Machine Learning Engineer PhD Intern - Summer 2027

Location: San Jose, California, United States of America Department: Intern

The Company

PayPal has been revolutionizing commerce globally for more than 25 years. Creating innovative experiences that make moving money, selling, and shopping simple, personalized, and secure, PayPal empowers consumers and businesses in approximately 200 markets to join and thrive in the global economy.

We operate a global, two-sided network at scale that connects hundreds of millions of merchants and consumers. We help merchants and consumers connect, transact, and complete payments, whether they are online or in person. PayPal is more than a connection to third-party payment networks. We provide proprietary payment solutions accepted by merchants that enable the completion of payments on our platform on behalf of our customers.

We offer our customers the flexibility to use their accounts to purchase and receive payments for goods and services, as well as the ability to transfer and withdraw funds. We enable consumers to exchange funds more safely with merchants using a variety of funding sources, which may include a bank account, a PayPal or Venmo account balance, PayPal and Venmo branded credit products, a credit card, a debit card, certain cryptocurrencies, or other stored value products such as gift cards, and eligible credit card rewards.  Our PayPal, Venmo, and Xoom products also make it safer and simpler for friends and family to transfer funds to each other. We offer merchants an end-to-end payments solution that provides authorization and settlement capabilities, as well as instant access to funds and payouts. We also help merchants connect with their customers, process exchanges and returns, and manage risk. We enable consumers to engage in cross-border shopping and merchants to extend their global reach while reducing the complexity and friction involved in enabling cross-border trade.

Our beliefs are the foundation for how we conduct business every day.  We live each day guided by our core values of Inclusion, Innovation, Collaboration, and Wellness. Together, our values ensure that we work together as one global team with our customers at the center of everything we do – and they push us to ensure we take care of ourselves, each other, and our communities.

Job Summary

MLE PhD Intern plays a critical role in ensuring PayPal’s adherence to a complex and evolving landscape of local and global regulations. By leveraging advanced machine learning, cutting-edge research, and data-driven insights, we design innovative solutions that streamline compliance processes, strengthen risk mitigation, and empower PayPal to deliver a secure, trusted, and seamless financial experience worldwide.

Job Description

As a Machine Learning Engineer PhD Intern, you will work with experienced engineers, data scientists, and product teams to research, develop, and evaluate machine learning solutions. You’ll take on complex technical problems, work with large datasets, and contribute to model development and deployment. You should be comfortable applying advanced machine learning knowledge, communicating your findings, and collaborating to bring solutions into PayPal products and services.

Essential Responsibilities

Conduct applied research to identify and develop machine learning solutions for complex business challenges.

Design, build, and evaluate machine learning models, using appropriate methods to assess their effectiveness, reliability, and suitability for use.

Analyze data and conduct experiments to generate insights and guide model development.

Collaborate with engineers, data scientists, and cross-functional partners to translate business needs into scalable machine learning solutions.

Contribute to the development and deployment of machine learning pipelines and solutions in production environments.

Monitor model performance and identify opportunities to improve outcomes, reliability, and efficiency.

Document research, experiments, and technical decisions, and communicate findings to technical and non-technical audiences.

Stay informed about developments in machine learning and assess their potential relevance to PayPal’s products and services.

Additional Responsibilities & Preferred Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

Currently pursuing a PhD in computer science, machine learning, statistics, or a related field.

Strong foundation in machine learning and statistics, with research experience developing and evaluating models.

Proficiency in Python and experience with machine learning frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, or scikit-learn.

Strong analytical, communication, and collaboration skills. Relevant research publications are preferred.

Internship Program Requirements

This is a Summer 2027 Internship program. Spring and Fall 2027 internships are not available.

Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship.

Currently pursuing a PhD degree in computer science, machine learning, data science, computer engineering, or a related technical field at an accredited college or university.

Must be returning to school in Fall 2027.

Applications will be accepted through Sunday December 6th, 2026.

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The base pay for this role will depend on where you work and the relevant experience and expertise you bring. The expected range of pay for this role by location is:

Primary Location | Pay Range

San Jose, California | ($59- $66 hourly)

Visa Sponsorship through PayPal is not available for this position now or any time in the future.

Subsidiary

PayPal

Travel Percent

0

PayPal does not charge candidates any fees for courses, applications, resume reviews, interviews, background checks, or onboarding. When making an application directly, we will never ask you to share passwords, one-time passcodes (OTP), or verification codes.  Any such request is a red flag and likely part of a scam. All com