TikTok is looking to improve its search engine to provide users with the best search experience by building a full-stack search engine system and combining information retrieval technology with modern machine learning methods.
Requirements
- Proficient coding skills and strong algorithm & data structure basis
- Experience in one or more of the following areas: NLP, Ranking, Ads, search engine, recommender system, distributed system, and machine learning
- Demonstrated software engineering experience from previous internship, work experience, coding competitions, or publications
- High levels of creativity and quick problem-solving capabilities
Responsibilities
- Participate in the improvement of the search core algorithm
- Content understanding: Applying the industry's cutting-edge NLP and CV technology and leveraging LLM to match the most relevant videos for each search query
- User Behavior Modeling: solving the recommendation problem in search, let TikTok search increase the ability of personalization on the basis of 'relevant', and understand users better
- Video understanding: comprehensive use of NLP, CV, as well as LLM for better video understanding from the perspective of the video itself and social network, improve authority, credibility, and usefulness of search results
Other
- Must be able to commit to a 12-week full-time work period during Summer or Fall 2026
- Currently pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's in Software Development, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline
- Must obtain work authorization in country of employment at the time of hire, and maintain ongoing work authorization during employment
- Effective communication and teamwork skills
- Graduating December 2026 onwards with intent to return to degree-program after the completion of the internship
