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Machine Learning Scientist Intern (TikTok-Recommendation) - 2025 Summer/Fall (PhD)

AT TikTok
TikTok

Machine Learning Scientist Intern (TikTok-Recommendation) - 2025 Summer/Fall (PhD)

San Jose, CA

Responsibilities

About the Team
Recommendation algorithm team plays a central role in the company, driving critical product decisions and platform growth. The team is made up of machine learning researchers and engineers, who support and innovate on production recommendation models and drive product impact. The team is fast-pacing, collaborative and impact-driven.

We are looking for talented individuals to join us for an internship in 2025. Internships at TikTok aim to offer students industry exposure and hands-on experience. Turn your ambitions into reality as your inspiration brings infinite opportunities at TikTok.

Internships at TikTok aim to provide students with hands-on experience in developing fundamental skills and exploring potential career paths. A vibrant blend of social events and enriching development workshops will be available for you to explore. Here, you will utilize your knowledge in real-world scenarios while laying a strong foundation for personal and professional growth.

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In this role, you'll have the opportunity to:
- Drive the development of industry-leading recommendation systems that elevate user experience, strengthen platform safety, and empower a vibrant content ecosystem.
- Deliver impactful, end-to-end machine learning solutions that tackle high-priority product challenges related to content understanding, LLMs, robustness, and fairness.
- Own and optimize the full-stack ML pipeline-from algorithm design to system infrastructure-to continuously push the boundaries of recommendation performance.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to craft innovative product strategies and develop intelligent solutions that fuel TikTok's growth in key global markets.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:
- Currently pursuing a PhD with a background in computer science, machine learning, or similar fields;
- Good knowledge of theoretical and empirical research in addressing research problems;
- Solid knowledge and experience with at least one popular deep learning framework (e.g., PyTorch,TensorFlow) and familiarity with deep neural network architectures.

Preferred Qualifications:
- Research experience in one or more of the following fields: applied machine learning, machine learning infrastructure, large-scale recommendation system, market-facing machine learning product;
- Strong first-author publications record in top AI conferences or journals(e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, ACL, EMNLP, NAACL etc.);
- Proficient in C/C++, Python, and shell programming languages, and have a deep understanding of data structure and algorithm design;
- Internship experience in an AI research organization.

Client-provided location(s): San Jose, CA, USA
Job ID: TikTok-7400657277185181989
Employment Type: Intern

Perks and Benefits

  • Health and Wellness

    • Health Insurance
    • Dental Insurance
    • Vision Insurance
    • HSA
    • Life Insurance
    • Fitness Subsidies
    • Short-Term Disability
    • Long-Term Disability
    • On-Site Gym
    • Mental Health Benefits
    • Virtual Fitness Classes
  • Parental Benefits

    • Fertility Benefits
    • Adoption Assistance Program
    • Family Support Resources
  • Work Flexibility

    • Flexible Work Hours
    • Hybrid Work Opportunities
  • Office Life and Perks

    • Casual Dress
    • Snacks
    • Pet-friendly Office
    • Happy Hours
    • Some Meals Provided
    • Company Outings
    • On-Site Cafeteria
    • Holiday Events
  • Vacation and Time Off

    • Paid Vacation
    • Paid Holidays
    • Personal/Sick Days
    • Leave of Absence
  • Financial and Retirement

    • 401(K) With Company Matching
    • Performance Bonus
    • Company Equity
  • Professional Development

    • Promote From Within
    • Access to Online Courses
    • Leadership Training Program
    • Associate or Rotational Training Program
    • Mentor Program
  • Diversity and Inclusion

    • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program
    • Employee Resource Groups (ERG)

Company Videos

Hear directly from employees about what it is like to work at TikTok.