AI Machine Learning Engineer Intern (TikTok Search) - 2026 Start (PhD)

TikTok; Singapore; On-site; SGD 13,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading social media platform is seeking talented PhD interns in Singapore to join their Search Team. This role involves exploring NLP technologies and machine learning, contributing to search engine development, and engaging in cutting-edge research. Successful candidates must commit to at least 3 months and be currently pursuing a PhD in a relevant field. Ideal applicants will possess skills in C++ and Python, along with strong AI and machine learning knowledge. Join the innovative team and make a meaningful impact.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a PhD in Computer Science or a quantitative field.
• Experience in ads, search engines, or recommender systems.
• Solid foundation in algorithms related to LLMs.

Responsibilities

• Explore cutting-edge NLP technologies and apply deep learning models.
• Utilize large-scale machine learning for personalized search.
• Conduct research in large-scale offline computing and performance optimization.
• Architecture for data at the scale of hundreds of billions: Conducting in‑depth research and innovation in all aspects, from large‑scale offline computing and performance and scheduling optimization of distributed systems to building high‑availability, high‑throughput, and low‑latency online services.
• Recommendation Technologies: Leveraging ultra‑large‑scale machine learning to build industry‑leading search recommendation systems and continuously explore and innovate in search recommendation technologies.

Skills

Proficient in C++

Proficient in Python

Strong command of algorithms

Strong AI/machine learning background

Effective communication skills

Teamwork skills

Education

Currently pursuing a PhD in Computer Science, engineering or quantitative field

Job description

Team Introduction

Our Search Team is responsible for building and owning TikTok's search engine which provides our users the best search experience. On the TikTok Search Team, you’ll have the opportunity to build a full‑stack search engine system and combine information retrieval technology with modern machine learning methods from related fields such as NLP, Computer Vision, Multimodal, and Recommender Systems. We embrace a culture of self‑direction, intellectual curiosity, openness, and problem‑solving.

We are looking for talented individuals to join us for an internship in 2026. PhD Internships at TikTok aim to provide students with the opportunity to actively contribute to our products and research, and to the organization’s future plans and emerging technologies.

Candidates can apply to a maximum of two positions and will be considered for jobs in the order you apply. The application limit is applicable to TikTok and its affiliates’ jobs globally.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis — we encourage you to apply early.

Successful candidates must be able to commit to at least 3 months long internship period.

Responsibilities

• Exploring Cutting-Edge NLP Technologies: From basic tasks like word segmentation and Named Entity Recognition (NER) to advanced business functions like text and multimodal pre‑training, query analysis, and fundamental relevance modeling, we apply deep learning models throughout the pipeline where every detail presents a challenge.
• Cross‑Modal Matching Technologies: Applying deep learning techniques that combine Computer Vision (CV) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) in search, we aim to achieve powerful semantic understanding and retrieval capabilities for multimodal video search.
• Large‑Scale Streaming Machine Learning Technologies: Utilising large‑scale machine learning to address recommendation challenges in search, making the search more personalized and intuitive in understanding user needs.
• Architecture for data at the scale of hundreds of billions: Conducting in‑depth research and innovation in all aspects, from large‑scale offline computing and performance and scheduling optimization of distributed systems to building high‑availability, high‑throughput, and low‑latency online services.
• Recommendation Technologies: Leveraging ultra‑large‑scale machine learning to build industry‑leading search recommendation systems and continuously explore and innovate in search recommendation technologies.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Currently pursuing a PhD in Computer Science, engineering or quantitative field.
• Proficient in C++/Python; strong command of algorithms and data structures (e.g., retrieval, graph algorithms).
• Strong AI/machine learning background.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Effective communication and teamwork skills.
• Modeling experience in one or more of the following areas: Ads, Search engine, Recommender System, NLP/CV.
• Have a solid foundation in algorithms related to LLMs, including but not limited to comprehensive learning and practical experience in areas such as single‑modal/multi‑modal LLM application and deployment.

By submitting an application for this role, you accept and agree to our global applicant privacy policy, which may be accessed here: https://careers.tiktok.com/legal/privacy

If you have any questions, please reach out to us at [e-mail]

Job Information

TikTok is the leading destination for short‑form mobile video. At TikTok, our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. TikTok’s global headquarters are in Los Angeles and Singapore, and we also have offices in New York City, London, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

Why Join Us

Inspiring creativity is at the core of TikTok’s mission. Our innovative product is built to help people authentically express themselves, discover and connect – and our global, diverse teams make that possible. Together, we create value for our communities, inspire creativity and bring joy – a mission we work towards every day.

We stride to do great things with great people. We lead with curiosity, humility, and a desire to make impact in a rapidly growing tech company. Every challenge is an opportunity to learn and innovate as one team. We’re resilient and embrace challenges as they come. By constantly iterating and fostering an “Always Day 1” mindset, we achieve meaningful breakthroughs for ourselves, our company, and our users. When we create and grow together, the possibilities are limitless. Join us.

Diversity & Inclusion

TikTok is committed to creating an inclusive space where employees are valued for their skills, experiences, and unique perspectives. Our platform connects people from across the globe and so does our workplace. At TikTok, our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. To achieve that goal, we are committed to celebrating our diverse voices and to creating an environment that reflects the many communities we reach. We are passionate about this and hope you are too.