Backend Software Engineer Intern (Platform Engineering) - 2027 Start (BS/MS)

TikTok; Sydney; On-site; Full time

Job description

Role Overview

The Platform Engineering Team builds the multimedia infrastructure that powers TikTok and other products. As part of the Intelligent Video department, we specialize in Video‑on‑Demand (VoD) technology, processing billions of videos every day. Our work optimizes TikTok's high‑performance VoD transcoder, architects cost‑saving VoD strategy platforms that have reduced expenses by tens of millions, and builds distributed task processing platforms to streamline multimedia development across the company. You’ll help shape the multimedia experiences that define modern social media.

Internship Details

We are seeking talented individuals for an internship starting in December 2026 through February 2027 (onboard by 7 Dec 2026). The internship is a minimum of three months and may be extended based on performance and mutual agreement. Candidates must commit to working on site at the Sydney office for a minimum of three days per week.

Responsibilities

• Participate in the design, development, and maintenance of the large‑scale multimedia processing system that handles billions of videos per day for TikTok.
• Contribute to the construction of the VoD strategy platform to deliver cost‑effective transcoding and storage optimization strategies.
• Work on large‑scale distributed systems, workflow orchestration, task scheduling, just‑in‑time video transcoding, data analysis, and related tasks.

Minimum Qualifications

• Completing or recently completed a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Software Development, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Basic knowledge of computer software, Linux operating system, storage, network I/O, and related principles.
• Familiarity with one or more programming languages such as Go, Python, or C++, with knowledge of design patterns and coding principles.
• Strong learning and research abilities, good communication skills, and teamwork spirit.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience building large‑scale infrastructure and distributed systems.
• Knowledge of data analysis and data mining, and familiarity with SQL or equivalent query languages.
• Knowledge of machine learning and mathematical modeling.