Infrastructure Engineer Intern (TikTok Recommendation Architecture) - 2027 Start (PhD)

TikTok; Singapore; On-site; SGD 17,000 - 23,000; Part time

Job summary

TikTok is offering a PhD internship focused on distributed training and inference optimization for large-scale recommendation models and LLMs. You will work on GPU kernel design and high-performance architectures, collaborating with cross-functional teams to translate research into production impact.

The role emphasizes publishing research findings and contributing to platform stability and efficiency while gaining hands-on experience in a leading tech company.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a PhD in Computer Science, engineering or quantitative field.
• Strong programming skills in C++/CUDA/Python, with solid understanding of deep learning frameworks (PyTorch/TensorFlow).
• Published research in systems, machine learning, or related areas at top conferences.

Responsibilities

• Conduct novel research on distributed training and inference system optimization for large-scale recommendation models and LLMs.
• Design and implement high-performance GPU kernel architectures and communication primitives to accelerate deep learning workloads.
• Publish original research findings at top-tier conferences and collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate research into production impact.

Skills

PhD candidate

C++/CUDA/Python

Deep learning frameworks

Distributed training

Education

PhD candidate in CS/engineering

Tools

PyTorch

TensorFlow

DeepSpeed/FSDP

Megatron-LM

Job description

Discover a career that energizes and excites you every day.

@2026 TikTok

Technology

Location:

Employment Type:

Intern

Job Code:

A242927

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Our Team is responsible for the design and development of the Recommendation and Search system architecture for TikTok. It ensures the stability and high availability of the system, optimizes the performance of online services and offline data streams, resolves system bottlenecks, and reduces cost overheads. The team also abstracts the common components and services of the system, builds the recommendation middle - office and data middle - office to support the rapid incubation of new products and enable ToB services.We are looking for talented individuals to join us for an internship. PhD internships at Our Company provide students with the opportunity to actively contribute to our products and research, as well as to the organization's future plans and emerging technologies.Our dynamic internship experience blends hands‑on learning, enriching community-building and professional development events, and collaboration with industry experts.

Responsibilities

• Conduct novel research on distributed training and inference system optimization for large-scale recommendation models and Large Language Models
• Design and implement high-performance GPU kernel architectures and communication primitives to accelerate deep learning workloads
• Publish original research findings at top-tier academic conferences and collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate research into production impact

Minimum Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a PhD in Computer Science, engineering or quantitative field
• Strong programming skills in C++/CUDA/Python, with solid understanding of deep learning frameworks (PyTorch/TensorFlow)
• Published research in systems, machine learning, or related areas at venues including SOSP, OSDI, NSDI, ICML, NeurIPS, ICLR, or equivalent conferences

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands‑on experience with distributed training frameworks (DeepSpeed, FSDP, Megatron-LM) or GPU kernel optimization
• Experience with LLM inference/serving systems such as vLLM, TensorRT-LLM, or SGLang
• Strong background in parallel computing, computer architecture, or machine learning systems

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

Job Information

About TikTok

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 strive 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.