Software Engineer (Backend) - TikTok Privacy and Security
Sep 18, 2026 San Jose
About us
TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video and our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy.
- Size: 5,001 - 10,000 employees
- Industry: Entertainment & Gaming
Responsibilities
The TikTok Eng-Privacy and Security-Product-Teen Experiences plays a vital role in building regulatory-compliant, user-centric privacy solutions for teens on TikTok. Our mission is to earn the trust of TikTok users, regulators, and the broader community. We develop a wide range of privacy products spanning transparency, user and underage protection, user data and interaction controls, and more.
We are looking for a Software Engineer (Backend) to join the engineering team behind TikTok's privacy-focused teen experience initiatives. In this role, you will be a core individual contributor focused on designing, implementing, and scaling reliable backend services and APIs that power teen safety and privacy controls. You will work closely with fellow engineers and cross-functional (XFN) partners-including Product Managers, Data Scientists, and QA-to build robust technical solutions that protect our users and build lasting trust.
Responsibilities:
- Design, build, and maintain robust, high-performance backend microservices and data pipelines supporting teen privacy, transparency, and interaction control features.
- Own medium-complexity backend deliverables and core system components from technical design through deployment, monitoring, and production operations.
- Write clean, modular, and thoroughly tested code; participate actively in code reviews and support ongoing efforts to enhance product quality, engineering efficiency, and data security.
- Collaborate with Product Managers, QA, Data Scientists, and client/front-end teams to clarify functional requirements, define API contracts, and deliver roadmap commitments.
- Help maintain production health by monitoring service performance, resolving edge-case issues, and optimizing backend data queries and RPC latency.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent practical experience).
- 5+ years of professional backend software development experience in production environments.
- Strong proficiency in at least one modern backend programming language.
- Strong grasp of computer science fundamentals with a proactive approach to troubleshooting technical challenges.
- Strong communication, collaboration, and teamwork skills.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Hands-on experience working on high-throughput, distributed backend systems or consumer-facing applications at scale.
- Familiarity with privacy regulations, user access control systems, compliance mechanisms, or trust & safety workflows.
Job Information
[For Pay Transparency] Compensation Description (annually)
The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $218400 - $387600 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.
The TikTok Eng-Privacy and Security-Product-Teen Experiences plays a vital role in building regulatory-compliant, user-centric privacy solutions for teens on TikTok. Our mission is to earn the trust of TikTok users, regulators, and the broader community. We develop a wide range of privacy products spanning transparency, user and underage protection, user data and interaction controls, and more.
We are looking for a Software Engineer (Backend) to join the engineering team behind TikTok's privacy-focused teen experience initiatives. In this role, you will be a core individual contributor focused on designing, implementing, and scaling reliable backend services and APIs that power teen safety and privacy controls. You will work closely with fellow engineers and cross-functional (XFN) partners-including Product Managers, Data Scientists, and QA-to build robust technical solutions that protect our users and build lasting trust.
Responsibilities:
- Design, build, and maintain robust, high-performance backend microservices and data pipelines supporting teen privacy, transparency, and interaction control features.
- Own medium-complexity backend deliverables and core system components from technical design through deployment, monitoring, and production operations.
- Write clean, modular, and thoroughly tested code; participate actively in code reviews and support ongoing efforts to enhance product quality, engineering efficiency, and data security.
- Collaborate with Product Managers, QA, Data Scientists, and client/front-end teams to clarify functional requirements, define API contracts, and deliver roadmap commitments.
- Help maintain production health by monitoring service performance, resolving edge-case issues, and optimizing backend data queries and RPC latency.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent practical experience).
- 5+ years of professional backend software development experience in production environments.
- Strong proficiency in at least one modern backend programming language.
- Strong grasp of computer science fundamentals with a proactive approach to troubleshooting technical challenges.
- Strong communication, collaboration, and teamwork skills.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Hands-on experience working on high-throughput, distributed backend systems or consumer-facing applications at scale.
- Familiarity with privacy regulations, user access control systems, compliance mechanisms, or trust & safety workflows.
The TikTok Eng-Privacy and Security-Product-Teen Experiences plays a vital role in building regulatory-compliant, user-centric privacy solutions for teens on TikTok. Our mission is to earn the trust of TikTok users, regulators, and the broader community. We develop a wide range of privacy products spanning transparency, user and underage protection, user data and interaction controls, and more.
We are looking for a Software Engineer (Backend) to join the engineering team behind TikTok's privacy-focused teen experience initiatives. In this role, you will be a core individual contributor focused on designing, implementing, and scaling reliable backend services and APIs that power teen safety and privacy controls. You will work closely with fellow engineers and cross-functional (XFN) partners-including Product Managers, Data Scientists, and QA-to build robust technical solutions that protect our users and build lasting trust.
Responsibilities:
- Design, build, and maintain robust, high-performance backend microservices and data pipelines supporting teen privacy, transparency, and interaction control features.
- Own medium-complexity backend deliverables and core system components from technical design through deployment, monitoring, and production operations.
- Write clean, modular, and thoroughly tested code; participate actively in code reviews and support ongoing efforts to enhance product quality, engineering efficiency, and data security.
- Collaborate with Product Managers, QA, Data Scientists, and client/front-end teams to clarify functional requirements, define API contracts, and deliver roadmap commitments.
- Help maintain production health by monitoring service performance, resolving edge-case issues, and optimizing backend data queries and RPC latency.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent practical experience).
- 5+ years of professional backend software development experience in production environments.
- Strong proficiency in at least one modern backend programming language.
- Strong grasp of computer science fundamentals with a proactive approach to troubleshooting technical challenges.
- Strong communication, collaboration, and teamwork skills.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Hands-on experience working on high-throughput, distributed backend systems or consumer-facing applications at scale.
- Familiarity with privacy regulations, user access control systems, compliance mechanisms, or trust & safety workflows.
Job Information
[For Pay Transparency] Compensation Description (annually)
The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $218400 - $387600 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.
Responsibilities
ResponsibilitiesThe TikTok Eng-Privacy and Security-Product-Teen Experiences plays a vital role in building regulatory-compliant, user-centric privacy solutions for teens on TikTok. Our mission is to earn the trust of TikTok users, regulators, and the broader community. We develop a wide range of privacy products spanning transparency, user and underage protection, user data and interaction controls, and more.
We are looking for a Software Engineer (Backend) to join the engineering team behind TikTok's privacy-focused teen experience initiatives. In this role, you will be a core individual contributor focused on designing, implementing, and scaling reliable backend services and APIs that power teen safety and privacy controls. You will work closely with fellow engineers and cross-functional (XFN) partners-including Product Managers, Data Scientists, and QA-to build robust technical solutions that protect our users and build lasting trust.
Responsibilities:
- Design, build, and maintain robust, high-performance backend microservices and data pipelines supporting teen privacy, transparency, and interaction control features.
- Own medium-complexity backend deliverables and core system components from technical design through deployment, monitoring, and production operations.
- Write clean, modular, and thoroughly tested code; participate actively in code reviews and support ongoing efforts to enhance product quality, engineering efficiency, and data security.
- Collaborate with Product Managers, QA, Data Scientists, and client/front-end teams to clarify functional requirements, define API contracts, and deliver roadmap commitments.
- Help maintain production health by monitoring service performance, resolving edge-case issues, and optimizing backend data queries and RPC latency.
Qualifications
QualificationsMinimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent practical experience).
- 5+ years of professional backend software development experience in production environments.
- Strong proficiency in at least one modern backend programming language.
- Strong grasp of computer science fundamentals with a proactive approach to troubleshooting technical challenges.
- Strong communication, collaboration, and teamwork skills.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Hands-on experience working on high-throughput, distributed backend systems or consumer-facing applications at scale.
- Familiarity with privacy regulations, user access control systems, compliance mechanisms, or trust & safety workflows.
Additional Information
- Salary: $218,400 – $387,600
- Posted: Sep 18, 2026