Policy Specialist, High Harm - USDS
Responsibilities
The USDS Policy Implementation team takes the established rules (Community Guidelines) and makes sure they are applied effectively and accurately in practice. In this role, you will need to cultivate a deep understanding of the platform and how it can be abused by actors to exploit vulnerable populations while championing freedom of expression for our users and ensuring policies protect users of all experiences and backgrounds. This will role will require a swift ability to make policy decisions in a fast-paced environment. You will work closely with a variety of internal partners including North America Regional Policy, Risk and Response, Product, and Legal Policy Operations to ensure that TikTok is able to detect, triage, and prevent safety incidents. This position will be full-time. It can be based in San Jose or Washington DC.
This role may be exposed to harmful content as part of their core day-to-day functions, as well as in project work; in response to escalation requests; or by chance.
Some content viewed my violate our community guidelines which include but are not limited to bullying; hate speech; child abuse; sexual assault; torture; bestiality; self-harm; suicide; and murder.
In order to enhance collaboration and cross-functional partnerships, among other things, at this time, our organization follows a hybrid work schedule that requires employees to work in the office 3 days a week, or as directed by their manager/department. We regularly review our hybrid work model, and the specific requirements may change at any time.
Responsibilities
- Provide coverage for the USDS Policy Implementation team to swiftly respond to and mitigate the proliferation of high harm escalations
- Interface with internal cross-functional teams including government relations and communications on time-sensitive topics and escalations
- Stay up to date with Integrity and Authenticity and Violent Extremism trends and new tactics, techniques, and patterns from abusive parties in the US
- Collaborate with our Youth Safety and Wellbeing team to ensure youth safety principles are considered in decision making
- Provide policy enforcement support for safety strategies including keywords, hashtags and search
- Conduct policy case review to inform our safety strategies around search and circumvention
- Proactively identify and evaluate emerging policy risks to our platform and drive solutions to help mitigate them
- Rely on data-driven assessments of high harm content to inform policy development
- Analyze existing policies and procedures to identify gaps, inconsistencies, or conflicts
- Work closely with cross-functional partners and external experts to stay up-to-date on emerging social media trends and slang in the US to predict and prevent violations of TikTok's community guidelines
- Assist team lead in providing comprehensive and ongoing training designed to inform the moderators about policy, procedures changes, recent trends, and updates
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Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
- 3+ years of work experience in Trust & Safety, content policy, or brand safety roles or another relevant field with a focus on high harm issues including Violent Extremism, Integrity and Authenticity or Youth Safety
- Experience with trust and safety models, scalable policy recall solutions, technical acumen, and actionable policies that reduce issues stemming from policy complexity
- Experience briefing executive leadership and demonstration of polished communication skills and an ability to work with multiple external partners to ensure our policy and procedure expectations are met
- Demonstrated systematic thought process regarding policy and thorough operational experience
- Background in operational excellence with a proven ability to structure policy and process-oriented milestones
- Ability to thrive in ambiguous environments, identify trade-offs, and make decisions in high-pressure situations
- Deep knowledge in how policy develops in new media, technology, entertainment, or related fields
Preferred Qualifications:
- Proven ability to develop sound research methodologies and collect, synthesize, analyze, and interpret data
- Experience managing complex research projects in a start-up, and forming new teams in established companies
- Advanced proficiency in Excel and understanding of data access tools, including but not limited to SQL
- Your ability to work in a high tempo environment, adapt, respond to day-to-day challenges of the role.
- Your resilience and commitment to self-care to manage the emotional demands of the role.
Job Information
[For Pay Transparency] Compensation Description (annually)
The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $96000 - $217023 annually.
Compensation may vary outside of this range depending on a number of factors, including a candidate's qualifications, skills, competencies and experience, and location. Base pay is one part of the Total Package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work, and this role may be eligible for additional discretionary bonuses/incentives, and restricted stock units.
Benefits may vary depending on the nature of employment and the country work location. Employees have day one access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) savings plan with company match, paid parental leave, short-term and long-term disability coverage, life insurance, wellbeing benefits, among others. Employees also receive 10 paid holidays per year, 10 paid sick days per year and 17 days of Paid Personal Time (prorated upon hire with increasing accruals by tenure).
The Company reserves the right to modify or change these benefits programs at any time, with or without notice.
For Los Angeles County (unincorporated) Candidates:
Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Our company believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship on the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment:
1. Interacting and occasionally having unsupervised contact with internal/external clients and/or colleagues;
2. Appropriately handling and managing confidential information including proprietary and trade secret information and access to information technology systems; and
3. Exercising sound judgment.
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
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