanding of AI/ML fundamentals
● Exposure to model architectures such as Dense, MoE, Mamba, multitask or multimodal models
● Experience with Pytorch and distributed training techniques including FSDP
● Exposure to tuning and GPU optimization
● Understanding of SFT, LoRA, RL-based fine-tuning methods
Good to Have
Candidates with the following additional experience will have an advantage:
● Familiarity with Hugging Face ecosystem
● Understanding of distributed foundation model training
● Exposure to GPU architectures, NCCL, compilers, and Pytorch Compile
● Experience contributing to research papers or open-source projects
● Prior internship or project experience in AI, cloud, or systems engineering
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What You’ll Get
This internship provides highly valuable benefits including:
● Hands-on experience with state-of-the-art AI research projects
● Opportunity to work directly with IBM scientists and researchers
● Exposure to real-world enterprise AI problems and high-performance compute environments
● Access to cutting-edge tools and cloud platforms
● Mentorship from subject-matter experts in AI, cloud, and distributed systems
● Opportunity to contribute to foundational AI models and system optimizations
● Strong potential for pre-placement offers or long-term research collaboration
● A research-driven environment that fosters innovative thinking and deep technical learning
You will leave the internship with practical engineering skills, research exposure, and a strong understanding of enterprise AI technologies—helping you build a standout profile for future roles in research or industry.
Ready to Apply?
Click the button below to apply for the IBM Research Intern – Platform for AI position.
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